Canadian Statutory Holiday - Definition

In Canada, a Statutory Holiday (also known as "general" or "public" holiday) is a holiday legislated either through the federal, provincial or territorial governments. Most workers, public or private, are entitled to take the day off with regular pay. However, employers may ask/request employees to work on such a holiday but in this case, must be paid at a premium rate -- usually 1½ (known as "time and a half") or 2 times the regular pay.

The statutory holidays mandated by federal legislation are:

• New Year's Day - January 1, also January 2 in Quebec
• Good Friday - Friday before Easter Sunday. Observed in all provinces except Quebec where it is only loosely observed
• Easter Monday - Monday after Easter Sunday. General holiday in Quebec, loosely observed in other provinces.
• Victoria Day - Monday on or before May 24. The Quebec government refers to this as Patriotes Day.
• Canada Day - July 1
• Labour Day - first Monday in September.
• Thanksgiving Day - second Monday in October.
• Remembrance Day - November 11. This is a holiday for employees of the federal government. However, for private business, provincial governments and schools, it is not a general holiday in Ontario and Quebec, but in all other provinces it is.
• Christmas Day - December 25
• Boxing Day - December 26

Provinces and territories also have legislated statutory holidays:

• Family Day - third Monday in February - Alberta
• Civic Holiday - first Monday in August. Some provinces use Civic Holiday while others call it something else.
  • Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nunavut, Ontario, Saskatchewan
• Fête Nationale (St-Jean-Baptiste Day) - June 24. National Holiday of Quebec.
• Discovery Day - third Monday in August - Yukon

References

• Public Holidays (http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/cpsc-ccsp/jfa-ha/index_e.cfm)
• Holidays in provinces and territories (http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/cpsc-ccsp/jfa-ha/prov_e.cfm)