FACTS
Location: Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous US
Area (only Total) total: 9,984,670 sq km
Climate: varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north
Terrain: mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast
Population: 33,212,696 (July 2008 est.)
Main Language (only first): English
Government type: constitutional monarchy that is also a parliamentary democracy and a federation
Capital (Name): Ottawa
Capital (Time Difference): UTC-5
Independence: 1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (recognized by UK)
National holiday: Canada Day, 1 July (1867)
HOLIDAYS
January 1 New Year's Day1
February 14 Valentine's Day
February 15 Flag Day
February 18 Family Day
March 10 Commonwealth Day
March 17 St. Patrick's Day
March 21 Good Friday
March 24 Easter Monday
May 19 Victoria Day
July 1 Canada Day
August 4 Civic / Provincial Day
September 1 Labor Day
October 13 Thanksgiving Day
October 31 Halloween
November 11 Remembrance Day
December 25 Christmas
December 26 Boxing Day
1 If these fall on a Sunday, the next working day is considered a holiday. If Canada Day falls on a Saturday, the Monday following is a holiday.
Provincial Holidays
Alberta
The same as the federal holidays plus Alberta Family Day on the 3rd Monday in February and an optional civic holiday on the 1st Monday in August.
British Columbia
The Government of British Columbia lists all the Canadian public holidays given above as statutory holidays except Easter Monday. They add British Columbia Day which is the 1st Monday in August, co-inciding with the general date for provincial and civic holidays. Remembrance Day (11 November) is a statutory holiday for all.
Manitoba
Holidays are as for the Federal government above.
New Brunswick
The Government of New Brunswick lists New Year's Day, Good Friday, Canada Day, New Brunswick Day (the 1st Monday in August, co-inciding with the general date for provincial and civic holidays), Labour Day and Christmas Day as paid holidays.
Newfoundland and Labrador
The Provincial holiday is Cabot 500 Day (Discovery Day) on June 24.
In St John's and Harbour Grace, the Regatta Days are also holidays. St. John's falls on the first Wednesday in August, weather permitting, but the Harbour Grace regatta date is unknown.
Northwest Territories
The Government of Nunavutthe Northwest Territories Labour Standards Acts and Amendments list the following:-
Victoria Day is not listed.
A Civic Holiday is granted on the 1st Monday in August.
A day is to be fixed by the Governor for observance of the birthday of the reigning sovereign.
Remebrance Day (11 November) is a general holiday (i.e. for all, not just government workers).
Nunavut
The Government of Nunavut lists exactly the same laws as those of the Northwest Territories.
Nova Scotia
The Government of Nova Scotia lists the same official holidays as the Canadian Government except the Provincial holiday and adds 24 December as a half day for Christmas Eve .
They do not list a provincial holiday but state that "an additional holiday will be taken on a day that, in the opinion of the Department of Human Resources is recognized as a Provincial or Civil Holiday in an area in which the employee is employed (for example, in Halifax and Dartmouth, Halifax and Dartmouth Natal Day). If there is no such recognized holiday in the area, the holiday will be taken on the first Monday in August". Both the Halifax and Dartmouth Natal Days fall on the 1st Monday in August.
Ontario
Statutory holidays are as the Federal ones.
There are civic holidays on the 1st Monday in August and on 11 November.
Prince Edward Island
Statutory holidays are as the Federal ones. The 1st Monday in August is not an official holiday but is often given by employers. In Charlottetown and east, government employees and a scattered few in the private sector get a holiday on Gold Cup and Saucer parade day instead of the 1st Monday in August. Gold Cup and Saucer is a major harness race held in the capital each year.
In the Summerside area government employees, and again a few within the private sector, get a holiday on Lobster Carnival parade day.
West of Summerside the August holiday falls on the first Monday of August, i.e. the normal Civic holiday.
The only exceptions to these last three would be those working within selected unions in the health agency.
Quebec
The government of Quebec lists the same official holidays as the Canadian Government and adds the second day of the New Year (January 2) and Boxing Day (26 December). The provincial holiday however, is not in August but...
June 24 Quebec National Day or St Jean Baptiste Day
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan day is the 1st Monday in August, in line with the Civic holiday.
Yukon
In addition to Federal holidays, there are Provincial holidays (replacing the 1st Monday in August) on
February Friday before last Sunday - Heritage Day
August Monday nearest 17th - Discovery Day
Weekend Saturday, Sunday
