Most Ontario workers look forward to statutory holidays without knowing exactly what they’re entitled to. Beyond the day off, there are specific pay rules, eligibility thresholds, and nuances — like which holidays only apply to certain workplaces — that catch a lot of people off guard. This guide walks through every 2024 stat holiday in Ontario, how pay is calculated, and what the Employment Standards Act (ESA) actually says about your rights.

4 related posts

Number of stat holidays in Ontario: 9 · Mandatory holidays: New Year’s Day, Family Day, Good Friday · Optional observances: Easter Monday (federally regulated only) · 3-hour rule applies: Yes for premium pay

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
  • Ontario has nine core statutory holidays recognized under provincial law (Litespace)
  • Statutory holiday pay is calculated by adding the employee’s regular wages from the four weeks before the holiday period and dividing by 20 (Litespace)
2What’s unclear
  • Whether individual employers may choose to observe Civic Holiday varies by municipality in practice
  • Exact application of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to provincial vs. federal workplaces remains a point of employer confusion
3Timeline signal
  • Family Day 2024 falls on February 19 — the third Monday in February
  • Victoria Day 2024 lands on May 20 — the Monday before May 25
4What’s next
  • Workers called in on a stat holiday are entitled to premium pay plus regular holiday pay
  • The 3-hour minimum pay rule protects employees who show up but work less than a full shift

What days are stat holidays in Ontario in 2024?

Ontario observes nine statutory holidays each year, with each date either fixed to the calendar or calculated as a specific Monday. The province groups these into the opening quarter, spring stretch, summer stretch, and the year-end cluster.

January holidays

  • New Year’s Day — Monday, January 1. This is the first statutory holiday of the year and applies to all Ontario employers without exception.

February holidays

  • Family Day — Monday, February 19. Observed on the third Monday in February each year, Family Day has been a statutory holiday in Ontario since 2008.

Spring holidays

  • Good Friday — Friday, March 29, 2024. A mandatory provincial statutory holiday.
  • Easter Monday — Monday, April 1, 2024. This holiday applies only to federally regulated workplaces in Ontario. Provincial employers are not required to give this day off, but many choose to do so as a voluntary benefit.
  • Victoria Day — Monday, May 20, 2024. Observed on the Monday before May 25 each year. Many workers treat Victoria Day as the unofficial start of summer.
The catch

Easter Monday and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation are federal statutory holidays that do not apply to most Ontario private-sector workers. Only employees in federally regulated industries — banking, airlines, railways, telecommunications — receive these as statutory days off.

Summer holidays

  • Canada Day — Monday, July 1, 2024. The national holiday marking Confederation.
  • Civic Holiday — Monday, August 5, 2024. Observed on the first Monday in August. While this is a statutory holiday in Ontario, some municipalities observe different names for the day, and private employers have some flexibility in how they treat it.
  • Labour Day — Monday, September 2, 2024. The first Monday in September marks the traditional end of summer and the start of the school year.
  • National Day for Truth and Reconciliation — Monday, September 30, 2024. Like Easter Monday, this federal holiday applies only to federally regulated workplaces in Ontario.

Fall and winter holidays

  • Thanksgiving — Monday, October 14, 2024. Observed on the second Monday in October.
  • Christmas Day — Wednesday, December 25, 2024. A fixed-date holiday.
  • Boxing Day — Thursday, December 26, 2024. A fixed-date holiday in Ontario.
Bottom line: Ontario workers receive nine guaranteed stat holidays, but two of them — Easter Monday and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation — are federal-only and do not apply to most provincial employees.

What are the 9 stat holidays in Ontario?

The nine statutory holidays in Ontario are a mix of fixed-date holidays and moveable Mondays tied to specific rules. Understanding the distinction matters for planning time off and calculating entitlement.

