Boxing Day in Canada
Boxing Day falls on December 26, the day after Christmas. In Canada, it has a distinct legal status: it is a paid general holiday for employees covered by federal labour standards, while provincial rules differ and the day is not a statutory holiday in British Columbia.[1][2][3]
Origins and meaning
Boxing Day is part of the wider Christmas-season tradition found in several countries. Its name has uncertain origins: one explanation links it to gifts or food packed in boxes for servants or people in need, while another points to church collection boxes opened after Christmas. A local Canadian museum notes that neither explanation is definitive.[1]
Who gets the day off
Under the Canada Labour Code, employees working for federally regulated employers are entitled to Boxing Day as a paid general holiday. This includes workers in sectors such as banking, postal and courier services, air transportation, and interprovincial or international rail and road transportation. The Code allows some employees to work on a general holiday, with applicable holiday pay or other entitlements.[2][4]
For other workers, provincial or territorial employment standards apply. Ontario lists Boxing Day among its public holidays; most qualifying employees are entitled to the day off with public holiday pay, though some may be required to work under special rules. British Columbia, by contrast, expressly says Boxing Day is not a statutory holiday there.[3][5]
How people mark the day
Shopping is one documented Canadian association. Vernon Museum records a Boxing Day sale advertised by a local general store in 1913, and describes post-Christmas sales as a longstanding retail practice. That history supports the link with shopping, but it does not establish that every shop opens or that sales are uniform across the country.[1]
The museum also describes regional limits on retail openings, including parts of Atlantic Canada and Northern Ontario. Because retail rules and individual business hours can vary by location, residents and visitors should check local store information before making plans.[1]
Planning around Boxing Day
The date remains December 26. For employees covered by federal labour standards, if it falls on a Saturday or Sunday that is not a scheduled workday, the paid holiday is taken on the scheduled workday immediately before or after it. The rule does not mean that every worker in Canada receives a Monday or Tuesday substitute day; provincial rules and individual work schedules matter.[2]
A holiday entitlement does not by itself mean that all services close. Banks and postal services are federally regulated sectors, but federal labour standards allow work on general holidays. Check with a particular bank, postal outlet, shop, or local transit operator for its holiday hours or schedule.[2][4]
Frequently asked questions
Is Boxing Day a public holiday everywhere in Canada?
It is a paid general holiday for employees covered by federal labour standards, and Ontario includes it among its public holidays. It is not a statutory holiday in British Columbia, and other workers’ entitlements depend on the rules that apply to their workplace.[2][3][5]
Do federally regulated employees always get the following Monday off if Boxing Day is on a weekend?
No. If December 26 falls on a Saturday or Sunday that is not a scheduled workday, the paid holiday is taken on the scheduled workday immediately before or after it. The specific day depends on the employee’s schedule.[2]
Sources and references
Sources used for Boxing Day in Canada:
- The History of Boxing Day- Greater Vernon Museum & Archives
- Annual vacations and general holidays for employees working for federally regulated employers- Employment and Social Development Canada
- Public holidays- Government of Ontario
- List of federally regulated industries and workplaces- Employment and Social Development Canada
- Statutory holidays- Government of British Columbia
- Public holidays- Canada Revenue Agency