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, Saskatchewan
  • In Ontario, the holiday is officially "Civic Holiday", and celebrated as Simcoe Day in Toronto, and as Colonel By Day in Ottawa.
  • In Nova Scotia, Natal Day is also celebrated on the first Monday in August, except in Halifax where it varies from year to year, usually in August or July. Natal Day is also often celebrated by proclamation (may usually be on the first Monday in August) in Prince Edward Island.
• Fête Nationale (St-Jean-Baptiste Day) - June 24. National Holiday of Quebec.
• Discovery Day - third Monday in August - Yukon
• Statutory holidays that are legalized in Newfoundland and Labrador include:
  • St Patrick's Day - March 17
  • St George's Day - April 23
  • Discovery Day - June 24
  • Memorial Day - July 1
  • Orangemen's Day - July 12
  • Regetta Day / Civic Holiday - usually fixed by municipal council orders

References

• Public Holidays
• Holidays in provinces and territories