Everyone’s looking forward to the holidays for a quick break from work or school. However, it’s also important to anticipate the holidays when it comes to filing tax returns or forms need to be made.
If due dates fall on a weekend or public holiday, payments are considered on time when the CRA receives them on or before the next business day. Stay on top of your finances (and plan your next mini getaway) by taking note of the different long weekends in Canada in this article.
What is a Long Weekend in Canada?
Long weekends are weekends that last at least three days long, usually falling on a Friday or Monday. Some long weekends can last four days, which happens when two days adjoining the weekend are holidays.
Statutory Holiday Long Weekends in Canada
Take note of the following holidays to plan the submission of your tax returns and financial transactions accordingly:
New Year’s Day
New Year’s Day is one of Ontario’s most awaited statutory holidays. When January 1 falls on a weekend, the holiday is observed on the following Monday.
Family Day
Take note that Family Day is not a national statutory holiday but is only observed in specific provinces, including Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Ontario, and Saskatchewan. While other provinces have holidays on the same day, which is the third Monday of the month, they are not referred to as Family Day.
Easter
Easter is a long weekend in 2024 in Ontario and the rest of the country, which starts from Good Friday through Easter Monday.
Victoria Day
Victoria Day is one of the popular statutory holidays in Canada. This holiday falls on May 20, 2024, which is a Monday. Â
Canada Day
If you’re wondering if Canada Day is a long weekend in 2023 and 2024, the answer is yes. Canada Day falls on July 1, Saturday, but it will be observed on the following Monday, July 3. In 2024, Canada Day will fall on July 1, Monday.
Civic Holiday
The Civic Holiday is a public holiday and not a statutory holiday. This means the holiday is observed in some provinces but not across Canada. It falls on August 5, 2024, which is a Monday.
Labour Day
The Labour Day long weekend, or what many call the September long weekend, is on September 2, 2024. This falls on a Monday and is typically the last day of summer break before classes resume the next day.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a long weekend across the country, falling on October 14, 2024.
Christmas
The Christmas holiday does not always fall on a Monday or Friday, so there may be times when you won’t be enjoying a long weekend. Christmas in 2023 was on a Monday, making it a long weekend. However, in 2024, it will fall on a Wednesday.
Boxing Day
Like Christmas, Boxing Day will not always turn into a long weekend. For instance, Boxing Day falls on a Tuesday in 2023 and Thursday in 2024.
| Holiday | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| New Year’s Day | January 2 | January 1 | January 1 |
| Family Day | February 20 | February 19 | February 17 |
| Easter | April 7-10 | March 29-April 1 | April 18-21 |
| Victoria Day | May 22 | May 20 | Likely May 19 |
| Canada Day | June 30 – July 2 | June 29 – July 1 | June 30 – July 2 |
| Civic Holiday | August 7 | August 5 | August 4 |
| Labour Day | September 4 | September 2 | September 1 |
| Thanksgiving | October 9 | October 14 | October 13 |
| Christmas | December 25 | December 25 | December 25 |
| Boxing Day | December 26 | December 26 | December 26 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Typically, January, February, April, August, October, and December are months that have long weekends in 2024.
There are at least seven long weekends in 2024, depending on what part of Canada you live in. New Year’s Day, Easter, Victoria Day, Family Day, Labour Day, Canada Day, Civic Holiday, and Thanksgiving are some holidays that fall under a Friday or Monday.
The Civic Holiday in Canada happens on the first Monday of the month, making it one of the most-awaited long weekends in August.
While August is still peak tourist season, it isn’t as crowded as July, making it a good time to travel around. The weather cools down a bit, but you can still expect warm temperatures suitable for outdoor activities.
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