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Remembrance Day in Canada

This national overview identifies holiday occasions. Public holiday dates, substitute days and school calendars depend on the state or territory. Use your jurisdiction calendar for closures and countdowns.

State and territory calendars

Choose your jurisdiction for public holidays, substitute dates, local exceptions and school calendars.

About this calendar

Remembrance Day is observed in Canada on 11 November. It honours members of the armed forces who served and died in war and recalls the armistice that ended fighting on the Western Front in 1918. Canada's official name is Remembrance Day—not the U.S. term Veterans Day.

Coverage

Remembrance Day is one of Canada's principal military commemorations. It honours those who died in service and recognises veterans and current members of the Canadian Armed Forces. The red poppy, inspired by the First World War poem In Flanders Fields, is a central symbol of remembrance.

Dates and coverage by jurisdiction — 2026

Additional and substitute dates are separate entries. Local and sector-only holidays apply only to the areas or institutions specified.

Alberta

Public · regional coverage · Confirmed — source checked

Actual statutory/calendar date; employer-dependent substitute dates are not manufactured. Official source

British Columbia

Public · regional coverage · Confirmed — source checked

Actual statutory/calendar date; employer-dependent substitute dates are not manufactured. Official source

New Brunswick

Public · regional coverage · Confirmed — source checked

Actual statutory/calendar date; employer-dependent substitute dates are not manufactured. Official source

Newfoundland and Labrador

Public · regional coverage · Confirmed — source checked

Actual statutory/calendar date; employer-dependent substitute dates are not manufactured. Official source

Northwest Territories

Public · regional coverage · Confirmed — source checked

Actual statutory/calendar date; employer-dependent substitute dates are not manufactured. Official source

Nova Scotia

Restricted · sector coverage · Confirmed — source checked · Conditional entitlement

Remembrance Day has separate business-closing and employee rules; it is not one of the six ordinary paid holidays under the Labour Standards Code. Excluded from the general paid-holiday planner. Official source

Nunavut

Public · regional coverage · Confirmed — source checked

Actual statutory/calendar date; employer-dependent substitute dates are not manufactured. Official source

Prince Edward Island

Public · regional coverage · Confirmed — source checked

Actual statutory/calendar date; employer-dependent substitute dates are not manufactured. Official source

Saskatchewan

Public · regional coverage · Confirmed — source checked

Actual statutory/calendar date; employer-dependent substitute dates are not manufactured. Official source

Yukon

Public · regional coverage · Confirmed — source checked

Actual statutory/calendar date; employer-dependent substitute dates are not manufactured. Official source

Missing entries do not establish that a jurisdiction has no holiday. Check its calendar for pending official dates and local exceptions.

Background

The armistice ending fighting on the Western Front in the First World War took effect at 11 a.m. on 11 November 1918. Canada initially observed Armistice Day before the name Remembrance Day was formally adopted in 1931. The day later expanded to honour Canadians who served in later wars, conflicts and peacekeeping missions.

Workplaces

The federal Holidays Act names 11 November a legal holiday, and it is a paid general holiday for federally regulated employees. Provincial treatment differs: it is statutory in British Columbia and Alberta, while Ontario employment standards do not require a general paid day off.

Banks

The Bank of Canada lists Remembrance Day as a national holiday. Financial-institution hours and settlement arrangements can still vary, so customers should check their bank; digital and self-service channels normally remain accessible.

Schools

Some provincial school systems close, while others remain open and hold assemblies or the two-minute silence. School status cannot be inferred from federal holiday law and should be confirmed with the local board.

Planning

Remembrance ceremonies can create temporary road closures and crowds around cenotaphs, legislatures and city centres. Travellers should allow extra time near major ceremonies, particularly around 11 a.m.

Frequently asked questions

Is Veterans Day the official name in Canada?

No. Canada's principal 11 November commemoration is officially known as Remembrance Day.

When is Remembrance Day?

It is observed on 11 November each year.

Why are red poppies worn?

The poppy became a symbol of remembrance associated with the First World War and the poem In Flanders Fields.

Is Remembrance Day a holiday everywhere in Canada?

Public-holiday treatment varies by province, territory and employment jurisdiction.

What happens at 11 a.m.?

Canadians commonly observe a moment of silence in remembrance of those who served and died.

Holiday guides

Official sources

Government of Canada: Government of Canada: general holidays for federally regulated employment