Statutory holidays, also called stat or “general” holidays, are paid public holidays throughout the year. During this time, companies are generally closed but are obligated to pay eligible employees the rate of a regular workday.
During stat holidays in Canada, employees are entitled to paid time off, regardless if they are federal or non-federal employees.
Learn about the statutory holidays in Alberta, the basic rules the province follows when it comes to statutory holidays and more.
The Statutory Holidays in Alberta for 2024 and 2025
Alberta observes nine general holidays. Below are the 2024 and 2025 dates for these stat holidays.
| General Holiday | Date | 2024 | 2025 |
| New Year’s Day | January 1 | January 1 | January 1 |
| Alberta Family Day | Third Monday in February | February 19 | February 17 |
| Good Friday | Friday before Easter | March 29 | April 18 |
| Victoria Day | Monday before May 25 | May 20 | May 19 |
| Canada Day | July 1(if it falls on a Sunday, then it is July 2) | July 1 | July 1 |
| Labour Day | First Monday in September | September 2 | September 1 |
| Thanksgiving Day | Second Monday in October | October 14 | October 13 |
| Remembrance Day | November 11 | November 11 | November 11 |
| Christmas Day | December 25 | December 25 | December 25 |
Optional General Holidays
Aside from the statutory holidays, Alberta also has optional general holidays. On these days, employers have the choice to recognize them as holidays. They can also be any day that the company opts to recognize.
The optional general holidays in Alberta for 2024 and 2025 are as follows:
| Optional Holiday | Date | 2024 | 2025 |
| Easter Monday | First Monday following Easter | April 1 | April 21 |
| Heritage Day | First Monday in August | August 5 | August 4 |
| National Day for Truth and Reconciliation | September 30 | September 30 | September 30 |
| Boxing Day | December 26 | December 26 | December 26 |
What Happens If a Stat Holiday Falls on a Weekend in Alberta?
In cases like this, the statutory holiday is usually observed on the following Monday. This is called a substituted holiday. Employers may give the day off on a Friday or Monday instead of the stat holiday occurring on a weekend.
Alberta Labour Standards for Stat Holidays
Employees in Alberta are entitled to receive statutory paid holidays off and compensation based on their wages during the prior weeks.
Most employees in Alberta are eligible to receive general holiday pay if:
- The stat holiday is a regular workday, or
- The employees have worked on a general holiday that is not a regular workday.
The holiday pay depends on two things:
- If the holiday falls on a regular workday, and
- If the employee works on the stat holiday.
The same holiday pay calculations apply to employees of full-time, part-time and casual status.
Stat Holiday Pay Rules in Alberta
The following are the stat holiday pay rules that Alberta follows:
- An employee’s public holiday pay is typically 1/20 of their regular wage from the four weeks before the stat holiday.
- If a stat holiday falls on a regular workday, employees may receive their full pay for the day and the day off work. If the holiday falls on a weekend and the employee does not render work, there will be no general holiday pay.
- To receive stat holiday pay, an employee must have: (1) worked at least 30 days in the 12 months preceding the holiday, and (2) worked their scheduled shift before and after the holiday.
FAQs
Most employees are eligible for statutory holidays in Alberta and are entitled to days off with pay or additional pay for public holidays. Eligibility is based on the length of employment and/or the number of days worked. The rules are also applicable to stat holidays in Canada.
Stat or public holiday pay is mandatory. Most employers are required to pay their employees stat holiday pay if the holiday is a regular workday and the workers have rendered 30 workdays in the 12 months before the holiday.
They can get stat holiday pay and the day off work if the general holiday falls on a regular workday. If the holiday falls on a non-working day and the employees do not render work on the said day, there will be no stat holiday pay.
According to Alberta labour standards, employees with less than one year of employment are not entitled to annual vacation. Workers with a length of employment of one to 5 years get two weeks of vacation time. Those with over five years of employment are entitled to three weeks of vacation.
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