Thanksgiving Stat Holiday 2026: Pay Rules by Province

Quick answer: Thanksgiving Day 2026 is Monday, October 12. It is a paid statutory (general or public) holiday for federally regulated workers and in Ontario, Québec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. It is not on the paid-holiday list in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland and Labrador.

Key takeaways

Thanksgiving Day falls on Monday, October 12, 2026, the second Monday in October.
Most Canadian workers are covered by provincial or territorial rules; only federally regulated workers follow the Canada Labour Code.
Thanksgiving is a paid holiday in six provinces, all three territories and under the Canada Labour Code, but not in the four Atlantic provinces.
Working on Thanksgiving usually means holiday pay plus time and a half, or regular pay plus another paid day off, depending on where you work.
Eligibility tests differ: Alberta asks for 30 workdays with the employer, B.C. for 30 calendar days, while Ontario has no minimum service rule.

Last updated: October 9, 2026

The Thanksgiving stat holiday 2026 lands on Monday, October 12, and whether you get a paid day off depends on one thing more than any other: where you work and who regulates your employer. Holiday pay in Canada is set mostly by provinces and territories, so the Thanksgiving stat holiday can mean very different paycheques for a cashier in Halifax and a cashier in Toronto.

This guide explains which jurisdictions treat Thanksgiving as a paid holiday, how holiday pay is calculated in the largest provinces, what you are owed if you work the day, and the mistakes that cost workers money.

Is Thanksgiving a stat holiday in 2026?

Yes, in most of Canada. Thanksgiving Day, Monday, October 12, 2026, is a paid general holiday under the federal Canada Labour Code and in nine of the 13 provinces and territories.

The date is confirmed on official 2026 holiday calendars published by British Columbia and Alberta, and Alberta defines the holiday as the second Monday in October. The different labels you will see, "statutory holiday", "general holiday" and "public holiday", all describe the same idea, and the Thanksgiving stat holiday falls under all three names: a day your employment standards law says must be paid if you qualify.

Which provinces have a paid Thanksgiving stat holiday?

Thanksgiving is on the paid-holiday list in Ontario, Québec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, in Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, and for federally regulated workplaces. It is missing from the lists in the four Atlantic provinces.

Federal (Canada Labour Code): Paid. Applies to federally regulated sectors such as banks, telecommunications, interprovincial transportation, postal service and federal Crown corporations.
Ontario: Paid. One of nine public holidays under the Employment Standards Act (ESA).
Québec: Paid. Listed among the statutory holidays in the Act respecting labour standards.
Manitoba: Paid. One of nine general holidays.
Saskatchewan: Paid. One of ten public holidays.
Alberta: Paid. One of nine general holidays in the Employment Standards Code.
British Columbia: Paid. One of eleven statutory holidays.
Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut: Paid general or statutory holiday in all three territories.
Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador: Not on the provincial paid-holiday list, so employers are not required by those laws to pay for the day. A collective agreement or employment contract can still give you more.

If you live in one province but your employer is federally regulated, such as a bank in Moncton, the federal list applies to you instead of the provincial one. That is why some Atlantic workers do get a paid Thanksgiving.

How is Thanksgiving stat holiday pay calculated?

Each jurisdiction uses its own formula, but most look back at your earnings over roughly the four weeks before the holiday and leave out overtime. Here is how the rules work where most Canadians are employed.

Ontario

Public holiday pay in Ontario equals your regular wages earned in the four work weeks before the work week containing the holiday, plus vacation pay payable for those weeks, divided by 20. Regular wages exclude overtime, premium pay and termination or severance pay.

Québec and federally regulated workplaces

Both use a one-twentieth approach: 1/20 of wages earned in the four weeks before the week of the holiday, without overtime. In Québec, commission earners use a different formula of 1/60 of wages from the 12 full weeks before the holiday week.

Alberta

If Thanksgiving falls on your regular day of work and you take it off, Alberta requires at least your average daily wage. It is worked out by dividing wages (excluding overtime) by days worked over either the four weeks before the holiday or the four weeks ending with the last pay period before it. If Monday is not a regular workday for you and you do not work, no holiday pay is owed.

British Columbia

An eligible B.C. employee who gets the day off is paid an average day's pay, which is total wages (excluding overtime) divided by days worked in the 30 days before the holiday.

Manitoba and Saskatchewan

Both provinces use a 5% rule. In Saskatchewan, holiday pay is 5% of wages earned in the 28 days before the holiday, whether or not you work it. In Manitoba, people with steady hours get a regular day's pay, while those with varying hours or wages get 5% of gross wages from the previous four weeks.

What do you get for working the Thanksgiving stat holiday?