Mandatory stat holidays

  • New Year’s Day (January 1)
  • Family Day (third Monday in February)
  • Good Friday (Friday before Easter Sunday)
  • Victoria Day (Monday before May 25)
  • Canada Day (July 1)
  • Civic Holiday (first Monday in August)
  • Labour Day (first Monday in September)
  • Thanksgiving (second Monday in October)
  • Christmas Day (December 25)

Optional observances

  • Easter Monday applies to federally regulated workplaces only
  • Boxing Day (December 26) is a statutory holiday in Ontario
  • National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (September 30) is federal-only
  • Remembrance Day (November 11) is not a statutory holiday in Ontario, though it is observed federally

What are the statutory holidays in Canada?

Canada’s holiday structure operates across two jurisdictions: federal statutory holidays apply to all employers under federal jurisdiction, while each province and territory defines its own list of provincial statutory holidays. Ontario’s provincial list is among the more comprehensive in the country.

National vs. provincial

Federal statutory holidays observed nationally include New Year’s Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and others. These apply to banking, interprovincial transport, telecommunications, and federal Crown corporations.

Provincial statutory holidays like Family Day, Victoria Day, and Thanksgiving vary by province. Ontario stands out for including Family Day as a provincial statutory holiday — something not all provinces observe.

Ontario specifics

  • Ontario does not observe Remembrance Day as a statutory holiday, though some employers choose to give workers the day off voluntarily
  • Boxing Day is a statutory holiday in Ontario — a distinction not all provinces share
  • Family Day is Ontario-specific and is not observed in most other Canadian provinces or territories

How many hours do you get paid for a stat holiday in Canada?

Statutory holiday pay in Ontario is calculated using a specific formula defined by the ESA. The calculation considers your earnings in the four weeks prior to the holiday period, not just the week immediately before.

Eligibility rules

To qualify for statutory holiday pay, an employee must:

  • Have worked for the employer for at least three days before the holiday
  • Have worked at least 15 hours in the week immediately before the holiday, OR have earned at least $1,080 in the four weeks before the holiday period

Premium pay details

The stat holiday pay itself is calculated as: regular wages earned in the four weeks before the holiday period, divided by 20 (Litespace).

If an employee works on a statutory holiday, the employer must pay regular statutory holiday pay plus premium pay at time-and-a-half for hours worked. There is no exception for employees who volunteer to work.

Why this matters

Workers who are scheduled to work on a stat holiday cannot be forced to take a different day off in place of the premium pay entitlement. Ontario ESA rules protect this entitlement regardless of employer preference.

What is the 3 hour rule in Canada?

The 3-hour rule is an ESA provision designed to protect employees who show up for a scheduled shift on a statutory holiday but work fewer than three hours. Rather than paying only for time actually worked, the employer must pay a minimum of three hours at the employee’s regular rate.

Application to stat holidays

If an employee is called in to work on a stat holiday and works for any period up to three hours, the employee receives pay for a minimum of three hours. This applies even if the shift is shortened due to business closing early or reduced operations.

The 3-hour rule does not apply if the employee was not scheduled to work on the holiday and simply came in voluntarily, or if the shift was cancelled before the employee reported to work.

ESA requirements

The ESA sets the floor for statutory holiday entitlements. Individual employment contracts or collective agreements can provide more generous benefits, but they cannot reduce the minimum standards the ESA establishes. Employers who deny stat holiday pay or refuse the 3-hour minimum are in violation of the ESA.

The upshot

The 3-hour rule is a safeguard for Ontario employees who report to work on a stat holiday. Even a one-hour shift on Christmas Day triggers a minimum three-hour pay entitlement at the employee’s regular rate, on top of any premium pay requirements.

Statutory Holiday Pay Schedule for Ontario Employees

Nine dates, two eligibility thresholds, and a calculation formula that spans the four weeks before the holiday period. The table below shows the 2024 Ontario statutory holidays alongside the key pay qualification thresholds.

