Statutory Holidays in Canada 2024: Dates by Province

If you split your workweek between two provinces, you’ve probably noticed the confusion: why does one province give you a day off that the other doesn’t? Canada’s statutory holiday system isn’t one-size-fits-all—it’s a patchwork of federal rules plus 13 provincial and territorial variations that can add (or subtract) days depending on where you work. This guide lays out every 2024 date you need, flags the pay rules that actually matter to your paycheck, and shows you where the provinces diverge.

Federal Statutory Holidays: 10 · Provincial Maximum: 13 · Good Friday Date: March 29 · Canada Day: July 1

Federal and provincial calendars align on core holidays but diverge on regional observances. Here is the key comparison table:

What are the Canadian stat holidays for 2024?

Federal holidays

The Canada Labour Code guarantees federally regulated employees 10 paid statutory holidays in 2024. These dates apply nationwide, regardless of province or territory. According to Stewart Lawyers (Canadian employment law firm), the complete federal list runs: New Year’s Day (January 1), Good Friday (March 29), Victoria Day (May 20), Canada Day (July 1), Labour Day (September 2), National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (September 30), Thanksgiving (October 14), Remembrance Day (November 11), Christmas Day (December 25), and Boxing Day (December 26).

Federal public service workers receive additional days beyond the statutory 10. The Government of Canada (official federal public service pay policy) notes that full-time indeterminate workers are paid for all statutory holidays, and if a holiday falls on a rest day, the next working day becomes the observed date.

Key dates

Three federal holidays deserve special attention for 2024. Canada Day lands on Monday, July 1—giving most workers a three-day weekend automatically. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (September 30) is a federal statutory holiday that has gained prominence since its 2021 introduction; not all provinces observe it as paid leave. Remembrance Day (November 11) is recognized federally and in several provinces including British Columbia and Alberta, but notably absent from statutory calendars in Ontario and Quebec.

For workers in provinces that observe Remembrance Day, this is a meaningful difference—it can mean an extra paid day off compared to workers in Ontario or Quebec.

What is the 2024 holiday calendar for Canada?

Monthly breakdown

January starts quietly with just New Year’s Day on the first. The real density kicks in during spring: February brings Family Day (February 19 in most provinces that observe it), March has Good Friday (March 29), and April includes Easter Monday (April 1, federally and in Quebec specifically).

Summer and fall are packed. May 20 marks Victoria Day, July 1 is Canada Day, September 2 is Labour Day, and September 30 adds the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. October 14 brings Thanksgiving, and December closes the year with Christmas (December 25) and Boxing Day (December 26) where applicable.

According to Daily Hive (Canadian news publication), the pattern varies significantly by province: “Family Day observed February 19, 2024 in BC, AB, SK, ON, NB” while Manitoba observes Louis Riel Day, PEI has Islander Day, and Nova Scotia marks Heritage Day—all on the same calendar date but with different names.

National observances

Five holidays are truly universal across every Canadian jurisdiction: New Year’s Day, Good Friday (or Easter Monday in Quebec), Canada Day, Labour Day, and Christmas Day. Per HCAMagazine (HR and employment news outlet), “All Canadians are entitled to paid time off on New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Canada Day, Labour Day, and Christmas Day regardless of whether they’re under federal or provincial jurisdiction.”

How many statutory holidays are there in Canada?

Federal count

Federally, there are exactly 10 paid statutory holidays in 2024. This number is fixed by the Canada Labour Code and applies to all employees in federally regulated industries: banking, telecommunications, airlines, railways, and federal government services.

The Government of Canada (official federal public service pay policy) clarifies eligibility rules: “Casual and term full-time federal employees must work the day before and the day after a holiday to qualify for statutory holiday pay.” This “day-before/day-after” rule differs from the more generous indefinite-status federal worker rules.

Provincial variations

Provinces add their own statutory holidays beyond the federal 10, bringing some jurisdictions to 12 or 13 total. The HCAMagazine (HR and employment news outlet) confirms: “Provinces can add regional holidays beyond the federal 10.” British Columbia includes Family Day (February 19) and BC Day (August 5). Alberta observes Heritage Day (August 5). Ontario adds Family Day and Boxing Day. Saskatchewan has Family Day and Heritage Day.

Quebec takes a notably different path: it observes Easter Monday rather than Good Friday as a statutory holiday, and adds St. Jean Baptiste Day (June 24) and National Patriots’ Day (May 20, the same date as Victoria Day federally). According to Daily Hive, “St. Jean Baptiste Day June 24, 2024” is exclusively Quebec’s holiday, while Newfoundland and Labrador adds Discovery Day (June 24) and Orangemen’s Day (July 15).

Which province in Canada has the most statutory holidays?

Ontario 2024

Ontario offers 10 provincial statutory holidays beyond the federal 10, which means Ontario workers in provincial jurisdiction get 10 days total when you count the overlap, or additional days on top depending on how you count. According to Wikipedia (general reference), “Ontario provincial holidays include Family Day (third Monday of February), Victoria Day, Thanksgiving (second Monday of October), and Boxing Day December 26.” Ontario also observes the Civic Holiday in August.

