In honour of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced a holiday on Monday, September 19, 2022 for employees of the federal government. However, Trudeau’s announcement did not extend the holiday requirement to federally-regulated industries, such as banks and airlines. Such industries may choose to follow the federal government’s lead, but they will not be forced to do so.
In Canada, provincial governments regulate nearly 90 percent of all workers. Thus, for the vast majority of Canadian workers, it is the province that will decide whether they receive a holiday on Monday.
Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick have each declared Monday to be a one-time holiday for employees of the provincial government. Provincial government offices and schools will be closed. Other businesses and organizations will not be required to close or to treat the day as a paid holiday.
Prince Edward Island will mark Monday as a statutory holiday for all provincially-regulated workers. The province has ordered all businesses to close for the day or to pay their employees time-and-a-half.
Ontario and Quebec have announced that there will be no public or statutory holiday.
Manitoba has announced that there will not be a statutory holiday and that schools will remain open. However, non-essential government offices will be closed, and employees working in those offices will have the day off.
Saskatchewan has announced that there will not be a statutory holiday.
Alberta has declared Monday to be a provincial day of mourning, but there will be no public or statutory holiday.
The British Columbia government will recognize the federal holiday and give government employees the day off. All schools in the province will be closed, but there is no holiday requirement for the private sector.
