Canada 2026 Public Holidays

New Year's Day

1 January. In many countries the day off moves to the following Monday when it falls on a weekend.

The first day of the Gregorian calendar year, and the most widely observed public holiday in the world — a day off in almost every country that uses the Gregorian calendar, regardless of religion. Several countries extend the break to 2 January, and some in East Asia keep both the Gregorian and a separate lunar new year.

Family Day

Varies — the third Monday of February in several Canadian provinces.

A mid-winter or spring holiday introduced to break up a long stretch without one. Observed in several Canadian provinces, South Africa and Vanuatu.

St Patrick's Day

17 March, moving to the following Monday when it falls on a weekend.

Ireland's national day, honouring its patron saint. A public holiday in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Montserrat, and a widely celebrated but ordinary working day elsewhere.

Good Friday

The Friday before Easter Sunday.

Commemorates the crucifixion, and is the most widely observed Christian public holiday after Christmas. Together with Easter Monday it produces a four-day weekend in much of Europe, the Commonwealth and Latin America. In several countries it also carries trading or entertainment restrictions beyond the day off itself.

Easter Monday

The Monday after Easter Sunday.

A public holiday across most of Europe, the Commonwealth and Latin America, extending the Easter weekend to four days. Notably not a holiday in the United States, Portugal or Spain outside Catalonia and the Balearics.

Memorial Day

The last Monday of May in the United States; other dates elsewhere.

Honours military personnel who died in service. In the United States it also marks the unofficial start of summer.

Labour Day

1 May in most countries.

International Workers' Day, commemorating the 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago, and a public holiday in most of the world. The United States and Canada are the notable exceptions, holding their Labor Day in September instead.

Thanksgiving Day

The fourth Thursday of November in the United States; the second Monday of October in Canada.

A harvest festival that has become the largest domestic travel holiday in the United States. Canada keeps its own six weeks earlier, matching its earlier harvest.

Remembrance Day

11 November in most of the Commonwealth.

Honours those who died in war, marked by two minutes' silence and the poppy. A public holiday in most Canadian provinces; an observance in the United Kingdom, where the main commemoration moves to the preceding Sunday.

Christmas Eve

24 December.

The evening of 24 December is the main celebration in the Nordics, Germany, Poland and much of Central Europe, where gifts are exchanged that night rather than on Christmas morning. Often a half day or a de facto day off rather than a statutory holiday.

Christmas Day

25 December. The day off moves to the following weekday when it falls on a weekend.

The most widely observed public holiday after New Year's Day, a day off in the great majority of countries including many with no Christian majority, where it functions as a secular end-of-year holiday. Orthodox churches following the Julian calendar keep it on 7 January instead.

Boxing Day

26 December, moving to the next weekday when it falls on a weekend.

The second day of Christmas, a public holiday across the Commonwealth and much of Europe. Known as St Stephen's Day in Ireland, Italy and Central Europe, and as the Second Day of Christmas in the Nordics and the Netherlands.