What’s notable about Ontario is that Boxing Day (December 26) is statutory here—but not in many other provinces. For retail and service workers, this is a significant benefit: Canada Holidays (holiday reference site) confirms “Boxing Day Dec 26, 2024 is statutory in federal, NL, ON.”

Alberta 2024

Alberta runs 10-12 provincial statutory holidays depending on how you count optional observances. The Wikipedia (general reference) notes Alberta’s provincial list includes Family Day (third Monday of February), Victoria Day, Thanksgiving (second Monday of October), and Remembrance Day (November 11). Alberta observes Remembrance Day, which many provinces do not.

Alberta also observes Heritage Day on the first Monday of August (August 5 in 2024), which is shared with several other provinces. Per Daily Hive, “Civic Holiday August 5, 2024 in AB, BC, SK, ON, NB, NU.”

Saskatchewan 2024

Saskatchewan rounds out the prairie provinces with its own slate. Saskatchewan observes Family Day on February 19 (same date as neighbouring provinces) and marks the Civic Holiday on August 5. The province does not observe Boxing Day. According to the BC Ministry of Labour (official provincial employment standards), BC’s statutory list is authoritative for BC employers, and the same approach applies in Saskatchewan.

What are the 9 paid holidays in Canada?

Statutory pay rules

The phrase “9 paid holidays” is technically outdated—Canada has 10 federal statutory holidays, not 9. However, some older contracts or provincial frameworks still reference 9 “principal” holidays before counting additional regional days. The HCAMagazine (HR and employment news outlet) clarifies the current reality: “There are 10 paid federal stat holidays in Canada: New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Thanksgiving Day, Remembrance Day, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.”

When you work on a statutory holiday, pay rules kick in. According to HCAMagazine: “Employees working on statutory holiday must receive at least 1.5 times their regular rate.” This is the federal minimum—provinces can and do set higher requirements.

3 hour rule

The “3 hour rule” refers to a common statutory holiday pay eligibility threshold: if an employee works at least 3 hours on a holiday, they receive stat holiday pay entitlement even if they don’t work a full day. This varies by province. The Manitoba Ministry of Labour (official provincial source) provides a calculation example: “In Manitoba, general holiday pay for variable hours employees is calculated as 5% of gross wages earned in the prior 4 weeks.” This approach differs from the flat 1.5× multiplier for actual hours worked on the holiday.

Not every province uses the 3 hour rule. Federal employees have their own eligibility framework: per the Government of Canada (official federal public service pay policy), “Casual and term full-time federal employees must work the day before and the day after a holiday for pay eligibility”—a different test entirely from the 3 hour rule.

Provincial statutory holiday comparison for 2024

Ten holidays span every province, but regional variations create a five-tier system of observances across Canadian jurisdictions. Here is how provinces stack up:

The pattern shows that provinces with the highest total counts (Alberta, BC) are those that observe Remembrance Day in addition to the federal baseline.

2024 statutory holiday dates by province

Eight federal statutory holidays plus regional variations create jurisdiction-specific calendars across Canada’s provinces. Here is the detailed breakdown:

Confirmed and unclear items for 2024

What experts say about Canadian statutory holidays

There are 10 paid federal stat holidays in Canada: New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Thanksgiving Day, Remembrance Day, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.

— HCAMagazine (HR and Employment News Outlet)

If an employee is required to work on a statutory holiday, employers must comply with regulations concerning payment. Those who are entitled to statutory holiday pay and are asked to work on a stat holiday must be paid a minimum of 1.5 times the regular rate.

— HCAMagazine (HR and Employment News Outlet)

Full-time indeterminate federal workers are paid for all statutory holidays; if a holiday falls on a rest day, it moves to the next working day.

— Government of Canada (Official Federal Public Service Pay Policy)

Summary

Canada’s statutory holiday system in 2024 offers a guaranteed floor of 10 federal paid holidays, but provincial and territorial variations mean your actual entitlement depends entirely on where you work. British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario lead with the most total holidays when federal and provincial days are combined, while Quebec follows a separate model with Easter Monday instead of Good Friday and unique regional holidays like St. Jean Baptiste Day. For workers, the pay rules are non-negotiable at the federal level: 1.5× minimum for hours worked on a statutory holiday. Check your employment standards authority’s website for your specific province’s rules, because the gap between federal minimums and provincial requirements can mean real money in your paycheque—particularly if you’re in retail or service sectors where holiday shifts are common. The implication is that provincial workers should verify their specific jurisdiction’s calendar, because the difference between Alberta’s 13 holidays and Quebec’s different slate can add up to several paid days off per year.

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Provinces like British Columbia align closely with federal dates but add specifics, as seen in the BC 2026 stat holidays guide outlining 2026 rules and pay.

Frequently asked questions