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Is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation a Stat Holiday in Ontario?
Ontario employees are entitled to nine statutory holidays each year under the Employment Standards Act, 2000. Understanding which days qualify, how holiday pay is calculated, and what your employer must do when those rules are not followed can make a real difference to your pay and your rights. This guide covers the official statutory holiday list, confirmed dates from 2026 to 2028, how holiday pay works, and the most common questions employees ask.
Were you denied holiday pay or required to work without proper compensation?
If your employer did not pay public holiday pay correctly or failed to provide a substitute day, you may be entitled to compensation through a Ministry of Labour complaint. Get advice before the two-year limitation period runs out.
Call: 1-800-771-7882 Speak With an Employment LawyerThe 9 statutory holidays in Ontario
There are exactly nine statutory holidays in Ontario under the Employment Standards Act, 2000. Several days that are commonly observed elsewhere or that feel like holidays are not statutory holidays in Ontario and do not trigger ESA entitlements.
Ontario statutory holidays
- New Year's Day (January 1)
- Family Day (third Monday in February)
- Good Friday (Friday before Easter)
- Victoria Day (Monday preceding May 25)
- Canada Day (July 1)
- Labour Day (first Monday in September)
- Thanksgiving Day (second Monday in October)
- Christmas Day (December 25)
- Boxing Day (December 26)
Not statutory holidays in Ontario
- Christmas Eve (December 24)
- Easter Monday
- Remembrance Day (November 11)
- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (September 30)
- Civic Holiday (first Monday in August)
- New Year's Eve (December 31)
Ontario statutory holiday dates 2026 to 2028
2026| Holiday | Date | Substitute day |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thu, Jan 1, 2026 | |
| Family Day | Mon, Feb 16, 2026 | |
| Good Friday | Fri, Apr 3, 2026 | |
| Victoria Day | Mon, May 18, 2026 | |
| Canada Day | Wed, Jul 1, 2026 | |
| Labour Day | Mon, Sep 7, 2026 | |
| Thanksgiving Day | Mon, Oct 12, 2026 | |
| Christmas Day | Fri, Dec 25, 2026 | |
| Boxing Day | Sat, Dec 26, 2026 | Mon, Dec 28, 2026 |
| Holiday | Date | Substitute day |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Family Day | Mon, Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Good Friday | Fri, Mar 26, 2027 | |
| Victoria Day | Mon, May 24, 2027 | |
| Canada Day | Thu, Jul 1, 2027 | |
| Labour Day | Mon, Sep 6, 2027 | |
| Thanksgiving Day | Mon, Oct 11, 2027 | |
| Christmas Day | Sat, Dec 25, 2027 | Mon, Dec 27, 2027 |
| Boxing Day | Sun, Dec 26, 2027 | Tue, Dec 28, 2027 |
| Holiday | Date | Substitute day |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Sat, Jan 1, 2028 | Mon, Jan 3, 2028 |
| Family Day | Mon, Feb 21, 2028 | |
| Good Friday | Fri, Apr 14, 2028 | |
| Victoria Day | Mon, May 22, 2028 | |
| Canada Day | Sat, Jul 1, 2028 | Mon, Jul 3, 2028 |
| Labour Day | Mon, Sep 4, 2028 | |
| Thanksgiving Day | Mon, Oct 9, 2028 | |
| Christmas Day | Mon, Dec 25, 2028 | |
| Boxing Day | Tue, Dec 26, 2028 |
How holiday pay works in Ontario
Most eligible employees are entitled to one of the following on a statutory holiday: a day off with public holiday pay, premium pay at 1.5 times their regular wages if they work on the holiday, or a substitute paid day off by agreement with the employer.
Regular wages includes regular pay and commissions but excludes overtime. Divide the total by 20 to get your public holiday pay entitlement for one day.
Who qualifies for public holiday pay?
To qualify, employees must work their last regularly scheduled day before the holiday and their first regularly scheduled day after it, unless there is reasonable cause for the absence. This is known as the Last and First Rule. If you worked your scheduled shifts around a statutory holiday and did not receive proper holiday pay, this may be a violation of the Employment Standards Act, 2000.
Did your employer fail to pay public holiday pay or provide a substitute day?
Employees who were not paid correctly for a statutory holiday can file a complaint with Ontario's Ministry of Labour. Our team can help you assess whether a violation occurred and what you are owed.
Find Out What You Are Owed Or call us: 1-800-771-7882Special industry rules
Certain industries operate under modified public holiday rules under the ESA, reflecting the continuous nature of their operations.
Substitute holidays
A substitute holiday may be provided where an employee works on a public holiday or where a holiday falls during a vacation period. Substitute days must generally be taken within three months, or within 12 months with a written agreement. If employment ends before a substitute holiday is taken, the outstanding public holiday pay must be included in final wages.
Federal vs. provincial holidays
Employees in federally regulated industries including banking, telecommunications, air and rail transport, and postal services are covered by the federal Canada Labour Code rather than Ontario's ESA. Federal public holidays may differ from Ontario's statutory holidays. If you are unsure which rules apply, get legal advice to confirm your entitlements.
Frequently asked questions about statutory holidays in Ontario
Is Boxing Day a stat holiday in Ontario?
Yes. Boxing Day (December 26) is one of the nine statutory holidays in Ontario under the Employment Standards Act, 2000. Ontario is one of the few provinces where Boxing Day is legally recognized as a statutory holiday.
Is Christmas Eve a stat holiday in Ontario?
No. Christmas Eve (December 24) is not a statutory holiday under Ontario's ESA. Employees are not automatically entitled to the day off or to holiday pay for December 24 unless their employment contract provides for it.
Is Easter Monday a stat holiday in Ontario?
No. Easter Monday is not a statutory holiday in Ontario. Good Friday is the only Easter-related statutory holiday under the ESA.
Is New Year's Eve time and a half in Ontario?
No. New Year's Eve (December 31) is not a statutory holiday in Ontario. Employees are not entitled to premium pay for working on December 31 unless their employment contract specifically provides for it.
Is the Civic Holiday a stat holiday in Ontario?
No. The Civic Holiday (the first Monday in August) is not a statutory holiday under Ontario's ESA. Some employers observe it voluntarily but there is no legal obligation to provide the day off or holiday pay.
Is Remembrance Day a stat holiday in Ontario?
No. Remembrance Day (November 11) is not a statutory holiday under Ontario's ESA. It is observed as a statutory holiday in some other provinces and by federally regulated employers, but Ontario employees are not entitled to it under provincial law.
Is Thanksgiving a stat holiday in Ontario?
Yes. Thanksgiving Day, observed on the second Monday in October, is one of the nine statutory holidays in Ontario under the ESA.
Is Family Day a stat holiday in Ontario?
Yes. Family Day, observed on the third Monday in February, is a statutory holiday in Ontario. It is not a statutory holiday in all Canadian provinces.
What happens if a statutory holiday falls on my day off?
If a statutory holiday falls on a day you do not normally work, you are generally entitled to a substitute day off with holiday pay or to have the holiday pay added to your next paycheque. Employers cannot ignore the holiday simply because it falls on a non-working day.
Questions about public holiday pay in Ontario?
If your employer denied your holiday pay, failed to provide a substitute day, or required you to work on a statutory holiday without proper compensation, our team can help. We advise employees across Ontario on Ministry of Labour complaints and employment standards disputes. Contact us for a confidential consultation.
Call us at 1-800-771-7882 or fill out the form below and we will be in touch.