Statutory Holidays in Canada 2024 (Per Province)
In Canada, statutory holidays (also known as public holidays or legal holidays) are recognized nationwide. The specific holidays can vary slightly by province and territory. Companies are generally required to provide workers with a day off with pay on these statutory holidays, or if workers work, they are entitled to holiday pay and possibly premium pay rates. First, for a complete list of holidays observed across the Canadian provinces, please see TCWGlobal’s Canadian Holiday Calendar here. This is maintained each year to account for any new or updated holiday dates- so feel free to come back at it any time.
Quick Overview:
- Alberta, Canada
- British Columbia, Canada
- Manitoba, Canada
- Nova Scotia, Canada
- Ontario, Canada
- Saskatchewan, Canada
Alberta, Canada
Who is Eligible for These Holidays?
In Alberta, workers who have been employed for 30 workdays in the 12 months prior to the holiday are entitled to 9 public holidays.
How is Holiday Pay Calculated in Alberta?
Statutory holiday pay is calculated as the worker’s wages earned in the four weeks preceding the general holiday divided by the number of days worked.
Things to Consider
Workers are not eligible for holiday pay if the employee does not work on a day that is not a regular day of work. If workers work on a day that is not a regular day of work, the employee must be paid 1.5 times what they would normally earn for hours worked.
British Columbia, Canada
Who is eligible for these holidays?
In British Columbia, workers who have been employed for 30 calendar days and have earned wages on 15 of the 30 days before the statutory holiday are entitled to 10 public holidays.
How is Holiday Pay Calculated in British Columbia?
Statutory holiday pay in British Columbia is calculated by taking total wages divided by the number of days worked equaling statutory holiday pay (an average day’s pay) based on days worked, 30 days prior to the holiday (not including overtime).
How Much Should Workers Be Paid for Working on a Holiday?
Workers are paid time and a half for hours worked on a statutory holiday and double time for hours worked over 12 hours.
Manitoba, Canada
Who is Eligible for These Holidays?
In Manitoba, workers are entitled to 9 general holidays with holiday pay effective immediately.
How is Holiday Pay Calculated in Manitoba?
Holiday pay for salary workers’ is one regular workday’s pay. Hourly workers’ holiday pay is calculated at 5% of the gross wages (excluding overtime) in the 4-week period before the holiday.
How Much Should Workers Be Paid for Working on a Holiday?
Workers who work on a general holiday are normally entitled to 1.5 times their regular rate of pay for the hours worked on the day in addition to their general holiday pay.
Nova Scotia, Canada
Who is Eligible for These Holidays?
In Nova Scotia, workers are entitled to 6 statutory holidays if workers have been employed for 30 calendar days and have earned wages on 15 of the 30 days before the statutory holiday.
How is Holiday Pay Calculated in Nova Scotia?
Holiday pay is calculated by finding the gross wages over the four weeks before the holiday and dividing the sum by the number of days worked.
How Much Should Workers Be Paid for Working on a Holiday?
Holiday pay for salary workers is one regular workday’s pay. Hourly employees with variable hours are paid their average daily wage.
Ontario, Canada
Who is Eligible for These Holidays?
In Ontario, workers are entitled to 9 public holidays. Qualified workers can be full-time, part-time, permanent or on term contract. Workers are eligible immediately following their start date.
Workers must work on the regularly scheduled workdays before and after the holiday in order to be eligible for holiday pay.
How is Holiday Pay Calculated in Ontario?
Statutory holiday pay is calculated by taking all regular wages, including vacation pay, earned in the four work weeks before the holiday, divided by 20.
How Much Should Workers Be Paid for Working on a Holiday?
Workers are entitled to premium pay at 1.5 times their regular rate for working on a public holiday.
Things to Consider
Workers can receive a substitute holiday, which is another working day off that is designated to replace the public holiday.
Québec, Canada
Who is Eligible for These Holidays?
In Québec, workers are entitled to 8 public holidays. The worker must not be absent from work without a valid reason, or without the company’s authorization, on the day before or after, the statutory holiday. Otherwise, employee will not be entitled to the indemnity or compensatory holiday.
How is Holiday Pay Calculated in Québec?
Holiday pay is equal to 1/20th of the wages earned, excluding overtime, during the four weeks before the holiday. Holiday pay for workers who are paid by commission is equal to 1/60th of the wages earned during the 12 complete weeks of pay preceding the week of the holiday.
How Much Should Workers Be Paid for Working on a Holiday?
Workers who are required to work on a statutory holiday are entitled to their wages for the day and statutory holiday pay or a paid day off that must be taken within three weeks of the statutory holiday.
Things to Consider
The Workers can choose Good Friday or Easter Monday and TCWGlobal defaults to Good Friday to be aligned with other provinces!
Saskatchewan, Canada
Who is Eligible for These Holidays?
In Saskatchewan, workers are entitled to 10 public holidays. Workers are eligible immediately following their start date.
How is Holiday Pay Calculated in Saskatchewan?
Public holiday pay is 5% of wages earned in the four weeks before a public holiday. The calculation includes all wages, excluding overtime, but including vacation pay and holiday pay.
How Much Should Workers Be Paid for Working on a Holiday?
If employees work on a public holiday, they should be paid holiday pay AND time and a half for hours worked.
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Things to Consider
When the public holiday falls on a worker’s day off, employers can give the employee the option of receiving holiday pay or taking a different day off in lieu.
*For more information on holidays in these provinces, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island and Yukon, please reach out to TCWGlobal.
Understanding statutory holidays helps ensure compliance with employment laws and allows both companies and workers to plan for time off and celebrations throughout the year!
If you have workers in Canada and have any questions on holiday requirements, general Canadian employment or anything in between, feel free to reach out to your TCWGlobal Support Team, or hello@tcwglobal.com. We are always happy to assist!
If you aren’t yet utilizing TCWGlobal for your contingent workforce but would like to learn more, you can fill out our simple form here to be connected with a member of TCWGlobal’s team.
