Statutory Holidays in Ontario: A General Guide

Understanding Ontario Statutory Holidays

Ontario statutory holidays, also known as public holidays, are special days where employees are entitled to a paid day off. There are nine such holidays for provincially regulated employees, which includes the majority of the workforce in Ontario.

The rules for these holidays, including when they occur and how public holiday pay is calculated in Ontario, are set by the province’s Employment Standards Act (ESA).

• LEARN MORE: General Holidays for Federally Regulated Employees

When Public Holidays Occur

The following is a comprehensive list of the nine public holidays in Ontario and when they typically occur in a calendar year:

*Ontario is the only province that recognizes Boxing Day as a stat holiday.

• Find Specific Ontario Public Holiday Dates: 2021 • 2022 • 2023 • 2024 • 2025

Optional Holidays in Ontario

Employers in Ontario have the flexibility to recognize additional holidays beyond the statutory ones. If an employer decides to acknowledge an extra holiday, all the rules and regulations related to holiday pay will apply.

These optional holidays are at the discretion of the employer and can be any day they choose to acknowledge as a holiday. The most common optional holidays in Ontario are:

• Easter Monday: Monday after Easter Sunday
• Civic Holiday: First Monday in August
• National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: September 30
• Remembrance Day: November 11

Weekend Holidays and Vacation Considerations

In Ontario, if a statutory holiday falls on a weekend or during your vacation, you’re entitled to another day off with holiday pay.

• Example: If July 1 is on a Saturday and you usually work Monday to Friday, your employer may give you Monday, July 3 off with holiday pay.

Need to Know How Public Holiday Pay Works?

Now that you understand when public holidays typically take place in Ontario, it’s time to read our resource on how public holiday pay and premium pay works for stat holidays in Ontario for 2024.

Terminations and Stat Holidays

If you’ve been fired without cause or for cause before or after taking a stat holiday it’s crucial to understand your rights through a consultation with an Ontario employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP immediately.

Do not accept any severance offer, termination papers, or exit agreement from your employer, even if they come with a deadline. These deadlines are pressure tactics used to push you into accepting inadequate compensation. Once you sign and return these documents, you forfeit your ability to negotiate a fair and proper severance package. A full severance package can be as much as 24 months’ pay.

Talk To an Employment Lawyer

The knowledgeable employment law team at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP has helped tens of thousands of non-unionized individuals across the country.

In addition to severance package negotiations, we have experience securing solutions for the following employment matters:

Our lawyers in Ontario, Alberta, and B.C. stand ready to help you solve your workplace issues.

If you are a non-unionized employee who needs help with an employment issue, contact us or call 1-855-821-5900 to get the advice you need, and the compensation you deserve.