Holidays and Observances in Canada for 2023

What are the main holidays in Canada? As with most countries, Canada's national holidays generally mark religious, quasi-religious or patriotic occasions. Statutory holidays are observed by federal employees and most Canadians, although increasingly, statutory holidays are becoming days for shopping and for large sales. Below is a listing of all Canadian public holidays and Parliamentary mandated observances. Please refer to Designation of National Days and Observances publication for more more information. Have a look at our calendar with canadian public holidays pages for printable calendars with holidays in Canada. These public holidays are usually observed in all provinces and territories across Canada. Click on any holiday below for more details and dates for the next 10 years.

2023 CANADA HOLIDAYS

DateDayHoliday NameHoliday Type
JANUARY
Jan 1SundayNew Years DayNational
Jan 2MondayDay Off for New Years DayNational
Jan 11WednesdaySir John A Macdonald DayObservance
Jan 17TuesdayRaoul Wallenberg DayObservance
Jan 21SaturdayLincoln Alexander DayObservance
FEBRUARY
Feb 1WednesdayBlack History MonthObservance
Feb 15WednesdayNational Flag of Canada DayObservance
MARCH
Mar 8WednesdayInt Womens DayObservance
Mar 13MondayCommonwealth DayObservance
Mar 20MondayJournée Inte de la FrancophonieObservance
Mar 21TuesdayInt Day for the Elimination of Racial DiscriminationObservance
Mar 26SundayPurple DayObservance
APRIL
Apr 2SundayPope John Paul II DayObservance
Apr 2SundayWorld Autism Awareness DayObservance
Apr 6ThursdayTartan DayObservance
Apr 7FridayGood FridayNational
Apr 9SundayVimy Ridge DayObservance
Apr 10MondayNational Wildlife WeekObservance
Apr 16SundayNational Volunteer WeekObservance
Apr 18TuesdayHolocaust Memorial Day Yom HaShoahObservance
Apr 23SundayWorld Book and Copyright DayObservance
Apr 23SundayNational Organ and Tissue Donor WeekObservance
Apr 28FridayWorkers Mourning DayObservance
Apr 30SundayJourney to Freedom DayObservance
MAY
May 1MondayAsian Heritage MonthObservance
May 8MondayNational Mining WeekObservance
May 18ThursdayInt Museum DayObservance
May 20SaturdayNational Fiddling DayObservance
May 22MondayVictoria DayNational
JUNE
Jun 1ThursdayNational Aboriginal History MonthObservance
Jun 3SaturdayNational Day to Promote Health and Fitness for all CanadiansObservance
Jun 4SundayCanadian Armed Forces DayObservance
Jun 5MondayCanadian Environment WeekObservance
Jun 7WednesdayClean Air DayObservance
Jun 11SundayNational Public Service WeekObservance
Jun 14WednesdayNational Blood Donor WeekObservance
Jun 21WednesdayNational Aboriginal DayObservance
Jun 23FridayNational Day of Remembrance for Victims of TerrorismObservance
Jun 24SaturdayCelebrate Canada DaysObservance
Jun 24SaturdaySaint Jean Baptiste Day Fête nationale du QuébecObservance
Jun 27TuesdayCanadian Multiculturalism DayObservance
JULY
Jul 1SaturdayCanada DayNational
Jul 27ThursdayKorean War Veterans DayObservance
Jul 28FridayA Day of Commemoration of the Great UpheavalObservance
AUGUST
Aug 9WednesdayNational Peacekeepers DayObservance
Aug 15TuesdayNational Acadian DayObservance
SEPTEMBER
Sep 3SundayMerchant Navy Veterans DayObservance
Sep 4MondayLabour DayNational
Sep 8FridayInt Literacy DayObservance
Sep 16SaturdayNational Hunting Trapping and Fishing Heritage DayObservance
Sep 21ThursdayInt Day of PeaceObservance
Sep 24SundayPolice and Peace Officers National Memorial DayObservance
Sep 30SaturdayNational Day for Truth and ReconciliationNational
OCTOBER
Oct 1SundayWomens History MonthObservance
Oct 1SundayNational Seniors DayObservance
Oct 9MondayThanksgiving DayNational
Oct 11WednesdayInt Day of the Girl ChildObservance
Oct 18WednesdayPersons DayObservance
Oct 27FridayWorld Day for Audiovisual HeritageObservance
Oct 31TuesdayNational UNICEF DayObservance
NOVEMBER
Nov 11SaturdayRemembrance DayNational
Nov 15WednesdayNational Philanthropy DayObservance
Nov 20MondaySir Wilfrid Laurier DayObservance
Nov 20MondayChild DayObservance
Nov 20MondayCanada History WeekObservance
Nov 25SaturdayHolodomor Memorial DayObservance
DECEMBER
Dec 3SundayInt Day of Persons with DisabilitiesObservance
Dec 6WednesdayNational Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against WomenObservance
Dec 10SundayHuman Rights DayObservance
Dec 11MondayAnniversary of the Statute of WestminsterObservance
Dec 25MondayChristmas DayNational
Dec 26TuesdayBoxing DayObservance
More Canadian holiday resources