Navigating Ontario’s Public Holidays: 2025 Employer’s Guide
In Ontario, businesses are required to recognize specific public holidays each year. These holidays come with guidelines regarding employee entitlements and pay. Below is an overview of public holidays in Ontario for 2025 and essential information about how to manage them.
Public Holidays in Ontario for 2025
In Ontario, the following are recognized as public holidays:
| Public Holiday | Date | Weekday |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | January 1, 2025 | Wednesday |
| Family Day | February 17, 2025 | Monday |
| Good Friday | April 18, 2025 | Friday |
| Easter Monday | April 21, 2025 | Monday (Optional) |
| Victoria Day | May 19, 2025 | Monday |
| Canada Day | July 1, 2025 | Tuesday |
| Civic Holiday | August 4, 2025 | Monday (Optional) |
| Labor Day | September 1, 2025 | Monday |
| Thanksgiving | October 13, 2025 | Monday |
| Remembrance Day | November 11, 2025 | Tuesday (Optional) |
| Christmas Day | December 25, 2025 | Thursday |
| Boxing Day | December 26, 2025 | Friday |
It's important to note that certain other holidays, such as the August Civic Holiday, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Remembrance Day, and Easter Monday, are not mandatory public holidays. These holidays are observed at the employer’s discretion.
Who Is Entitled to Public Holidays?
Generally, most employees in Ontario are entitled to public holidays and public holiday pay, including:
Full-time
Part-time
Casual
Seasonal
Contract employees
However, there are exceptions. Certain employees, including those working in specific sectors like hospitality, healthcare, or continuous operations, may be required to work on a public holiday or have different rules regarding entitlements. For more information, refer to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 or government documents on exempted industries and jobs.
Public Holiday Pay Calculation
To calculate public holiday pay, businesses must:
Review the four weeks immediately preceding the holiday, excluding the week of the holiday.
Ensure vacation pay for that period is included when calculating.
The total wages earned in these four weeks (including any vacation pay) are then divided by 20 to determine the public holiday pay.
This calculation ensures the employee is paid a fair amount for the public holiday, based on their average daily wage.
What Happens if the Public Holiday Falls on a Non-Working Day?
If a public holiday falls on a day that an employee would typically not be working (e.g., a weekend), the employer must offer either:
A substitute day off with public holiday pay, or
Public holiday pay only if the employee agrees in writing to forgo the substitute day off.
For example, if Canada Day (July 1) falls on a Saturday, many employers may recognize the following Monday as the substitute holiday.
Can Employees Be Asked to Work on Public Holidays?
Yes, employees can be asked to work on a public holiday. However, the employee must agree in writing (e.g., via email). Employees who work on a public holiday are entitled to:
Regular wages for all hours worked, plus a substitute day off with public holiday pay, or
Public holiday pay, plus 1.5 times the regular pay (premium pay) for all hours worked.
Employees working in certain sectors, such as hotels, restaurants, and hospitals, may be required to work on a public holiday without their consent if the holiday falls on a day they would normally work.
Last and First Rule for Public Holiday Pay
To be eligible for public holiday pay, employees must work their last regularly scheduled day before the holiday and their first regularly scheduled day after the holiday, unless they have a valid reason for missing either of these days.
Tips for applying the last and first rule:
The term scheduled is key. For example, if an employee is on a job-protected leave, the last scheduled day before the holiday would be their last day worked, and the first scheduled day after would be the first day back from the leave.
Employees who miss work for a legitimate reason (e.g., illness, emergencies, or manager-approved absence) may still be entitled to public holiday pay.
Conclusion
Public holidays can be a source of confusion, but with clear guidelines and proper planning, businesses can ensure compliance and fairness when recognizing these days. Be sure to check the specific rules around pay calculations and when employees can be asked to work, and remember that certain workers may be exempt from public holiday provisions based on their industry or role.