Manitoba Stat Holidays 2026: Dates & Holiday Pay Rules

Manitoba has nine statutory holidays, officially called general holidays, when most employees are entitled to a paid day off.

The holidays are New Year’s Day, Louis Riel Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, Orange Shirt Day (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation), Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

If you work on a general holiday, you will normally receive your holiday pay plus 1.5 times your regular wage for the hours worked. Manitoba also has special rules for certain workplaces that can provide a substitute paid day off instead.

On This Page:

• 1. Manitoba Stat Holidays 2026
• 2. Who Qualifies for Holiday Pay
• 3. How Holiday Pay Is Calculated
• 4. Working on a Stat Holiday
• 5. Holidays on a Day You Don’t Work
• 6. Holidays That Are Not Stat Holidays
• 7. FAQs

Manitoba Stat Holidays 2026

There are nine statutory general holidays in Manitoba in 2026.

Who Qualifies for Stat Holiday Pay in Manitoba?

Most Manitoba employees qualify for general holiday pay regardless of how long they have worked for their employer.

There is no 30-day or three-month waiting period. Even a new employee can qualify based on the wages they earned before the holiday.

You can lose your holiday-pay entitlement if:

• You are scheduled to work on the general holiday and are absent without your employer’s permission.
• You are absent without permission on your last scheduled workday before the holiday.
• You are absent without permission on your first scheduled workday after the holiday.

An approved leave or illness does not automatically disqualify you from holiday pay.

Do part-time employees get stat holiday pay?

Yes. Part-time employees generally qualify for general holiday pay under the same rules as full-time employees.

Do new employees get stat holiday pay?

Yes. Manitoba does not require a minimum length of employment before an employee can qualify.

How Is Stat Holiday Pay Calculated in Manitoba?

Employees with regular hours receive one normal workday’s wages, while employees with varying hours or wages generally receive 5% of their wages from the previous four weeks.

Employees with regular hours

If you consistently work the same number of hours each day, your general holiday pay is your normal wages for one regular workday.

For example, if you normally work eight hours per day at $20 per hour:

8 hours × $20 = $160 in general holiday pay.

Employees with varying hours or wages

If your hours or wages vary, your holiday pay is generally 5% of your total wages during the four weeks immediately before the holiday, excluding overtime.

For example, if you earned $4,000 in qualifying wages:

$4,000 × 5% = $200 in general holiday pay.

Are construction employees paid differently?

Yes. Manitoba has a special rule for the construction industry. Construction employees generally receive 4% of gross earnings as general holiday pay, often paid on each paycheque.

What Do You Get If You Work on a Stat Holiday in Manitoba?

Most employees who work on a general holiday receive their holiday pay plus 1.5 times their regular wage for every hour worked.

For example, an employee earning $20 per hour who works eight hours on a general holiday would receive:

• Their normal general holiday pay.
• $30 per hour for the eight hours worked on the holiday.

Can an employer provide another paid day off instead?

Yes, in certain industries. Some employers can pay regular wages for the holiday hours and provide another day off with general holiday pay.

Special rules apply to workplaces such as:

• Gas stations
• Hospitals
• Hotels
• Restaurants
• Places of amusement
• Continuously operating businesses
• Certain agricultural businesses
• Certain seasonal industries
• Domestic workers

The substitute paid day is generally provided within 30 days, although employees and employers can agree to another permitted arrangement.

What If a Stat Holiday Falls on a Day You Don’t Normally Work?

If a general holiday falls on a day you normally do not work, you are still entitled to a paid day off.

What if the holiday falls on a weekend?

If the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday that you do not normally work, your next regular workday is normally taken off with general holiday pay.

What if the holiday falls on another regular day off?

Your employer must provide another normal workday off with general holiday pay, either before your next vacation or at another agreed time.

What if the holiday falls during vacation?

The general holiday does not count as a vacation day. You are entitled to another paid day off and the applicable general holiday pay.

Can an employer move a stat holiday?

Yes, most Manitoba general holidays can be substituted for another day if the legal requirements are met.

A substitute can be arranged through a collective agreement or with the written agreement of a majority of employees. The substitute day must generally occur within 12 months.

Orange Shirt Day cannot be substituted through this ordinary process.

Which Holidays Are Not Stat Holidays in Manitoba?

Several commonly observed days are not statutory general holidays under Manitoba employment standards law.

These include:

• Easter Sunday
• Easter Monday
• Terry Fox Day
• Remembrance Day
• Boxing Day

An employer can still provide any of these days off under an employment contract, workplace policy or other agreement.

Is Remembrance Day a stat holiday in Manitoba?

No. Remembrance Day is not one of Manitoba’s nine general holidays.

However, Manitoba has separate Remembrance Day rules that restrict the operation of certain businesses and create specific requirements for some employees who work that day.

Is Truth and Reconciliation Day a stat holiday in Manitoba?

Yes. September 30 is a statutory general holiday in Manitoba.

What about federally regulated employees?

Federally regulated employees follow federal general-holiday rules rather than Manitoba’s provincial rules.

This includes many employees working for banks, airlines, telecommunications companies and interprovincial transportation businesses. See our guide to federal statutory holidays in Canada.

Manitoba Stat Holiday FAQs

How many stat holidays does Manitoba have?

Manitoba has nine statutory general holidays.

Is Louis Riel Day a stat holiday?

Yes. Louis Riel Day is a statutory holiday on the third Monday in February.

Is Thanksgiving a stat holiday in Manitoba?

Yes. Thanksgiving Day is one of Manitoba’s nine general holidays.

Is Boxing Day a stat holiday in Manitoba?

No. Boxing Day is not a statutory general holiday under Manitoba employment standards law.

Do I need to work for 30 days before getting holiday pay?

No. Manitoba has no minimum length-of-service requirement for general holiday pay.

Can my employer make me work on a stat holiday?

Yes. If you work, your employer must provide the holiday compensation required by Manitoba law.

Note: Samfiru Tumarkin LLP does not currently handle employment-law matters in Manitoba. Employees with concerns about unpaid general holiday pay can contact Manitoba Employment Standards for information about enforcing their provincial rights. We do handle long-term disability claims in Manitoba, specifically when those LTD claims are denied.