Public Holidays Ontario 2025: Stat Holidays & Dates
Figuring out which public holidays Ontario 2025 includes can feel straightforward until you run into days like Easter Monday or the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation — some days are guaranteed, others optional, and a few create long weekends. Here’s exactly what’s in store for 2025, with dates, legal status, and the distinctions that matter for Ontario employees.
Number of statutory holidays in Ontario 2025: 9 ·
Long weekends in 2025: 5 (Family Day, Good Friday/Easter, Victoria Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving) ·
Earliest holiday: New Year’s Day (January 1) ·
Latest holiday: Boxing Day (December 26)
Quick snapshot
- 9 statutory holidays for provincially regulated workers (Employment law firm Leckers Law)
- Family Day falls on February 17, 2025 (Leckers Law)
- Good Friday is April 18, 2025 (Leckers Law)
- Boxing Day is December 26, 2025 (Leckers Law)
- Whether all Ontario employers will recognize Easter Monday (April 21) as a paid day off (Leckers Law notes it is optional)
- Whether the province will make National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Sept 30) a statutory holiday by 2025 – as of 2024 it remains optional for provincially regulated workplaces (Government of Canada public holidays page)
- Statutory holidays are fixed to specific dates or day-of-week rules (e.g., Family Day = third Monday of February) (Ontario’s Employment Standards Act guide)
- Canada Day 2025 falls on a Tuesday, breaking the long-weekend pattern (StatutoryHolidays.com)
- Employers should communicate holiday schedules before January to avoid confusion, especially around optional days like Easter Monday and September 30 (Legal analysis from STLawyers)
- Provincially regulated employees need to check their employment contracts for extra paid holidays beyond the statutory nine (Leckers Law)
The snapshot above shows the confirmed statutory dates alongside the optional days that require employer discretion.
Nine Ontario statutory holidays, one key pattern: only days explicitly required under the Employment Standards Act guarantee time off with pay for most provincially regulated workers. The rest—Easter Monday, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Civic Holiday, Remembrance Day—depend on your employer’s policy.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Total statutory holidays | 9 |
| Optional holidays (provincially regulated) | Easter Monday (not statutory); National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (not statutory) |
| Long weekends (3-day) | 5 |
| Earliest holiday in 2025 | January 1 (New Year’s Day) |
| Latest holiday in 2025 | December 26 (Boxing Day) |
What holidays are in Ontario in 2025?
Ontario observes eleven public holidays in total, but only nine are statutory for provincially regulated employees. Here’s the full list with exact dates, including the optional ones:
New Year’s Day – January 1
- Statutory. Falls on Wednesday. (Leckers Law)
Family Day – February 17
- Statutory. Third Monday of February. (Leckers Law)
Good Friday – April 18
- Statutory. Friday before Easter. (Leckers Law)
Easter Monday – April 21 (optional)
- Not statutory in Ontario. Many workplaces give it off, but the law does not require it. (Leckers Law)
Victoria Day – May 19
- Statutory. Monday before May 25. (Leckers Law)
Canada Day – July 1
- Statutory. Tuesday in 2025 – no adjoining long weekend. (StatutoryHolidays.com)
Labour Day – September 1
- Statutory. First Monday of September. (Leckers Law)
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – September 30 (federal; optional provincially)
- Federal statutory holiday for federally regulated workers. Ontario does not require provincially regulated employers to observe it. (Government of Canada public holidays page)
Thanksgiving Day – October 13
- Statutory. Second Monday of October. (Leckers Law)
Christmas Day – December 25
- Statutory. Thursday. (Leckers Law)
Boxing Day – December 26
- Statutory. Friday. (Leckers Law)
The distinction between statutory and optional holidays is critical for planning both time off and staffing.
What are the statutory holidays in Ontario in 2025?
Ontario’s Employment Standards Act defines exactly nine days that must be treated as public holidays for most provincially regulated employees. The list aligns with the nine statutory dates above. Note what is excluded: Easter Monday, Civic Holiday (August), National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and Remembrance Day are not statutory and do not require paid time off under Ontario law.
The nine days listed in the Employment Standards Act are the only statutory holidays in Ontario. Employers must provide these as paid days off or offer premium pay and a substitute day.
— Ontario government, Employment Standards Act guide
| Statutory holiday | Date in 2025 | Day of week |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | January 1 | Wednesday |
| Family Day | February 17 | Monday |
| Good Friday | April 18 | Friday |
| Victoria Day | May 19 | Monday |
| Canada Day | July 1 | Tuesday |
| Labour Day | September 1 | Monday |
| Thanksgiving Day | October 13 | Monday |
| Christmas Day | December 25 | Thursday |
| Boxing Day | December 26 | Friday |
The implication: employees are entitled to paid time off on these nine days, or premium pay plus a substitute day off if they work. Non-statutory days require only employer discretion.
Employers and employees alike should note that these nine days form the minimum requirement under provincial law.
Which dates are Ontario’s long weekends in 2025?
Five weekends stretch to three days when a statutory Monday holiday or a Friday holiday creates a long break. Good Friday is a Friday so Easter weekend runs Friday to Monday if employers also grant Easter Monday. Canada Day (Tuesday) and Christmas (Thursday) do not yield long weekends.
