Canada Announces 10 Paid General Holidays for 2026

The Government of Canada has published a list of 10 general holidays for 2026 that employees working under federally regulated employers are entitled to take off with pay. The recognized holidays include New Year's Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Thanksgiving Day, Remembrance Day, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.

For six of these holidays, if they fall on a non-working weekend, workers are entitled to a paid day off on the nearest scheduled working day. The remaining four holidays (Good Friday, Victoria Day, Labour Day, and Thanksgiving Day) may either be added to the employee's annual vacation or granted at a mutually agreed time if they fall on a non-working day.

These entitlements specifically apply to employees in federally regulated workplaces, such as banking and telecommunications. Workers in provincially regulated workplaces are subject to different labor laws that may vary in the number of public holidays recognized.