The winter holiday period from Christmas Day (Dec 25) through New Year’s Day (Jan 1) includes several statutory holidays across Canada. While Christmas Day and New Year’s Day are statutory holidays nationwide, Boxing Day (Dec 26) is recognized in some provinces and territories but not all.
Entitlement to paid public holiday leave, eligibility rules, and calculation methods are defined by each province or territory’s employment standards. Employers should review the requirements for every jurisdiction where they operate or where employees work remotely.
Download our Canadian Payroll Calendar here for more helpful information about statutory holidays in Canada.
Below is a summary of statutory designations and resources for the Christmas holiday period across Canada.
Stat Holiday Legislation for Remembrance Day
Don't forget to check out our Payroll Calendar for more stat holiday info. For questions related to statutory holiday pay, click here for more information.
| Payroll Jurisdiction |
Basic Details |
Link to Additional Resources |
|
Federal |
|
Click here for employment standards - Federally regulated employers general holidays |
|
Alberta |
Use this tool to see if an employee qualifies for holiday pay by clicking here.
|
Click here for employment standards – Alberta general holidays |
|
British Columbia |
|
Click here for employment standards - British Columbia statutory holidays |
|
Manitoba |
|
See the Remembrance Day fact sheet for more details. |
|
New Brunswick |
|
Click here for employment standards - New Brunswick paid public holidays PDF |
|
Newfoundland & Labrador |
|
Click here for employment standards - Newfoundland & Labrador labour relations PDF |
|
Northwest Territories |
|
Click here for employment standards - Northwest Territories statutory holidays |
|
Nova Scotia |
|
Please refer to the Remembrance Day Holiday Act for further information. |
|
Nunavut |
|
Click here for employment standards - Nunavut general holidays |
|
Ontario |
|
Click here for employment standards - Ontario public holidays |
|
Prince Edward Island |
|
Click here for employment standards - Prince Edward Island paid holidays |
|
Quebec |
|
|
|
Saskatchewan |
|
Click here for employment standards - Saskatchewan paid holidays |
|
Yukon |
|
Click here for employment standards - Yukon statutory holiday |
It’s important for employers to stay current with statutory holiday rules, especially during the busy year-end period. Each jurisdiction sets its own eligibility criteria for holiday pay, calculation methods, and rules for employees who work on a holiday.
Ensuring compliance helps:
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Avoid payroll errors and retroactive corrections
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Prevent employment standards complaints or penalties
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Maintain accurate year-end and T4/RL-1 reporting
Employers are encouraged to review the rules for all regions where their employees work and update internal payroll processes accordingly.