In most covered jurisdictions, working the holiday earns you holiday pay plus time and a half for the hours worked, or regular pay plus a paid substitute day off. The exact options vary.

Ontario: You can agree, electronically or in writing, to either public holiday pay plus premium pay of 1.5 times your regular rate for every hour, or regular wages for the hours plus a substitute paid day off. The substitute day must normally fall within three months.
British Columbia: An average day's pay, plus 1.5 times your wage for up to 12 hours on the job and twice your wage after that.
Alberta: If Monday is a regular workday, average daily wage plus at least 1.5 times your rate for the hours worked, or your regular rate plus a paid day off. If it is not a regular workday, 1.5 times your rate for the hours worked.
Federal: Holiday pay plus 1.5 times your regular rate for the hours worked.
Québec: The employer chooses between holiday pay and a compensatory day off taken within three weeks before or after the holiday.
Manitoba: Usually holiday pay plus 1.5 times wages, but gas stations, hotels, restaurants and some other operations may pay regular wages if they give another paid day off within 30 days.

Who qualifies for Thanksgiving holiday pay?

Qualifying rules differ more than most workers expect, and they decide whether a part-time or newly hired worker is paid. Check the test for your province or territory before October 12.

Ontario: No minimum length of service. You must work your full last scheduled shift before and first scheduled shift after the holiday (the "last and first rule") unless you have reasonable cause, and work your full shift on the holiday if you agreed or were required to.
Alberta: You need at least 30 workdays with the same employer in the 12 months before the holiday, and you must work your scheduled days before and after it unless your employer consents to the absence.
British Columbia: You need 30 calendar days of employment, and you must have worked or been paid on at least 15 of those 30 days.
Saskatchewan: No minimum service period is required to earn the 5% holiday pay.
Federal: Full-time, part-time and casual employees in federally regulated businesses are all covered.

Common mistakes workers make with stat holiday pay

The biggest errors come from assuming one national rule exists. These are the traps to avoid on the Thanksgiving stat holiday 2026.

Applying the wrong law. If you work for a bank, airline, telecom or Canada Post, the Canada Labour Code applies, not your provincial act.
Skipping the shift before or after. Missing your last or first scheduled shift without a valid reason can cancel your holiday pay in Ontario and Alberta.
Assuming part-timers are excluded. Part-time workers are covered in Ontario, and part-time and casual workers in Alberta and federally regulated workplaces, if they meet the tests.
Forgetting vacation pay. In Ontario, vacation pay from the four prior work weeks is added before dividing by 20.
Ignoring the written statement. An Ontario employer that substitutes another day must give you a written notice before the holiday naming the substitute date.

What this means for you

Whether you are new to Canada or have worked here for years, the same steps apply. Before the Thanksgiving stat holiday on Monday, check whether your employer is provincially or federally regulated, confirm your qualifying shifts, and keep your pay stub so you can compare it with the formula above. If something looks wrong, provincial employment standards offices accept complaints; in Alberta, for example, you can file while still employed or up to six months after leaving the job.

Related on Jobsiz: Minimum Wage Canada by Province 2026; Severance Pay Ontario; Canada Unemployment Rate September 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is Thanksgiving a stat holiday in Ontario?

Yes. Thanksgiving Day is one of Ontario's nine public holidays under the Employment Standards Act. Qualifying employees get the day off with public holiday pay, or holiday pay plus premium pay if they agree to work.

Is Thanksgiving a stat holiday in Nova Scotia?

No. Thanksgiving is not on Nova Scotia's list of paid statutory holidays, so the Labour Standards Code does not require holiday pay for it. A union contract or your employment agreement may still provide a paid day.

Is Thanksgiving a stat holiday in BC and Alberta?

Yes. Thanksgiving is a statutory holiday in British Columbia and a general holiday in Alberta. Each province has its own eligibility tests, such as Alberta's 30-workday rule and B.C.'s 15-of-30-days rule.

When is Thanksgiving 2026 in Canada?

Thanksgiving 2026 is Monday, October 12. Canadian Thanksgiving is always held on the second Monday in October.

Do part-time workers get Thanksgiving holiday pay?

Often, yes. Ontario has no minimum service requirement, and federally regulated employers must pay full-time, part-time and casual staff. Other provinces set qualifying periods, so check your local rules.

How much do I get paid for working on Thanksgiving in Ontario?

If you agree to work, you receive either public holiday pay plus 1.5 times your regular rate for every hour worked, or your regular wages plus a substitute paid day off. The choice must be agreed electronically or in writing.

Sources

This article was compiled by Jobsiz from the sources listed above, with AI-assisted writing and automated fact-checking. Published October 9, 2026. We update stories when new verified information becomes available.

Thanksgiving Stat Holiday 2026: Who Gets Paid in Canada