Family Day weekend – Feb 15-17
- Saturday to Monday. (Leckers Law)
Good Friday/Easter weekend – Apr 18-21
- Friday to Monday. Good Friday statutory; Easter Monday optional. (Leckers Law)
Victoria Day weekend – May 17-19
- Saturday to Monday. (StatutoryHolidays.com)
Labour Day weekend – Aug 30-Sep 1
- Saturday to Monday. (Leckers Law)
Thanksgiving weekend – Oct 11-13
- Saturday to Monday. (Leckers Law)
The pattern: five long weekends, but only four of them are fully statutory (Easter Monday is not). Good Friday gives you a Friday start; the others fall on Monday.
Who gets September 30 off in Canada?
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation became a federal statutory holiday in 2021. For federally regulated employees—those working in banks, postal services, airports, and other federal sectors—September 30 is a paid day off. But provincially regulated Ontario workers, which make up the vast majority of the province’s workforce, do not automatically get it.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a federal statutory holiday, but Ontario has not yet designated it as a provincial statutory holiday. Provincially regulated workplaces are not required to observe it.
— STLawyers, Ontario statutory holidays legal analysis
Some Ontario employers voluntarily observe the day. Public schools and many municipalities close, but private-sector provincially regulated employers are not required to. (Government of Canada public holidays page)
For federally regulated employees, Sept 30 is a guaranteed statutory day. For everyone else in Ontario, it depends on your employer. Review your workplace policy to be sure.
The gap between federal and provincial recognition of this day continues to create confusion for Ontario workers.
What are the major holiday dates in 2025?
All significant holidays with day-of-week and statutory status summarized for quick reference.
January 1 – New Year’s Day (Wednesday, statutory)
- First holiday of the year. (Leckers Law)
February 17 – Family Day (Monday, statutory)
- Third Monday of February. (Leckers Law)
April 18 – Good Friday (Friday, statutory)
- Friday before Easter. (Leckers Law)
April 21 – Easter Monday (Monday, optional)
- Not statutory in Ontario. (Leckers Law)
May 19 – Victoria Day (Monday, statutory)
- Monday before May 25. (StatutoryHolidays.com)
July 1 – Canada Day (Tuesday, statutory)
- Midweek, no long weekend. (StatutoryHolidays.com)
September 1 – Labour Day (Monday, statutory)
- First Monday of September. (Leckers Law)
September 30 – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Tuesday, federal statutory only)
- Not statutory in Ontario. (Government of Canada public holidays page)
October 13 – Thanksgiving (Monday, statutory)
- Second Monday of October. (Leckers Law)
December 25 – Christmas Day (Thursday, statutory)
- Statutory, but no long weekend attached. (Leckers Law)
December 26 – Boxing Day (Friday, statutory)
- Creates a regular Friday but not a three-day weekend since Christmas is Thursday. (Leckers Law)
Understanding which holidays are guaranteed versus optional helps Ontario workers plan their year effectively.
statutoryholidays.com, stlawyers.ca, toronto.ca, en.wikipedia.org, canada-holidays.ca, www2.gov.bc.ca
Frequently asked questions
Are all public holidays paid in Ontario?
Only the nine statutory holidays require paid time off under the Employment Standards Act. Optional holidays like Easter Monday or Civic Holiday are paid only if your employer chooses to include them in your contract. For context on how pay rates affect these calculations, see our guide to What Is the Minimum Wage in Ontario – 2025 Rates and Rules. (Ontario’s Employment Standards Act guide)
What happens if a statutory holiday falls on a weekend?
When a statutory holiday lands on a Saturday or Sunday, most Ontario employers grant the following Monday (or another weekday) as the holiday with pay. The exact treatment may vary by workplace policy. (Leckers Law)
Do part-time employees get stat holiday pay?
Yes, part-time employees who have worked at least 15 calendar days in the preceding four weeks and who have not been absent without authorization are entitled to statutory holiday pay. (Ontario’s Employment Standards Act guide)
Can an employer require you to work on a statutory holiday?
An employer can require you to work on a statutory holiday if your employment contract allows it. In that case, they must pay you premium pay (1.5 times your regular rate) and give you a substitute day off with regular pay. (Leckers Law)
Is Boxing Day a statutory holiday in Ontario?
Yes, Boxing Day (December 26) is one of Ontario’s nine statutory holidays. Most retail closures and shopping mall schedules follow this rule. (Leckers Law)
What is the difference between a public holiday and a statutory holiday in Ontario?
In Ontario, “public holiday” is the legal term used in the Employment Standards Act for the nine days that must be observed. “Statutory holiday” means the same thing. Non-statutory holidays (like Easter Monday or Civic Holiday) are often called “optional holidays” and are not legally mandated. (Legal analysis from STLawyers)
How many stat holidays does Ontario have in 2025?
Ontario has nine statutory holidays in 2025: New Year’s Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. For a comparison with another province, see our guide to BC Stat Holidays 2026. (Leckers Law)
For Ontario workers and employers, the 2025 holiday lineup is clear on nine statutory days—and ambiguous on two notable dates. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation remains optional for provincially regulated employees, a gap that may narrow in future legislation. For anyone planning vacation or scheduling staff, the five long weekends offer the best opportunities to maximize time off. But the real takeaway for provincially regulated workers: check your contract for Easter Monday and September 30, because the law won’t guarantee them.
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