Statutory Holiday Pay Calculator Canada 2026

How is statutory holiday pay calculated in Canada?

<strong>Statutory holiday pay in Canada is not calculated the same way in every province.</strong> Each province and territory has its own formula under its employment standards legislation. The differences can result in meaningfully different pay amounts for the same employee depending on where they work.

Most provinces use a variation of the averaging method: take the employee's total wages over a qualifying period (typically the last 4 work weeks or 30 calendar days) and divide by a set number. Ontario divides total wages by 20. British Columbia divides by the number of days actually worked. Saskatchewan and Manitoba multiply by 5% instead of dividing.

For federally regulated employees covered by the Canada Labour Code, holiday pay is calculated as average daily earnings over the 20 working days immediately before the holiday, excluding other holidays and days of leave.

The key takeaway is that there is no single "statutory holiday pay formula" for Canada. You must apply the formula from your specific province or territory to get an accurate result.

Holiday pay formulas by province

<strong>Every Canadian province calculates statutory holiday pay differently.</strong> The table below summarizes the formula used in each jurisdiction.

Ontario and Quebec both use a "total wages / 20" approach, but Ontario's qualifying period is the 4 complete work weeks before the week containing the holiday, while Quebec uses the 4 complete pay weeks before the holiday week. The distinction matters when pay periods and work weeks do not align.

British Columbia's formula divides total wages earned in the 30 calendar days before the holiday by the number of days worked in that period. Alberta uses 4 weeks (28 days) or the last pay period. Saskatchewan and Manitoba both use 5% of gross wages in the 4 weeks before the holiday, excluding overtime.

Newfoundland and Labrador takes a different approach entirely: the hourly rate multiplied by the average number of hours worked per day over the 3 weeks before the holiday.

What happens if you work on a statutory holiday?

<strong>If you work on a statutory holiday, you are entitled to premium pay in addition to your regular holiday pay.</strong> In most provinces, premium pay is 1.5 times your regular hourly rate for all hours worked on the holiday, plus your statutory holiday pay for the day.

For example, an Ontario employee earning $25/hour who works 8 hours on a statutory holiday would receive: their regular holiday pay (calculated using the provincial formula) plus $300 in premium pay (8 hours x $25 x 1.5).

Some provinces allow an alternative arrangement where the employer pays regular wages for the hours worked on the holiday and gives the employee a substitute day off with holiday pay at a later date. This typically requires agreement between the employer and employee.

In all jurisdictions, the employer cannot simply ignore the statutory holiday. Whether the employee works or not, they are entitled to compensation, either as a paid day off or as premium pay plus holiday pay.

How many statutory holidays does each province have?

<strong>The number of paid statutory holidays varies significantly across Canada, from 7 in Nova Scotia to 13 in Newfoundland and Labrador.</strong> This means employees in some provinces receive nearly double the paid holidays compared to others.

Newfoundland and Labrador leads with 13 statutory holidays, including unique observances like St. Patrick's Day, St. George's Day, Discovery Day, and Orangemen's Day. British Columbia, New Brunswick, and Saskatchewan each have 11 holidays.

Ontario has 9 statutory holidays. The Civic Holiday (first Monday of August) is not a statutory holiday under the Ontario Employment Standards Act, though many employers observe it. Quebec has 8 official holidays, including the unique St-Jean-Baptiste Day (June 24) and National Patriots' Day instead of Victoria Day.

Nova Scotia has the fewest at 7 statutory holidays. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (September 30) is a statutory holiday in most provinces but notably not in Ontario, Alberta, or Quebec as of 2026.

Who is eligible for statutory holiday pay?

<strong>Most employees in Canada are eligible for statutory holiday pay, including part-time, casual, and temporary workers.</strong> However, eligibility rules vary by province and typically require that the employee has worked for the employer for a minimum period.

In Ontario, employees qualify if they worked their last regularly scheduled day before the holiday and their first regularly scheduled day after the holiday (unless they have a reasonable cause for missing either day). There is no minimum employment period for Ontario holiday pay eligibility.

In British Columbia, employees must have been employed for at least 30 calendar days before the holiday and must have worked or earned wages on at least 15 of the 30 days before the holiday.

Alberta requires that the employee has worked for the employer for at least 30 working days in the 12 months before the holiday. In Quebec, employees must not have been absent without authorization or a valid reason on the working day before or after the holiday.

Certain categories of workers may be exempt in some provinces, including managers in some jurisdictions, certain agricultural workers, and some professionals. Always check your specific provincial employment standards legislation.

Worked example: holiday pay for a $25/hour Ontario worker

An hourly employee in Ontario earning $25/hour and working 40 hours per week (5 days/week) receives the following for a statutory holiday.

Regular daily pay: $25 x 8 hours = $200 per day. The qualifying period is the 4 complete work weeks before the week of the holiday, which is 20 working days.

Total wages in the 4-week period: $200 x 20 = $4,000. Holiday pay = $4,000 / 20 = $200. This equals a regular day's pay for a consistent full-time worker.

If this employee works 8 hours on the holiday, they also receive premium pay: $25 x 1.5 x 8 = $300. Total compensation for the day: $200 (holiday pay) + $300 (premium pay) = $500.

With 9 statutory holidays in Ontario, this employee's estimated annual stat holiday pay (assuming they do not work on any holidays) is $200 x 9 = $1,800.