British Columbians will soon be shaking off the winter blues with a new statutory holiday called Family Day which will be celebrated on the third Monday in February of each year. In the Throne Speech this fall, Premier Christy Clark's Liberal government announced the introduction of the new statutory holiday but stated "Given our economic circumstances, B.C.'s employers will need time to adjust to this new statutory holiday. Therefore, the first B.C. Family Day will fall on February 18th, 2013." Family Day will become British Columbia's tenth statutory holiday and will bridge the long gap between the existing New Year's Day and Good Friday statutory holidays. British Columbia will join Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Prince Edward Island, which already observe a mid-winter holiday in February. The delay in the introduction of the new Family Day holiday will allow employers time to adjust to scheduling and cost implications to their business operations for this additional paid holiday.
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