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Ontario has 9 public holidays each year under the Employment Standards Act, 2000. Most employees are entitled to take these days off with public holiday pay. If you work on a public holiday, you are entitled to additional compensation. Employers cannot simply ignore statutory holidays — doing so is a violation of the ESA.
Ontario Statutory Holidays — 2026 & 2027
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#
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Holiday
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Date 2026
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Date 2027
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|---|---|---|---|
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01
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New Year's Day
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January 1, Thursday
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January 1, Friday
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02
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February 16, Monday
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February 15, Monday
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|
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03
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Good Friday
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April 3, Friday
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March 26, Friday
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04
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Victoria Day
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May 18, Monday
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May 24, Monday
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05
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Canada Day
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July 1, Wednesday
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July 1, Thursday
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06
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Labour Day
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September 7, Monday
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September 6, Monday
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07
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Thanksgiving Day
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October 12, Monday
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October 11, Monday
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08
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Christmas Day
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December 25, Friday
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December 25, Saturday
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09
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December 28, Monday (observed)
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December 27, Monday (observed)
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Note — not all popular holidays are statutory: Easter Monday, Remembrance Day, and Easter Sunday are not Ontario public holidays under the ESA. Some employers observe them voluntarily or under a collective agreement — but they are not legally required to. Always check your employment contract or company policy for clarity on which additional days your employer provides.
What is public holiday pay — and how is it calculated?
Public holiday pay is the amount most Ontario employees are entitled to receive for each statutory holiday — whether they work that day or not. It is not simply your regular daily wage. Under the ESA, public holiday pay is calculated as a specific formula based on your recent earnings.
The formula is: add up all the regular wages and vacation pay earned in the four work weeks immediately before the public holiday, then divide by 20. That result is your public holiday pay entitlement for that day.
Simple example: An employee earns $3,000 in regular wages over the four weeks before Christmas. Their public holiday pay for Christmas Day is $3,000 ÷ 20 = $150. This is what they are owed simply for Christmas Day being a statutory holiday — even if they do not work.
What if you work on a statutory holiday?
Even though the ESA does not define full-time, it sets firm rules that protect all employees regardless of how many hours they work. Here are the key ones every Ontario employee and employer should know:
OPTION (A)
Public holiday pay + premium pay
You receive your regular public holiday pay for the day plus premium pay (1.5 times your regular rate) for every hour you actually work. No substitute day off is provided.
OPTION (B)
Regular pay + substitute day off
You are paid your regular rate for the hours worked on the holiday and given a substitute day off with public holiday pay at a later date agreed upon with your employer.
Who qualifies for public holiday pay in Ontario?
Most Ontario employees are entitled to public holiday pay — including full-time, part-time, and most casual workers. However, to qualify, there is one important condition: you must work your last scheduled day before and your first scheduled day after the holiday — unless you had a reasonable reason for missing either of those days.
If you were absent on the day before or after the holiday without your employer’s permission and without a reasonable explanation, you may lose your entitlement to public holiday pay for that day. This rule exists to prevent people from taking extended long weekends by calling in sick around holidays.
Some employees are exempt from public holiday pay provisions entirely — including certain agriculture workers, commission-based employees in specific roles, and employees whose employment is governed by a collective agreement that provides an equal or greater benefit. If you are unsure whether you qualify, checking your employment contract or speaking with an employment lawyer is the quickest way to get a clear answer.
Common issues — and your rights when things go wrong
Public holiday pay is one of the most commonly violated areas of the ESA — sometimes by accident, sometimes deliberately. Here are the situations employees should watch for:
● Your employer asks you to work on a statutory holiday and pays you straight time only — with no premium pay and no substitute day
● Your employer tells you that you do not qualify for public holiday pay because you are part-time or a casual worker — this is often incorrect
● Your employer schedules a substitute day off but never actually provides it, or provides it far beyond a reasonable timeframe
● Your employer calculates public holiday pay incorrectly — using your hourly rate alone rather than the proper four-week formula
If any of these situations apply to you, you can file a complaint with the Ontario Ministry of Labour. Employers found to have violated public holiday pay rules can be ordered to pay the outstanding amount plus interest. You have two years from the date of the violation to file an ESA complaint.
The bottom line: Public holiday pay is not a perk — it is a legal right under the ESA for most Ontario employees. Nine statutory holidays a year means nine opportunities for employers to get it right or wrong. If your employer is not paying you correctly for statutory holidays — whether you worked the day or not — you have the right to pursue what you are owed. When in doubt, speak with an Ontario employment lawyer.
