List of paid statutory holidays

On a statutory holiday, workers are entitled to a holiday and an indemnity. The employer must calculate the indemnity. Statutory holidays cannot be moved. An employer cannot decide to have its employees work on a statutory holiday and close its establishment another day instead. This rule applies to all statutory holidays.

List of statutory holidays:

January 1 (New Year’s Day)
Good Friday or Easter Monday, at the employer’s option
The Monday preceding May 25 (National Patriots’ Day)
June 24 (special provisions apply for the National Holiday)
July 1 (Canada Day); if this date falls on a Sunday, July 2
The first Monday in September (Labour Day)
The second Monday in October (Thanksgiving)
December 25 (Christmas Day)

Days that are not statutory holidays in Québec

Remembrance Day and National Day of Truth and Reconciliation

Remembrance Day (November 11) and National Day of Truth and Reconciliation (September 30) are not statutory holidays in Québec.

Only employees covered by the Canada Labour Code are entitled to a paid holiday on these days.

These include federal public service employees, employees of Crown corporations (such as Canada Post) and employees of federally regulated companies (in French only), such as banks, telecommunications companies and interprovincial transport companies.

Conditions for entitlement to paid statutory holidays

The worker must not be absent from work without a valid reason, or without the employer’s authorization, on the day before or after the statutory holiday. Otherwise, they will not be entitled to the indemnity or compensatory holiday.

Example: Victor is absent from work

Victor was supposed to work at the convenience store on December 24. He decided not to go to work without notifying his employer. Even if he works on December 25, Victor will not be entitled to the indemnity for a statutory holiday or to the compensatory paid holiday.

Working on a statutory holiday

Normally, workers do not work on statutory holidays. A worker who is required to work on a statutory holiday is entitled to their wages for the day. They are also entitled, at the employer’s option, to:

an indemnity for a statutory holiday
or
a paid compensatory holiday, which must be taken in the 3 weeks preceding or following the statutory holiday (except for the National Holiday)

Example

Kim has to work on January 1

This year, Kim has to work on January 1 to help out her employer. She will therefore receive her usual salary for the day. In addition to Kim’s usual salary for the statutory holiday worked, the employer has the following options:

Pay her an indemnity on her pay covering January 1
Grant her a compensatory holiday for which it will pay her the amount of the indemnity, within 3 weeks preceding or following January 1

If a statutory holiday falls on a vacation day or other day off

If a statutory holidays falls on a day on which the worker is normally off or during the worker’s annual vacation, the employer has the following options:

Pay the worker an indemnity for a statutory holiday on their pay covering the statutory holiday
or
Grant a compensatory holiday for which it will pay the amount of the indemnity on a date agreed upon with the worker (this date may also be set by a collective agreement or decree)

Examples

Example 1

Vanessa never works Saturdays. This year, the December 25 statutory holiday falls on a Saturday, so her employer has the following options:

Pay her an indemnity along with her salary for the week covering December 25
Agree with her on a date when she can take a compensatory holiday for which it will pay her the amount of the indemnity

Example 2

Hakim will be on vacation on December 25. Since December 25 is a statutory holiday, his employer has the following options:

Pay him an indemnity along with his salary for the week covering December 25
Agree with him on a date when he can take a compensatory holiday for which it will pay him the amount of the indemnity

National Holiday

The only requirement to be entitled to this holiday is to be employed on the date of the statutory holiday.

Working on the National Holiday

Because of the nature of their activities, some companies may ask their workers to work even if they should be off for the National Holiday. For example, if they provide:

an essential service (e.g. hospitals, taxis, buses)
a service that must be maintained (e.g. gas stations, convenience stores, hotels, maintenance of molten metal in foundries

In this case, the worker is entitled to their usual salary for the day worked plus, at the employer’s option:

the indemnity for a statutory holiday
or
a paid compensatory holiday, which must be taken the workday preceding or following the statutory holiday (this workday is a day on which the worker usually works)

If June 24 falls on a Sunday: June 25 becomes the statutory holiday for people who do not usually work on Sunday.

Example

Maria always works Monday through Friday. This year, June 24 falls on a Sunday, a day on which Maria is usually off. For Maria, the National Holiday will be Monday, June 25.

If June 24 falls on a vacation day or other day off other than a Sunday

If the National Holiday falls on a day on which the worker is normally off (other than a Sunday), the employer has the following options:

Pay them an indemnity along with their pay covering the National Holiday
or
Grant them a compensatory holiday for which it will pay the amount of the indemnity. This day off is the day normally worked preceding or following the National Holiday

If the National Holiday falls during a worker’s annual vacation, the employer has the following options:

Pay them an indemnity along with their pay covering the statutory holiday
or
Grant them a compensatory holiday for which it will pay the amount of the indemnity on a date agreed upon with the worker (this date can also be set by a collective agreement or decree)

Example

Mathieu always works Monday through Thursday. This year, June 24 falls on a Friday. Mathieu always has Fridays off. His employer therefore has the following options:

Pay him an indemnity along with his pay covering June 24
ou
Grant him a paid compensatory holiday on the Thursday preceding June 24 or on the following Monday

Forms and publications

Les normes du travail au Québec (Document d’information)

Laws and regulations

Loi sur la fête nationale

Loi sur les normes du travail (LNT) – Articles 59.1 à 65

Interpretation Guide – Section 59.1 to 65

Interpretation Guide – La loi sur la fête nationale

Frequently asked questions

Can a statutory general holiday be moved ?

No. The Act respecting labour standards states that statutory holidays cannot be moved to another day. An employer could not have its employees work on the statutory holiday and close on another day. The only times the Act allows a statutory holiday to be moved are :

when July 1 falls on a Sunday, the holiday is July 2
when the statutory holiday of June 24 falls on a Sunday; the vacation is then moved to June 25 only for those who do not normally work on Sundays

A person who is required to work on a statutory holiday is entitled to be paid for the day. They are also entitled to compensation or deferred leave, at the employer's option. If the employer grants the deferred leave, the person will be entitled to a day off with pay on a date other than the statutory holiday.

Is a worker who is on extended sick leave, unpaid leave, parental leave, paternity leave or maternity leave entitled to an indemnity on a statutory general holiday?

No. The worker is not entitled to a holiday or to monetary compensation, for they are not working.

Is a part-time worker entitled to a statutory general holiday?

Yes. Irrespective of their employment status, be it full time, part time, temporary, casual or on call, a part-time worker is entitled to all statutory general holidays.

Do standards relating to statutory general holidays apply to everyone?

No. They do not apply to :

a person who, under a collective agreement or decree, is entitled to at least 7 non-working days with pay in addition to the National Holiday;
a non-unionized person who is entitled to a number of non-working days with pay, in addition to the National Holiday, equal to the number provided for in the collective agreement or decree of the unionized employees of the company where they work.