Civic Holidays Across Canada

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Across Canada, the first Monday in August is celebrated in many ways.

For a lot of us across this fine nation, the first Monday in August means a long weekend. But what are we celebrating and why does this ‘holiday’ exist? Well, in true Canadian fashion, it’s wonderfully eccentric. There really is no gallant or noble reason for the holiday other than to fill a holiday gap between Canada Day on July 1st, and Labor Day on the first Monday of September. And unlike most holidays, this one varies in name and status across the country.

BC: British Columbia Day (stat)
Alberta: Heritage Day (optional civic holiday)
Saskatchewan: Saskatchewan Day (stat)
Manitoba: Civic Holiday (not a stat)
New Brunswick: New Brunswick Day (stat)
Newfoundland & Labrador:  (not generally observed but is celebrated in St. John’s)
Nova Scotia: Natal Day (not a stat)
Nunavut: Civic Holiday (stat)
NW Territories: Civic Holiday (stat)
Ontario: (stat for federal/municipal governments, but not officially recognized by provincial gov.)
Toronto: Simcoe Day: Named after John Graves Simcoe, the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada from 1791 to 1796
Ottawa: Colonel By Day: Named after Lieutenant Colonel John By, who supervised the construction of the
Rideau (Ree-doe) Canal;  basically founding the city of Ottawa
Prince Edward Island: Natal Day (not a stat)
Quebec: (not generally observed)
Yukon: (not generally observed)