On top of federally designated statutory holidays, Canadian provinces also observe additional regional holidays.
In Nova Scotia, there are six paid statutory holidays, including the 5 national holidays: New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Canada Day, Labour Day, and Christmas Day, and the provincial celebration of Nova Scotia Heritage Day.
This article covers the exact dates of these statutory holidays in Nova Scotia for 2024 and 2025, along with the must-know rules regarding paid holidays in the province.
The Paid Statutory Holidays in Nova Scotia for 2024 and 2025
These are the exact dates of the six statutory holidays in Nova Scotia for the years 2024 and 2025.
| Holiday | 2024 Dates | 2025 Dates |
| New Year’s Day | January 1, 2024 (Monday) | January 1, 2025 (Wednesday) |
| Heritage Day | February 19, 2024 (Monday) | February 17, 2025 (Monday) |
| Good Friday | March 29, 2024 (Friday) | April 18, 2025 (Friday) |
| Canada Day | July 1, 2024 (Monday) | July 1, 2025 (Tuesday) |
| Labour Day | September 2, 2024 (Monday) | September 1, 2025 (Monday) |
| Christmas Day | December 25, 2024 (Wednesday) | December 25, 2025 (Thursday) |
Non-Paid Statutory Holidays in Nova Scotia
There are six non-statutory holidays in Nova Scotia, and those include:
- Easter Monday
- Victoria Day
- Civic Holiday
- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
- Thanksgiving
- Boxing Day
While commonly acknowledged as public holidays, these are not officially recognized as paid public holidays under the Labour Standards Code. However, employers may choose to grant employees additional paid holidays during these days.
Related: Nova Scotia Minimum Wage
Stat Holiday Pay Rules in Nova Scotia
Employees who choose not to work on a statutory holiday are entitled to receive a regular day’s pay for that specific day.
Suppose an employee’s daily wage varies depending on how many hours they work per day. In that case, the employer must pay the wage for the average hours worked by the employee daily over the 30 days immediately before the stat holiday.
On the other hand, if an employee does decide to work on a statutory holiday, they will receive their regular day’s pay with an additional 1.5 times their regular rate for all the hours they’ve worked on that day.
Rules About Vacation Pay in Nova Scotia
Employees who have worked for at least 12 months for the same employer are entitled to receive paid vacation leave in Nova Scotia.
During the first eight years of employment, employees can enjoy 2 consecutive weeks of vacation leave that equals 4% of their gross wages. On the other hand, employees who have longer tenures are entitled to 3 weeks of paid vacation leave that pays 6% of their gross wages.
Although some employers allow employees to choose when they’d like to take their vacation leave, the employer ultimately has the final decision on when an employee’s vacation leave should take place.
Employers are required to inform their employees at least seven days in advance of when their vacation date starts.
Labour Standard Rules for Stat Holidays in Nova Scotia
To qualify for a specific paid stat holiday in Nova Scotia, you must meet these two criteria as an employee:
- Be entitled to receive payment for at least 15 of the 30 calendar days before the stat holiday.
- Have worked on your last scheduled shift or the day before the holiday, as well as on your first scheduled shift or the day after the holiday.
Under the Labour Standards Code of Nova Scotia, earned commissions are also considered wages, so commission earnings must also be factored into calculating a day’s pay.
What Happens If a Stat Holiday Falls on a Weekend?
When a stat holiday falls on a weekend, the employer must provide another paid day off for the employee. This day can be either the immediate working day after the holiday or any other day.
FAQs
No, September 30th, which is recognized as Truth and Reconciliation Day, is not a stat holiday in Nova Scotia. Only select provinces, such as British Columbia and Prince Edward Island, have declared this day a stat holiday.
Nova Scotia has the least stat holidays in Canada. Apart from the 5 federal stat holidays, it only celebrates one additional provincial stat holiday, which is Heritage Day.
No, Remembrance Day is not a stat holiday in Nova Scotia. However, this day has its own legislation, the Remembrance Day Act, which outlines rules about the wages of employees who work on that day.
Victoria Day is a non-statutory holiday in Nova Scotia. However, employers may choose to recognize this day as an extra paid holiday for their employees.
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