Is Remembrance Day a Stat Holiday? Canada, UK & Ireland

For many Canadians, November 11 has a familiar rhythm: the red poppy on a coat, the moment of silence in the office or classroom. But whether that silence is followed by a paid day off — or a regular workday — depends entirely on where you live and who you work for. This article maps the legal status of Remembrance Day across Canada, the UK, and Ireland, and explains what employers and employees actually need to know.

Canadian provinces where Remembrance Day is a statutory holiday: 6 of 10 provinces ·
Total statutory holidays in Canada: varies by province (5–10) ·
UK public holidays for Remembrance Sunday 2026: 0 (observed on a Sunday, not a statutory day off) ·
Australian states where Remembrance Day is a public holiday: 0 (observed but not a statutory holiday) ·
Republic of Ireland statutory holidays: 10 (Remembrance Day not among them)

The key facts about Remembrance Day’s statutory status are outlined below.

Is Remembrance Day a stat holiday in Canada?

The short answer: it depends on your province and your employer. Remembrance Day is a statutory holiday for federally regulated employees across the entire country under the Canada Labour Code (Government of Canada (federal holidays)). For provincially regulated workers, the situation splits sharply by jurisdiction.

Which Canadian provinces designate Remembrance Day as a statutory holiday?

• Alberta (Government of Alberta (statutory holidays))
• British Columbia (Government of British Columbia (statutory holidays))
• New Brunswick (Government of New Brunswick (public holidays))
• Newfoundland and Labrador (House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador (Remembrance Day Act))
• Nova Scotia (Government of Nova Scotia (public holidays))
• Prince Edward Island (Government of Prince Edward Island (public holidays))
• Saskatchewan (Government of Saskatchewan (public holidays))
• Yukon (Government of Yukon (Remembrance Day))
• Nunavut (Government of Nunavut (general holidays))
• Northwest Territories (Government of Northwest Territories (employment standards))

What are the rules for federally regulated employees?

Federally regulated sectors — banks, airlines, telecommunications, interprovincial transport, and federal Crown corporations — must treat Remembrance Day as a statutory holiday for all their employees regardless of the province they work in (Government of Canada (federal holidays)). This means a bank teller in Ontario receives the day off with pay, even though Ontario’s provincial rules do not require it.

Where is Remembrance Day a stat holiday in Canada?

Six provinces and three territories grant Remembrance Day statutory status. Three provinces — Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec — do not. The table below shows every province and territory with its legal status and the source of that rule.

* Nova Scotia’s Remembrance Day Act prohibits most work and commercial activity on November 11, making it effectively a mandatory closure day even though it isn’t a standard employment standards holiday.

The pattern is clear: the statutory line splits the country roughly along the Ontario-Quebec corridor. Employers in Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec are free to grant the day off voluntarily — and many do under collective agreements or company policy — but they have no legal obligation to do so.

What provinces don’t have Remembrance Day as a holiday?

Three provinces — Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec — do not designate Remembrance Day as a statutory or public holiday under their employment standards legislation. Here’s what that means in practice:

• Manitoba: The Employment Standards Code lists nine general holidays; Remembrance Day is not among them (Government of Manitoba).
• Ontario: The Employment Standards Act lists nine public holidays; Remembrance Day is absent (Government of Ontario).
• Quebec: The Act respecting labour standards lists eight statutory general holidays; Remembrance Day is not included (CNESST).

The implication: unless a collective agreement or employer policy provides otherwise, employees in these provinces work a normal day on November 11. Some employers, especially in the public sector and larger corporations, voluntarily grant a paid day off, but there is no regulatory requirement.

Is Remembrance Day a stat holiday in the UK?

No. Remembrance Day (November 11) is not a public or statutory holiday in the United Kingdom. The national observance is Remembrance Sunday, held on the second Sunday of November, but that day is not a designated public holiday either (The Royal Family (Remembrance Sunday)).

How do UK employers handle Remembrance Day for staff?

UK employers have no statutory obligation to give employees time off for Remembrance events. Some workplaces observe a two-minute silence at 11 a.m., and some may allow flexible time for attending local ceremonies, but it remains voluntary. There is no bank holiday for Remembrance Day in any of the UK’s four jurisdictions (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland).

Is Remembrance Day a holiday in Ireland?

No. The Republic of Ireland has ten statutory public holidays under the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 (Citizens Information Ireland (public holidays)). Remembrance Day (November 11) is not among them. Employers are under no legal obligation to provide the day off or any special pay for it.

Why is Remembrance Day not included?

Ireland’s public holiday list reflects national commemoration priorities — St. Patrick’s Day, Easter Monday, Christmas, and summer bank holidays. Remembrance Day, while observed by some groups (particularly in Northern Ireland, which follows UK law), has never been part of the Republic’s statutory holiday framework.

Do You Get a Public Holiday for Remembrance Day?

For most people in Canada, the UK, and Ireland, the answer is no — unless you work in a province or sector where it is a statutory holiday or your employer voluntarily grants it. Here are the rules for holiday pay and closures:

How does statutory holiday pay work for Remembrance Day in Canada?

In provinces where Remembrance Day is a statutory holiday, eligible employees receive the day off with pay (typically calculated as an average of regular daily earnings). If they are required to work, they get premium pay — usually 1.5× regular rate plus a substitute day off (Government of Alberta (statutory holiday pay)).

Are there any exceptions or mandatory closures?

Nova Scotia stands out: its Remembrance Day Act prohibits nearly all work and retail sales on November 11 (Government of Nova Scotia (public holidays)). Most other provinces with statutory status allow some essential services and retail to operate with restrictions. In non-statutory provinces, businesses operate normally unless they choose to close.

What employers and employees are saying

“Nova Scotia’s Remembrance Day Act prohibits most work and commercial activity on November 11. That means retail stores, offices, and most workplaces are closed — employees get the day off, and those in essential services receive premium pay.”

Government of Nova Scotia (Labour and Employment Rights)

“In Alberta, employees who work on Remembrance Day are entitled to premium pay if they are eligible. But eligibility depends on whether the employee has worked at least a certain number of days in the preceding pay period.”

Paytrak Canada (payroll compliance blog)

These two perspectives — one from a regulator with statutory closure rules, another from a payroll specialist explaining eligibility — illustrate the range of employer obligations across provinces. For a business with locations in both Nova Scotia and Alberta, the difference in compliance burden is substantial.

For Canadian employers in federally regulated sectors, the choice is simple: Remembrance Day is a mandatory paid holiday. For provincially regulated employers outside the six statutory provinces, the decision to grant the day off remains voluntary — but employees increasingly expect it. For employees in Ontario, Manitoba, or Quebec, the implication is clear: check your collective agreement or employment contract, because the law won’t guarantee you the day off.

Frequently asked questions