In honour of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, September 19 has been declared a National Day of Mourning in Canada to coincide with Her Late Majesty’s State Funeral.
The summary below provides information on which jurisdictions have declared September 19 as a public holiday and to whom the holiday applies:
Declared Statutory Holiday
Only Prince Edward Island has designated September 19 a provincial statutory holiday for all provincially-regulated workers. Regular paid holiday rules apply per the Employment Standards Act.
Paid Holiday for Public Sector/Government Employees
Federal Government – September 19 will be a holiday for federal government public service employees.
British Columbia – Provincial public sector employees will recognize September 19 as a holiday. Public schools, public post-secondary institutions and most Crown corporations will be closed. Provincially-regulated employers are not required to provide the day as a statutory holiday.
Manitoba – Non-essential government services and offices will be closed while schools, child care facilities and health care services will remain open. Other employers are not required to provide the day as a statutory holiday.
Nova Scotia – September 19 will be a provincial holiday for provincial government offices, public schools and regulated childcare, while healthcare services will remain open. Other businesses are not required to provide the day off with pay but can choose to provide September 19th as a non-statutory holiday.
New Brunswick – September 19 will be considered a one-time provincial holiday for members of the public service. The holiday is optional for private sector employers.
Newfoundland & Labrador – September 19 will be considered a one-time provincial holiday for members of the public service. The holiday is optional for private sector employers.
Yukon – September 19 will be a one-time holiday for territorial public sector employees. All other employers, organizations and other levels of government are not required to provide the day off with pay.
Nunavut – Government of Nunavut offices and agencies will be closed for the day while private employers have the choice to provide the day off but are not required to do so.
No Statutory Holiday
While these jurisdictions will honour the Queen’s 70-year reign, they will not be designating September 19 as a public holiday:
Alberta
Saskatchewan
Ontario
Quebec
Northwest Territories
Unionized employers should refer to their collective agreements to determine whether September 19 is a holiday for their staff.
Regardless of the holiday requirements, all employers are being encouraged to commemorate Her Majesty’s life of public service and to honour her death in a way that works for them.
