Is Civic Day a Public Holiday?
Civic Day is a public holiday in some provinces and territories of Canada, according to Holidays 2024. The celebration falls on the first Monday of August month. Businesses, retail stores, and shops, as well as the schools, and universities remain closed in places where it is commemorated. Public Transportations also do not follow their usual route, working reduced hours. This year, Civic Day in Canada will fall on 5 August 2024.
Civic Day Holiday History in Canada
Many provinces in Canada celebrate Civic Day 2024 on 5 August, although, each municipality has the authority to declare their own reasons for the commemoration. Due to this, the name is often changed in different provinces. The history of Civic Day in Canada can be traced back to 1869 when the Toronto City Council organized a ’day of recreation’.
Civic Day In Various Provinces
The diverse territories of Canada have the freedom to celebrate Provincial Day 2024 as per their wishes. As a result, the history and reasoning behind the commemoration are different. Consequently, the names of Civic Day in various provinces are also many. Some of these include:
- Regatta Day in Newfoundland
- Terry Fox Day in Manitoba
- Saskatchewan Day in Saskatchewan
- British Columbia Day in British Columbia
- Natal Day in Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia
- Simcoe Day in Toronto
- New Brunswick Day in New Brunswick
- Colonel By Day in Ottawa
- Heritage Day in Alberta
- Joseph Brant Day in Burlington
- Benjamin Vaughan day in Vaughan, Ontario
Public Life on Civic Day in Canada
Provincial Day 2024 is a statutory holiday in British Columbia, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories. Alberta, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia also have a holiday on this day. However, Quebec and Yukon do not observe this public holiday. Additionally, although Civic Day is celebrated under different guises in Ontario, it is not a declared holiday.
The public life on Civic Day in Canada is quite similar in these regions, and yet so diverse. Every area has a different reason to celebrate, but the festivities are identical. There are barbecues, summer fests, fairs and carnivals in some regions, museum visits, vendor’s markets, sports activities, parades, cake-cutting ceremonies, and so much more. All these are the similarities of Civic Day 2024. But now let us take a look at the differences in the celebration of Provincial Day in Canada:
1. Alberta: Since 1974, Alberta has celebrated the holiday as ’Heritage Day’. Civic Day in Canada is about connecting with one’s history, culture, and heritage in Alberta. The Edmonton Heritage Festival is its star attraction. However, it is not a statutory holiday here, but an optional one.
2. Ontario: Like the territory, the holiday in Ontario is rich and diverse. Various regions have different names for the commemoration, according to their own reason of celebration. Although not a statutory holiday here, employees usually have a day-off on Civic Day in Canada. Schools and universities are generally closed at this time, due to Summer Vacations. Take a look at how different regions of Ontario observe Provincial Day in Canada:
- Founders’ Day in Brantford
- Joseph Brant Day in Burlington
- James Cockburn Day in Cobourg
- John Galt Day in Guelph
- George Hamilton Day in Hamilton
- Colonel By Day in Ottawa
- McLaughlin Day in Oshawa
- Peter Robinson Day in Peterborough
- Alexander Mackenzie Day in Sarnia
- Simcoe Day in Toronto
- Benjamin Vaughan Day in Vaughan
3. Quebec: As mentioned earlier, Civic Day in Canada is not a statutory holiday in Quebec. Instead, there is an alternative summer holiday for the people of the province. The citizens of Quebec celebrate Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day on 24 June.
4. Yukon: Yukon does not observe Provincial Day, like the rest of the country on the first Monday of August. Instead, they celebrate the start of the Klondike Gold Rush and discovery of gold in 1896 through Discovery Day. The commemoration falls on the third Monday of August.
5. Newfoundland & Labrador: Some municipalities of Newfoundland and Labrador commemorate Civic Day 2024. However, many others have declared an alternative summer holiday. A few have not chosen any day at all so far. The Shops Closing Act requires the places to not open on these specific dates. Two of these celebrations are well known;
- Royal St. John’s Regatta in St. John’s (the first Wednesday of August generally)
- Harbour Grace Regatta in Harbour Grace (the fourth Saturday in July generally)
Civic/Provincial Day Observances
| Year | Weekday | Date | Name | Holiday Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Mon | 5 August | Civic/Provincial Day | Common Local Holiday |
| 2020 | Mon | 3 August | Civic/Provincial Day | Common Local Holiday |
| 2021 | Mon | 2 August | Civic/Provincial Day | Common Local Holiday |
| 2022 | Mon | 1 August | Civic/Provincial Day | Common Local Holiday |
| 2023 | Mon | 7 August | Civic/Provincial Day | Common Local Holiday |
| 2024 | Mon | 5 August | Civic/Provincial Day | Common Local Holiday |
| 2025 | Mon | 4 August | Civic/Provincial Day | Common Local Holiday |
FAQs
1. What is open and closed on Civic Day in Canada?
Civic Day in Canada is a public holiday; however, most stores, malls, etc. remain open for reduced time on this day. Post and waste management services of Canadian government remain closed.
2. Why do we celebrate Civic Day in Canada?
The first Monday in August is Civic Day or Provincial Day in Canada. It celebrates the local culture, history, and achievement of the various provinces, and offers the people a day off during the summers.
Tl;dr For those who only wish to know When is Civic Day in 2024? The date is 5 August, Monday.
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