November 11, observed as Remembrance Day, is a federal statutory holiday in Canada. However, its designation as a paid public holiday for the general workforce is not uniform across the country, as it is also subject to provincial and territorial legislation. Consequently, while all federal government employees and those in federally regulated industries receive the day off, its status for other workers depends on their location.
The distinction arises from the division of labour law jurisdiction. The federal Holidays Act designates November 11 as a national holiday, which applies to federally regulated sectors such as banking, telecommunications, and interprovincial transportation. For the majority of the workforce, employment standards are governed at the provincial or territorial level. As of current legislation, Remembrance Day is a statutory holiday in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and all three territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut). In these jurisdictions, eligible employees are entitled to a day off with pay. Conversely, it is not a statutory holiday in Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia, although some businesses in these provinces may close or operate on reduced hours by choice or due to specific retail business holiday acts, such as Nova Scotia's Remembrance Day Act, which restricts some commercial operations.
The practical application of this legal framework means an individual's entitlement to a paid day off on November 11 is determined by their specific employment sector and province or territory of residence. An employee of a national bank in Toronto (Ontario) will have the day off, while an employee of a provincially regulated retail store in the same city will likely not. This dual system necessitates consulting local provincial or territorial labour standards to confirm specific entitlements for any employee not under federal jurisdiction.
