Christmas Day & Boxing Day: the stat holiday info your biz needs to know

As we near the end of the calendar year, you’re likely looking forward to setting aside your to-do list and unwinding in the serenity that only a winter’s night and snowfall can bring. Just one last thing: before being mesmerized by the twinkling lights, make sure you’re on top of the legislative information your business needs to know when it comes to the upcoming Christmas Day and Boxing Day statutory holidays (and then you can get back to that cup of cocoa – we promise!).

What are Christmas Day and Boxing Day?

Christmas Day takes place each year on December 25. In Canada, it’s a federally-regulated statutory holiday as well as a legislated statutory holiday across all provinces and territories. While Christmas Day is a statutory holiday in all jurisdictions, parameters around employee eligibility and general holiday pay still differ, so it’s important for businesses to take a closer look at the legislation to understand how it applies to their payroll.

Boxing Day takes place each year on December 26. In Canada, it’s a federally-regulated statutory holiday, and there’s only one additional province (Ontario) where it’s a legislated statutory holiday… which is to say that in all other provinces and territories in Canada, Boxing Day is not a statutory holiday. However, Boxing Day is an optional general holiday in Alberta and a retail-closing day in Nova Scotia (more on that below!).

With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the legislation for both Christmas Day and Boxing Day by each jurisdiction…

Federal

As mentioned above, in Canada both Christmas Day and Boxing Day are federally-regulated statutory holidays. It’s important for Canadian employers to be aware of this as it can possibly impact and change both their payroll processing and pay dates, regardless of the jurisdiction in which their business is located. This is because Payments Canada, the organization responsible for payment clearing and settlement, is federally regulated and as such observes both Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

For a list of federally-regulated workplaces, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/jobs/workplace/federally-regulated-industries.html.

British Columbia (BC)

Christmas Day is a statutory holiday in BC, where eligible employees receive statutory pay whether they work or not.

Boxing Day, along with Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, are not statutory holidays in the province.

For more info on statutory holidays in BC, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/employment-standards-advice/employment-standards/statutory-holidays.

Alberta

Christmas Day is a general holiday in Alberta, where eligible employees must be paid for working on or in lieu of this day.

Boxing Day is not a general holiday in the province; however, it’s an optional general holiday. This means it’s at the employer’s discretion whether or not they choose to recognize additional days as holidays. If they do, all employment standard rules related to holiday pay apply.

For more info on general and optional general holidays in Alberta, visit: https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-general-holidays#jumplinks-2.

Saskatchewan

Christmas Day is a public holiday in Saskatchewan, where eligible employees can receive the day off with pay; otherwise, businesses can remain open with employees receiving pay for working a public holiday.

Boxing Day is not one of the province’s public holidays.

For more info on public holidays in Saskatchewan, visit: https://www.saskatchewan.ca/business/employment-standards/public-statutory-holidays/list-of-saskatchewan-public-holidays.

Manitoba

Christmas Day is a general holiday in Manitoba where, generally, most employees receive general holiday pay whether they’re working or not.

Boxing Day is not one of the province’s general holidays and the government’s website states that “employees who do not work Easter Sunday, Terry Fox Day, and Boxing Day do not have to be paid because these are not general holidays.”

For more info on general holidays in Manitoba, visit: https://www.gov.mb.ca/labour/standards/doc,gen-holidays-after-april-30-07,factsheet.html#q12.

Ontario

Both Christmas Day and Boxing Day are public holidays in Ontario. Eligible employees will generally receive the day off and be paid public holiday pay.

For more info on public holidays in Ontario, visit: https://www.ontario.ca/document/your-guide-employment-standards-act-0/public-holidays.

Québec

Christmas Day is a paid statutory holiday in Québec where eligible employees are to receive the day off and an indemnity.

Boxing Day is not one of the province’s paid stat holidays.

For more info on statutory holidays in Québec, visit: https://www.cnesst.gouv.qc.ca/en/working-conditions/leave/statutory-holidays/list-paid-statutory-holidays.

Newfoundland and Labrador (NL)

Christmas Day is a public holiday in NL, while Boxing Day is not one of the province’s public holidays.

For more info on public holidays in the province, visit: https://www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/files/Publications_Labour_Relations_At_Work_Updates_October-2022.pdf.

New Brunswick (NB)

Christmas Day is a paid public holiday in NB, while Boxing Day is not one of the province’s paid public holidays.

For more info on paid public holidays in the province, visit: https://www2.gnb.ca/content/dam/gnb/Departments/petl-epft/PDF/es/FactSheets/PublicHolidaysVacation.pdf.

Nova Scotia

Christmas Day is a paid holiday in Nova Scotia.

Boxing Day is not a paid holiday in the province, but is designated as a retail closing day. According to the province’s website, “some retail businesses are not allowed to open on certain days of the year” (one of those being Boxing Day).

For more info on paid holidays in Nova Scotia, visit: https://novascotia.ca/lae/employmentrights/holidaychart.asp.

Prince Edward Island (PEI)

Christmas Day is a paid holiday in PEI, where eligible employees have a day off with pay.

Boxing Day is not a paid holiday in PEI.

For more info on paid holidays in the province, visit: https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/information/workforce-advanced-learning-and-population/paid-holidays.

Yukon

Christmas Day is a statutory holiday in the Yukon.

Boxing Day is not a statutory holiday in the territory; however, the government’s website states “employees may receive paid holiday pay for these days (Heritage Day, Easter Monday, and Boxing Day) when their employer includes these days as part of the employment contract.”

For more info on statutory holidays in the Yukon, visit: https://yukon.ca/en/find-yukon-statutory-holiday.

Northwest Territories

Christmas Day is a statutory holiday in the Northwest Territories.

Boxing Day is not a statutory holiday in the territory.

For more info on statutory holidays in the territory, visit: https://www.ece.gov.nt.ca/sites/ece/files/resources/2021_08-_factsheet-_employment_standards_-_english_1.pdf.

Nunavut

Christmas Day is a general holiday in Nunavut.

Boxing Day is not a general holiday in the territory.

For more info on the territory’s general holidays, visit: https://www.nu-lsco.ca/faq-s.

We get it – navigating the complexities of payroll legislation (particularly statutory holiday info) can be time consuming! We’re here to help Canadian businesses stay confident and compliant when paying their staff accurately and on time.

Download a free copy of our Payroll Guide – it includes information on federal and provincial holidays, bank closures, and so much more: https://www.payworks.ca/landing-pages/campaigns/payroll-guide.