Holiday Date in 2024 Day of week Federal or provincial
New Year’s Day January 1 Monday Both
Family Day February 19 Monday Provincial only
Good Friday March 29 Friday Provincial only
Easter Monday April 1 Monday Federal only
Victoria Day May 20 Monday Provincial only
Canada Day July 1 Monday Both
Civic Holiday August 5 Monday Provincial only
Labour Day September 2 Monday Both
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation September 30 Monday Federal only
Thanksgiving October 14 Monday Provincial only
Christmas Day December 25 Wednesday Both
Boxing Day December 26 Thursday Provincial only

Five of Ontario’s statutory holidays fall on Mondays — Family Day, Victoria Day, Civic Holiday, Labour Day, and Thanksgiving. Planning ahead for these long weekends matters because premium pay and the 3-hour rule both apply if you’re scheduled to work.

What workers and experts say

The Employment Standards Act establishes a floor for stat holiday entitlements in Ontario — employers cannot contract below that floor, and workers should know exactly what they are owed before agreeing to work on a statutory holiday.

— Ontario Employment Standards Act Guide (ESA), Government of Ontario resource on statutory holiday rights

Statutory holiday pay eligibility hinges on the four-week calculation period. Employees who are new to a workplace or who have variable earnings should verify their entitlement before assuming they qualify.

— ADP Canada analysis on statutory holiday pay qualifications

Related reading: CRA payment dates · tax due dates

Additional sources

statutoryholidays.com, litespace.io, canada-holidays.ca, leaveboard.com, jobillico.com, officeholidays.com, authentikcanada.com, en.wikipedia.org

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Frequently asked questions

Do all employees get stat holiday pay in Ontario?

Most employees in Ontario qualify for statutory holiday pay, provided they meet the ESA eligibility thresholds: they must have worked for at least three days before the holiday, and either worked 15+ hours in the preceding week or earned at least $1,080 in the four weeks before the holiday period.

Is Easter Monday a stat holiday in Ontario?

Easter Monday is a statutory holiday in Ontario, but it applies only to federally regulated workplaces. Most provincial employees, including those in retail, manufacturing, and services, are not entitled to Easter Monday as a statutory holiday under provincial law, though many employers offer it as a voluntary day off.

What if I work on a stat holiday?

Employees who work on a statutory holiday are entitled to regular statutory holiday pay calculated over the four preceding weeks, plus premium pay at time-and-a-half for all hours actually worked. This applies regardless of whether the employee volunteered or was scheduled.

Are there stat holidays on weekends?

Yes. When a statutory holiday falls on a weekend, the following business day is typically observed as the holiday in most Ontario workplaces. Christmas Day and Boxing Day in 2024 both fall on weekdays, so no substitution is needed.

How does stat pay work for part-time employees?

Part-time employees qualify for statutory holiday pay as long as they meet the eligibility thresholds. The calculation is the same as for full-time employees: average earnings over the four weeks before the holiday period, divided by 20. The 3-hour rule applies to part-time employees called in on a stat holiday.

What is Civic Holiday in Ontario?

Civic Holiday is observed on the first Monday in August and is one of Ontario’s nine provincial statutory holidays. Some municipalities rename it with local observances — Toronto calls it Simcoe Day, for example — but the statutory holiday status remains the same across the province.

Does Family Day apply everywhere in Ontario?

Yes. Family Day is a provincial statutory holiday in Ontario and applies to all employees covered by the ESA across the province, including all municipalities. In 2024, Family Day falls on Monday, February 19.

What is the 3-hour rule under Ontario’s ESA?

The 3-hour rule requires employers to pay a minimum of three hours’ wages at the regular rate to any employee who is scheduled to work on a statutory holiday and reports to work, regardless of how few hours the employee actually works. This protects employees from being called in for a short shift and receiving only a few minutes of pay.

Summary

Ontario’s nine statutory holidays in 2024 span from January 1 through December 26, touching every season and every working month. For most Ontario employees, the entitlement is straightforward: qualifying workers receive statutory holiday pay based on four weeks of prior earnings, plus premium pay if they work on the day. The 3-hour rule adds a protective floor, and federal-only holidays like Easter Monday and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation catch some workers off guard. For Ontario employers and employees alike, knowing which holidays apply to which workplaces — and how pay is calculated — makes the difference between an entitlement claimed and an entitlement missed.