With the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, many in Canada have been asking whether a public holiday will be declared – including business closures – to mark the Queen's funeral on Sept. 19, 2022. As with any public holiday in Canada, the answer will depend on the jurisdiction in which the business operates.

On Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022, Prime Minister Trudeau declared that Monday, "Sept. 19, 2022, will be a National Day of Mourning in Canada, to mark the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II." This National Day of Mourning will apply to federal government employees, but not to federally-regulated private sector businesses unless they choose to observe the holiday. Similarly, the holiday announced by the federal government does not apply to provincially-regulated employees (which make up the vast majority of the workforce in Canada,) unless provinces also individually declare the day to be a public holiday. Currently, not every province is planning to set aside the day.

We set out below how each province will be treating Monday, Sept. 19, 2022:

Province Treating as holiday? Other important details

Alberta
  • No
  • Schools will be open

British Columbia
  • No, for private sector employers
  • Yes, for public sector employers
  • Schools will be closed
  • Unknown whether holiday will be recurring

Manitoba
  • No, for private sector employers
  • Yes, for non-essential government employers
  • Schools will be open
  • Unknown whether holiday will be recurring

New Brunswick
  • No, for private sector employers unless unionized in which case they must comply with the terms of the collective agreements regarding recognizing federal holidays
  • Yes, for public sector employers
  • Schools will be closed
  • One-time holiday

Newfoundland/Labrador
  • No, for private sector employers
  • Yes, for public sector employers
  • Schools will be closed
  • Unknown whether holiday will be recurring

Nova Scotia
  • No, for private sector employers
  • Yes, for public sector employers
  • Schools will be closed
  • Unknown whether holiday will be recurring

Ontario
  • No
  • Schools will be open

Prince Edward Island
  • Yes, for private and public sector
  • All business must close, subject to the Retail Holiday's Act which exempts certain retail establishments from having to close
  • All employees are entitled to holiday pay pursuant to standard holiday pay regulations
  • One-time holiday

Quebec
  • No
  • Schools will be open

Saskatchewan
  • No
  • Schools will be open

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