Canada has five holidays that apply nationally and a longer provincial list on top. Quebec's Saint-Jean-Baptiste on 24 June and the patchwork of February family days make the provinces look quite different from each other.

How people take the days

Most statutory holidays fall on Mondays, so long weekends come without leave. The Victoria Day weekend in May and Labour Day in September bracket the summer for practical purposes.

If you're visiting

Retail closure varies sharply by province — Nova Scotia closes tightly, Alberta barely at all. Christmas Day and Good Friday are the widest closures nationally.

If you live here

Your entitlement follows provincial employment standards unless you work in a federally regulated sector like banking or telecoms, which uses its own list. National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on 30 September is federal and only some provinces mirror it.

Nearby countries

Neighbours of Canada — see their holidays, or compare the two calendars side by side.

What these days actually mean

Observance, business closures and transport impact for the next few dates.

Armistice Day

11 Nov 2026

Regional

Observance: Officially recognised as a public holiday, so most people have the day off work. It applies only in certain regions rather than nationwide.
Business: Expect offices, banks and the majority of shops to be closed.
Transport: Public transport usually runs a Sunday or holiday timetable.

General guidance based on this day's official classification, not country-specific reporting.

Remembrance Day

11 Nov 2026

Regional

Observance: Two minutes of silence at 11am on 11 November, with poppies worn from late October. A statutory holiday in most provinces but notably not in Ontario or Quebec, where schools and offices stay open and hold ceremonies instead.
Business: Closed where statutory; in Ontario and Quebec business runs as normal with a pause at 11am.
Transport: Normal services with brief stops at 11am and closures around cenotaph ceremonies.

Written for this country

Christmas Day

25 Dec 2026

Public

Observance: The central Christian winter feast; in most countries the household gathering matters more than the church service.
Business: Near-total closure of retail, offices and banks. Expect the preceding afternoon to shut early too.
Transport: Skeleton or suspended services in many countries. Book intercity travel well ahead.

St. Stephen's Day

26 Dec 2026

Regional

Observance: Officially recognised as a public holiday, so most people have the day off work. It applies only in certain regions rather than nationwide.
Business: Expect offices, banks and the majority of shops to be closed.
Transport: Public transport usually runs a Sunday or holiday timetable.

General guidance based on this day's official classification, not country-specific reporting.