Ontario has 9 stat holidays. Most workers get paid for them.
Ontario has nine public holidays a year, and most workers get public holiday pay whether they work that day or not. The amount runs on a set formula, and if you work the holiday you usually get extra. Here's who qualifies and how it's figured.
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In 30 seconds, here's what's true
- Ontario has 9 public (stat) holidays: New Year's Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day (December 26).
- Remembrance Day, the August Civic Holiday, and Easter Sunday are not public holidays under Ontario's Employment Standards Act, so there's no legal right to holiday pay for them.
- Most employees qualify no matter how long they've worked or whether they're full or part time. There's no minimum time on the job.
- Public holiday pay uses a formula: your regular wages in the 4 work weeks before the holiday week, plus vacation pay owed in those weeks, divided by 20.
- If you agree to work the holiday, you either get regular pay plus another day off with holiday pay, or holiday pay plus 1.5x premium pay for the hours you work.
How the process works
Check if it's a stat holiday
There are nine under Ontario law. If the day isn't on that list, like Remembrance Day or the August long weekend, the ESA doesn't give you a paid day off for it, though your job might on its own.
See if you qualify
Most people do. The main catch is the last-and-first rule: you can lose the pay if you skip your whole scheduled shift right before or right after the holiday, without a good reason you couldn't control.
Do the math
Add up your regular wages from the four work weeks before the holiday week, add any vacation pay owed in that stretch, then divide by 20. That's your public holiday pay.
Know your options if you work the day
You should get either your regular pay plus a substitute day off with holiday pay, or holiday pay plus time-and-a-half for the hours worked. Your employer needs your okay to schedule you, unless you're in a special-rule job like a hotel, restaurant, or hospital.
Fix a shortfall
If you were denied holiday pay you were owed, raise it with your employer in writing first. If that goes nowhere, you can file a claim with the Ministry of Labour. Keep your pay stubs and your schedule.
What to do next
- Confirm the day is one of Ontario's 9 public holidays.
- Check you worked your full shift before and after the holiday, or had a valid reason.
- Gather your pay records for the 4 work weeks before the holiday week.
- Add up your regular wages from those 4 weeks.
- Add any vacation pay owed in those weeks.
- Divide the total by 20 to get your public holiday pay.
- If you worked the day, confirm you got a substitute day off or premium pay.
- Raise any shortfall in writing, then with the Ministry of Labour if needed.
Common myths
| Myth | Reality |
|---|---|
| You need to work somewhere a while to get stat holiday pay. | No. Most employees qualify from day one, full time or part time. There's no minimum length of service under the ESA. |
| Part-time workers don't get holiday pay. | They do. Part-time and casual staff qualify the same way, using the same formula based on their recent wages. |
| Remembrance Day is a stat holiday in Ontario. | Not under the ESA. Neither is the August Civic Holiday or Easter Sunday. Some employers give them off anyway, but the law doesn't require it. |
| Holiday pay is just one regular day's pay. | It's a formula: your regular wages in the 4 weeks before, plus vacation pay owed then, divided by 20. That can be more or less than one day's pay. |
| If I work the holiday, I only get my normal wage. | No. You get either your regular pay plus a paid day off later, or holiday pay plus time-and-a-half for the hours you work. |
| My boss can make me work the holiday, no questions. | For most jobs they need your agreement. Special-rule workplaces like hotels, restaurants, and hospitals are the exception and can require it. |
| Miss any day that week and you lose the pay. | Only your last scheduled shift before and your first after count, and a reason beyond your control still lets you keep the pay. |
| There's nothing I can do if I'm shorted. | You can file a free claim with the Ministry of Labour, and there are rules against your employer punishing you for asking. |
Last reviewed July 2026
Written and reviewed by the founder of PLAIN, checked against primary government and legal sources. How we research these guides
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PLAIN gives legal information, not legal advice. It is not a substitute for a lawyer or paralegal — and we'll point you to free ones. Laws change; we review these pages regularly, but always confirm current rules with the Ministry of Labour or a licensed professional.
Free. No payment to start. This is information, not legal advice.