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 province or territory of employment).
Victoria Day is not a public (statutory) holiday under Employment Standards rule in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. In these provinces, a day off may be granted to retail industry employees under the Shops’ Closing Act or similar legislation. For specific requirements for your jurisdiction, consult the Library section of HRinfodesk.
In Canada, the celebration of Victoria Day occurs every year on the Monday prior to May 25. It is the official celebration in Canada of the birthdays of Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II. Victoria Day was established as a holiday in Canada West in 1845, and became a national holiday in 1901. Before Victoria Day became a national holiday, people had celebrated Empire Day, beginning in the 1890s as Victoria approached her Diamond Jubilee in 1897.
Yosie Saint-Cyr
First Reference Human Resources and Compliance Managing Editor
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