Ontario stat holidays 2026
Employees in Ontario get 9 public holidays in 2026. Here is every date, who qualifies for holiday pay, how it is calculated, and which popular days off are not statutory.
Ontario statutory holidays 2026
| Holiday | 2026 | Date rule |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 Thursday | January 1 every year | |
| Feb 16 Monday | the third Monday of February | |
| Apr 3 Friday | the Friday before Easter Sunday | |
| May 18 Monday | the Monday on or before May 24 | |
| Jul 1 Wednesday | July 1 every year | |
| Sep 7 Monday | the first Monday of September | |
| Oct 12 Monday | the second Monday of October | |
| Dec 25 Friday | December 25 every year | |
| Dec 26 Saturday | December 26 every year |
Add them to your calendar: 2026 (.ics)
Days off that are not statutory in Ontario
Banks, schools or government offices may close on these, but employers do not have to give a paid day off.
Many employers give it, but the Employment Standards Act does not list it.
Federal workplaces in Ontario observe it; provincially regulated ones do not have to.
Who gets holiday pay
- There is no minimum length of service: new employees qualify.
- You lose holiday pay if, without reasonable cause, you do not work all of your last regularly scheduled day before the holiday, or all of your first regularly scheduled day after it.
How holiday pay is calculated
Public holiday pay is your regular wages earned in the 4 work weeks before the work week of the holiday, plus vacation pay payable for those weeks, divided by 20. Regular wages leave out overtime, premium pay and termination pay.
Working on the holiday: If you work the holiday you get public holiday pay plus 1.5 times your regular rate for the hours worked, or, if you agree in writing, your regular wages plus a substitute day off with holiday pay.
When a holiday falls on a weekend or your day off
If a public holiday falls on a day you would not normally work, such as a Saturday, you get a substitute day off with public holiday pay (within 3 months, or 12 with your written agreement), or holiday pay instead of the day off if you agree in writing.
In 2026: Boxing Day falls on a Saturday.
Long weekends in Ontario in 2026
- Family DayFeb 14 – Feb 163 days
- Good FridayApr 3 – Apr 53 days
- Victoria DayMay 16 – May 183 days
- Labour DaySep 5 – Sep 73 days
- ThanksgivingOct 10 – Oct 123 days
- Christmas Day + Boxing DayDec 25 – Dec 273 days
Questions people ask
+How many stat holidays are there in Ontario in 2026?
There are 9 public holidays in Ontario in 2026: New Year's Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, Boxing Day.
+What is the first stat holiday in Ontario in 2026?
New Year's Day, on Thursday, January 1, 2026.
+Is Easter Monday a stat holiday in Ontario?
No. Easter Monday is not one of the public holidays in Ontario, so employers do not have to give the day off or pay holiday pay.
+Is Civic Holiday a stat holiday in Ontario?
No. Civic Holiday is not one of the public holidays in Ontario, so employers do not have to give the day off or pay holiday pay. Many employers give it, but the Employment Standards Act does not list it.
+Is Remembrance Day a stat holiday in Ontario?
No. Remembrance Day is not one of the public holidays in Ontario, so employers do not have to give the day off or pay holiday pay.
+Is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation a stat holiday in Ontario?
No. National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is not one of the public holidays in Ontario, so employers do not have to give the day off or pay holiday pay. Federal workplaces in Ontario observe it; provincially regulated ones do not have to.
Sources
Checked against these sources on October 17, 2026. General information, not legal advice: your employment contract or collective agreement can give more.