| Public holidays in Canada | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Also called | French: Jours fériés au Canada |
| Observed by | Canadians |
| Type | National, provincial, federal |
| Celebrations | Various |
| Observances | NATIONWIDE (in bold) and FEDERAL (in italics): |
Public holidays in Canada (French: Jours fériés au Canada), known as statutory holidays, stat holidays, or simply stats (French: jours fériés), consist of a variety of cultural, nationalistic, and religious holidays that are legislated in Canada at the federal or provincial and territorial levels. While many of these holidays are honoured and acknowledged nationwide, provincial and territorial legislation varies in regard to which are officially recognized.
There are five nationwide statutory holidays[1] and six additional holidays for federal employees.[2] Each of the 13 provinces and territories observes a number of holidays in addition to the nationwide days, but each varies in regard to which are legislated as either statutory, optional, or not at all.
Many public and private employers, as well as school systems, provide additional days off around the end of December, often including at least a full or half-day on December 24 (Christmas Eve) or December 31 (New Year's Eve) or in some cases, the entire week between Christmas and New Year.[3][4] While not officially legislated in any capacity, internationally notable cultural holidays such as Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Halloween, Mother's Day, and Father's Day are traditionally observed by Canadians as part of Canadian culture.[5]
- ^ "Statutory Holidays". Government of Canada. February 15, 2012. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
- ^ "Statutory Holidays". Government of Canada. August 16, 2016. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
- ^ "School Year Calendar". Toronto District School Board. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
- ^ "Students & Schools | Vancouver School Board". Retrieved October 6, 2016.
- ^ "Canadian Holidays". JJ's Complete Guide to Canada. Retrieved October 6, 2016.