Ontario’s statutory holidays give employees guaranteed days of rest and special pay protections, but the rules can feel confusing at first. This guide explains which days are official holidays in 2025–2026, how pay works, and what both workers and employers should know under Ontario’s Employment Standards Act (ESA)

What counts as a statutory holiday in Ontario

Ontario has nine official statutory (public) holidays, protected under the ESA for most provincially regulated employees. These are New Year’s Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day

In 2025, those dates are January 1, February 17, April 18, May 19, July 1, September 1, October 13, December 25 and December 26 respectively. In 2026, the same nine holidays apply, but they fall on slightly different calendar dates because of the way the year shifts

Holiday dates for 2025–2026

The table below shows the core Ontario statutory holidays for both years, so employees and employers can plan staffing, overtime and vacation schedules more easily

Optional and commonly observed days

Some holidays are widely observed in Ontario but are not statutory under the ESA. Easter Monday, the August Civic Holiday, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Remembrance Day may be given as days off at the employer’s discretion or under a collective agreement, particularly in the public sector and larger organizations

Federal employees and some unionized workplaces may have additional paid holidays beyond the nine ESA public holidays. Employees should always check their individual employment contracts or collective agreements to see whether extra paid days apply in their situation

Who qualifies for statutory holiday pay

Most employees in Ontario qualify for statutory holiday entitlements unless they fall under a specific ESA exemption or fail to meet basic attendance rules. One key requirement is often called the “last and first rule,” which means the employee must work their last regularly scheduled shift before the holiday and their first regularly scheduled shift after it, unless they have a reasonable cause for being absent

If an employee meets the qualifying conditions, they are entitled either to a paid day off on the holiday or to special compensation if they agree to work. The ESA applies to full-time, part-time, permanent and many temporary employees, so entitlement is not limited only to full-time staff

How statutory holiday pay is calculated

Public holiday pay is generally calculated as the average of the employee’s regular wages earned plus vacation pay payable in the four workweeks before the holiday, divided by 20. This method smooths out fluctuations in hours or commissions and creates a fair daily average for the paid day off

Public holiday pay is separate from overtime and premium pay. It is not included when defining “regular wages,” but it does form the basis for what an employee receives for the holiday itself, either as a paid day off or combined with premium pay when working on the holiday

Rules if you work on the holiday

When an employee works on a statutory holiday and qualifies for entitlement, there are usually two choices, which must be confirmed clearly, often in writing. They can receive their public holiday pay plus a premium rate (at least time-and-a-half) for the hours worked, or they can receive their regular wage for hours worked on the holiday and take a different paid day off later as a substitute holiday

If an employee agrees to one of these options in writing and then does not work the holiday without reasonable cause, they may lose some or all of the public holiday entitlement. Employers should document agreements about working on holidays and substitutes to avoid misunderstandings or disputes later

When holidays fall on weekends or vacations

If a statutory holiday falls on a day that is not an employee’s regular working day, or during their scheduled vacation, they do not lose the entitlement. Instead, the employer must provide either a substitute paid day off or public holiday pay for that day, depending on what both sides agree to in writing

When Boxing Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, many Ontario workplaces treat the following Monday as the observed holiday, particularly in office-based and retail settings. However, the exact practice can differ by sector, so employees should ask their HR or payroll department how weekend holidays will be handled in their workplace

Practical tips for employees and employers

Employees should keep track of upcoming holidays for 2025–2026, check schedules a few weeks in advance and confirm whether they are expected to work or will have the day off with pay. Understanding the calculation for public holiday pay can also help workers verify their pay stubs and raise questions early if something looks incorrect

Employers benefit from publishing a yearly holiday calendar, clarifying which optional days they will recognize, and training supervisors on ESA public holiday rules. Clear written agreements about working on holidays, substitute days off and premium pay reduce the risk of non-compliance and build trust with staff.

 

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FAQs

Q1: Is the Civic Holiday a statutory holiday in Ontario?
No, the first Monday in August (Civic Holiday) is not an ESA statutory holiday in Ontario, but many employers still provide it as a paid or unpaid day off by policy or agreement

Q2: Do part-time workers get statutory holiday pay?
Yes, many part-time employees qualify; their public holiday pay is based on their average earnings in the four weeks before the holiday rather than a fixed full-time amount

Q3: What happens if I quit before a holiday but already earned pay for it?
If an employee’s employment ends before the holiday, the employer may still owe public holiday pay that was earned before termination, depending on the timing and the ESA rules on termination and holiday pay