Ontario public holidays in 2027
Reviewed 4 November 2026
Ontario's Employment Standards Act, 2000 lists 9 public holidays. The 2027 dates and weekdays are below, as worded by Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, 2000 and the ontario.ca guide to the Act.
What the Act says
““public holiday” means any of the following: 1. New Year’s Day. 1.1 Family Day, being the third Monday in February. 2. Good Friday. 3. Victoria Day. 4. Canada Day. 5. Labour Day. 6. Thanksgiving Day. 7. Christmas Day. 8. December 26. 9. Any day prescribed as a public holiday;”
The Ontario sources print no 2027 dates, so the table applies each holiday's rule: Family Day is defined in the Act as the third Monday in February; Boxing Day is December 26; Good Friday, Victoria Day, Labour Day and Thanksgiving Day use the rules Alberta prints, and the dates equal the 2027 dates that B.C. prints for the same days.
Ontario public holidays in 2027
| Date | Weekday | Ontario holiday |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2027 | Friday | New Year's Day |
| February 15, 2027 | Monday | Family Day |
| March 26, 2027 | Friday | Good Friday |
| May 24, 2027 | Monday | Victoria Day |
| July 1, 2027 | Thursday | Canada Day |
| September 6, 2027 | Monday | Labour Day |
| October 11, 2027 | Monday | Thanksgiving Day |
| December 25, 2027 | Saturday | Christmas Day |
| December 26, 2027 | Sunday | Boxing Day (December 26) |
Christmas Day 2027 is on Saturday, December 25, 2027; December 26 is on Sunday, December 26, 2027. The rules for weekend holidays and substitute days are quoted below where the source states them.
Substitute days and days off in lieu
“When a public holiday falls on a day that is not ordinarily a working day for an employee, or during the employee's vacation, the employee is entitled to either: a substitute holiday off with public holiday pay; or public holiday pay for the public holiday, if the employee agrees to this electronically or in writing (in this case, the employee will not be given a substitute day off).”
“A substitute holiday is another working day off work that is designated to replace a public holiday. Employees are entitled to be paid public holiday pay for a substitute holiday.”
“A substitute holiday must be scheduled for a day that is no later than three months after the public holiday for which it was earned, or, if the employee has agreed electronically or in writing, the substitute day off can be scheduled up to 12 months after the public holiday.”
“While some employers give their employees a holiday on Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, the first Monday in August, or Remembrance Day, the employer is not required to do so under the ESA.”
Frequently asked questions
What are Ontario’s public holidays in 2027?
Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, 2000 lists nine public holidays. In 2027 they fall on: New Year's Day (Friday, January 1, 2027); Family Day (Monday, February 15, 2027); Good Friday (Friday, March 26, 2027); Victoria Day (Monday, May 24, 2027); Canada Day (Thursday, July 1, 2027); Labour Day (Monday, September 6, 2027); Thanksgiving Day (Monday, October 11, 2027); Christmas Day (Saturday, December 25, 2027); Boxing Day (December 26) (Sunday, December 26, 2027). The Ontario sources print no 2027 dates, so the dates apply each holiday’s rule.
Is Remembrance Day a public holiday in Ontario?
No, not under Ontario’s Employment Standards Act. The ESA list of public holidays does not include Remembrance Day, and Ontario’s guide says the employer is not required to give it: “the employer is not required to do so under the ESA”.
When is Family Day in Ontario in 2027?
Family Day in Ontario is Monday, February 15, 2027. The Employment Standards Act, 2000 defines it as “Family Day, being the third Monday in February”.
Is Boxing Day a public holiday in Ontario in 2027?
Yes, Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, 2000 lists December 26 as a public holiday, and Ontario’s guide lists “Boxing Day (December 26)”. In 2027 it falls on Sunday, December 26, 2027. For employees whose day is not ordinarily a working day, the guide says they are entitled to a substitute holiday off with public holiday pay or, if they agree in writing or electronically, public holiday pay.
What is a substitute holiday in Ontario?
Ontario’s guide to the Employment Standards Act says a substitute holiday is another working day off work that is designated to replace a public holiday, and employees are entitled to be paid public holiday pay for it. The guide says it must be scheduled no later than three months after the public holiday, or up to 12 months after if the employee has agreed electronically or in writing.
Is the first Monday in August a public holiday in Ontario?
No. Ontario’s guide says employers are not required under the ESA to give a holiday on “the first Monday in August”, which in 2027 is Monday, August 2, 2027. The ESA list of nine public holidays does not include it.
More Canada pages
- Statutory holidays 2027: federal and provincial
- Alberta general holidays 2027
- B.C. statutory holidays 2027
- Manitoba general holidays 2027
- Is today a stat holiday? Checker
- Are banks open today? What the law says
- Canada Post holidays
- Is Remembrance Day a stat holiday?
- Family Day 2027
- U.S. bank holidays 2027 (a different country’s list)
Sources
- Canada Labour Code (Justice Laws), general holidays
- Canada.ca: Annual vacations and general holidays for employees of federally regulated employers
- Interpretation Act (Justice Laws), definition of “holiday”
- Ontario: Your guide to the Employment Standards Act, Public holidays
- Ontario: Employment Standards Act, 2000
- Alberta: Alberta general holidays
- B.C.: Statutory holidays, Internet Archive exact capture of 3 October 2026
- B.C.: Statutory holidays (original page; gave no usable response to plain curl)
- B.C.: Employment Standards Act (BC Laws)
- Manitoba: General Holidays fact sheet
- Saskatchewan: List of Saskatchewan Public Holidays
- Saskatchewan: The Saskatchewan Employment Act (section 2-30)
- Nova Scotia: Holiday Pay (Labour Standards Code)
- Bills of Exchange Act (Justice Laws)
- Canada Post: Canada Post holiday schedule
- Canada Post: Mail and parcel delivery hours and days
Reviewed 4 November 2026 against the sources in the list. FedRateCalc is not affiliated with the Government of Canada, any province or territory, or Canada Post; the sources in the list are the official sources, and any later change they publish overrides this site. Pages fetched with plain curl were retrieved on 3 November 2026 (UTC); the B.C. page is an Internet Archive exact capture of 3 October 2026.