Public Holidays Ontario Calculator

Ontario has a set of public holidays that are observed by government offices, schools, and many businesses. This calculator helps you determine the dates of these holidays for any given year, including the floating holidays that change based on the date of Easter Sunday.

How to Use This Calculator

To find the dates of Ontario's public holidays for a specific year:

Enter the year you're interested in (e.g., 2024)
Click the "Calculate" button
Review the results showing all public holiday dates for that year

The calculator will display a table with all Ontario public holidays and their corresponding dates for the selected year. For floating holidays like Victoria Day and Thanksgiving, the calculator accounts for the specific rules that determine their dates.

Ontario Public Holidays

Ontario observes the following public holidays:

New Year's Day - January 1
Family Day - Third Monday in February
Good Friday - Friday before Easter Sunday
Victoria Day - Monday on or before May 24
Canada Day - July 1
Civic Holiday - First Monday in August
Labour Day - First Monday in September
Thanksgiving - Second Monday in October
Christmas Day - December 25
Boxing Day - December 26

These holidays are observed by most government offices, schools, and many businesses across Ontario.

Floating Holidays

Several Ontario public holidays are "floating" holidays, meaning their dates change each year based on specific rules:

Family Day - Third Monday in February
Good Friday - Friday before Easter Sunday
Victoria Day - Monday on or before May 24
Civic Holiday - First Monday in August
Labour Day - First Monday in September
Thanksgiving - Second Monday in October

For these holidays, the calculator uses algorithms to determine the exact date for any given year.

Fixed Date Holidays

The following holidays have fixed dates each year:

New Year's Day - January 1
Canada Day - July 1
Christmas Day - December 25
Boxing Day - December 26

Calculation Method

The calculator uses the following methods to determine holiday dates:

Fixed Date Holidays

For holidays with fixed dates (New Year's Day, Canada Day, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day), the calculator simply uses the standard dates for each year.

Floating Holidays

For floating holidays, the calculator uses these specific rules:

Family Day

Family Day is observed on the third Monday in February each year.

Good Friday

Good Friday is always the Friday before Easter Sunday. The date of Easter Sunday is calculated using the algorithm developed by Carl Friedrich Gauss.

Victoria Day

Victoria Day is observed on the Monday on or before May 24 each year.

Civic Holiday

The Civic Holiday is observed on the first Monday in August each year.

Labour Day

Labour Day is observed on the first Monday in September each year.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is observed on the second Monday in October each year.

// Algorithm for calculating Easter Sunday (Gauss's algorithm) function calculateEaster(year) { const a = year % 19; const b = Math.floor(year / 100); const c = year % 100; const d = Math.floor(b / 4); const e = b % 4; const f = Math.floor((b + 8) / 25); const g = Math.floor((b - f + 1) / 3); const h = (19 * a + b - d - g + 15) % 30; const i = Math.floor(c / 4); const k = c % 4; const l = (32 + 2 * e + 2 * i - h - k) % 7; const m = Math.floor((a + 11 * h + 22 * l) / 451); const month = Math.floor((h + l - 7 * m + 114) / 31); const day = ((h + l - 7 * m + 114) % 31) + 1; return new Date(year, month - 1, day); }

The calculator combines these algorithms to determine the exact dates for all floating holidays for any given year.

Examples

Example 1: 2024 Holidays

For the year 2024, the calculator would show these dates:

Holiday	Date
New Year's Day	January 1, 2024
Family Day	February 19, 2024
Good Friday	March 29, 2024
Victoria Day	May 20, 2024
Canada Day	July 1, 2024
Civic Holiday	August 5, 2024
Labour Day	September 2, 2024
Thanksgiving	October 14, 2024
Christmas Day	December 25, 2024
Boxing Day	December 26, 2024

Example 2: 2025 Holidays

For the year 2025, the calculator would show these dates:

Holiday	Date
New Year's Day	January 1, 2025
Family Day	February 17, 2025
Good Friday	April 18, 2025
Victoria Day	May 19, 2025
Canada Day	July 1, 2025
Civic Holiday	August 4, 2025
Labour Day	September 1, 2025
Thanksgiving	October 13, 2025
Christmas Day	December 25, 2025
Boxing Day	December 26, 2025

Frequently Asked Questions

Which holidays are observed in Ontario?

Ontario observes ten public holidays: New Year's Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Civic Holiday, Labour Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.

Are all Ontario public holidays on fixed dates?

No, several holidays have floating dates that change each year. These include Family Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Civic Holiday, Labour Day, and Thanksgiving.

How does the calculator determine the dates for floating holidays?

The calculator uses specific algorithms to determine the dates of floating holidays. For example, it uses Gauss's algorithm to calculate Easter Sunday, which determines Good Friday's date.

Can I use this calculator for future years?

Yes, the calculator can determine holiday dates for any year in the future. Simply enter the desired year and click "Calculate."

Are there any exceptions to the public holiday dates?

While the calculator provides standard dates, some businesses or organizations may observe holidays on different dates. Always check with specific employers or institutions for their holiday schedules.