Statutory Holidays in Ontario and Quebec: What Retailers Need to Know
Who doesn’t love a long weekend, right?
But as a manager, statutory holidays aren’t just days off. They come with staffing challenges, premium pay requirements, and strict labor laws to comply with.
So, is there a way for you to enjoy these holidays too? Let’s break it down.
How Statutory Holidays Impact Retail Management
Managing holidays in retail brings unique operational challenges:
Fair shift rotation for time off
Employees are entitled to benefit from statutory holidays. To ensure fairness, you need to rotate shifts according to your workplace rules. This requires careful planning to avoid frustration and make sure every shift is covered.
Calculating holiday pay costs
Statutory holidays usually mean higher payroll costs. Employees working these days are entitled to premium pay, while those off still receive paid leave.
Staying compliant with labor laws
Some holidays are mandatory, others are not. Certain retailers can remain open while others must close. As a manager, you need to know the applicable rules to avoid costly mistakes.
Let’s start with the basics.
Which Statutory Holidays Are Mandatory in Quebec?
Quebec recognizes 7 statutory holidays:
- New Year’s Day (January 1)
- The day after New Year’s (January 2)
- Easter Sunday
- Quebec National Holiday (June 24)
- Canada Day (July 1)
- Labour Day (first Monday in September)
- Christmas Day (December 25)
Which Statutory Holidays Are Mandatory in Ontario?
Ontario recognizes 9 statutory holidays:
- New Year’s Day (January 1)
- Family Day (third Monday in February)
- Good Friday (Friday before Easter)
- Victoria Day (Monday preceding May 25)
- Canada Day (July 1)
- Labour Day (first Monday in September)
- Thanksgiving (second Monday in October)
- Christmas Day (December 25)
- Boxing Day (December 26)
What Are the Rules for Holiday Pay?
Statutory holidays are not unpaid days off—eligible employees must receive public holiday pay even if they do not work, provided they meet the conditions set by the Employment Standards Act (ESA).
For example, employees generally must work their last scheduled shift before the holiday and their first scheduled shift after the holiday, unless they had a reasonable cause (such as illness) for being absent.
Public holiday pay is calculated as the total of regular wages plus vacation pay earned in the four workweeks prior to the holiday, divided by 20. Overtime pay is not included in this calculation.
As Éducaloi explains:
“For employees paid partly or entirely by commission, the indemnity is equal to 1/60 of the wages earned during the 12 weeks preceding the holiday.”
For employees who do work on statutory holidays in Ontario, employers must either:
- pay the employee public holiday pay plus premium pay (1.5 times the regular rate) for all hours worked, or
- provide the employee with a substitute paid day off within 3 months of the holiday (or up to 12 months if agreed to in writing).
Exceptions for Retail Store Hours
By law, retail stores are generally not allowed to open on statutory holidays. However, exceptions apply to certain businesses such as convenience stores, bookstores, pharmacies, restaurants, and florists.
The location of the business may also impact whether it can remain open—for example, shops inside airports often have different rules.
In some cases, businesses may need to limit staffing levels during statutory holidays or outside the normal hours of operation set by law.
Make Holiday Management Easier
Keeping track of exceptions, pay calculations, and compliance requirements can be overwhelming. The good news? An HR platform like Evolia takes care of these rules for you, automatically applying statutory holiday requirements in Quebec and Ontario.
Evolia syncs your employee data with HRIS and payroll systems to ensure accurate pay, premium rates, and compliance—without the headache.
Discover how Evolia makes holiday management simple for retailers.
