On June 20, 1868, a proclamation signed by the Governor General Lord Monck called upon all Her Majesty Queen Victoria’s loving subjects throughout Canada to join in the celebration of the anniversary of the formation of the union of the British North America provinces in a federation under the name of Canada on July 1st.
The employment/labour standards legislation of every Canadian jurisdiction makes Canada Day a public (statutory) holiday,
Employees get a day off with regular pay or public holiday pay (depending on the province or territory of employment). If the employee is required to work on the holiday, the employee must be paid regular wages and get a substituted day off with pay at a later date (depending on the jurisdiction).
Canada Day is generally observed on July 1. The only exception is if July 1 falls on a Sunday, in which case Canada Day is observed the following Monday. (Newfoundland and Labrador has a different rule under the province’s Shops’ Closing Act.)
For specific requirements for your jurisdiction, consult the Library section of HRinfodesk.
Happy Canada Day!
Yosie Saint-Cyr
First Reference Human Resources and Compliance Managing Editor
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