Thanksgiving Day in Canada

A Canadian harvest holiday

The Canadian government lists Thanksgiving Day among the country’s national public holidays and places it on the second Monday in October. The holiday’s official 1957 wording described it as a day of general thanksgiving for the harvest.[1][2]

Thanksgiving has not always had a fixed date. It was declared a national holiday in 1879, initially for November 6; Parliament set the second Monday in October as the annual date in 1957. The modern celebration was also influenced by American customs, according to the historical account.[1]

Early stories and traditions

One early episode associated with Canadian Thanksgiving is Martin Frobisher’s 1578 expedition to the Eastern Arctic, where his crew held a service of thanks after reaching land safely. This account is part of the holiday’s history, rather than evidence that the modern annual holiday began then.[1]

A separate early colonial story comes from Port-Royal, where Samuel de Champlain organized the Order of Good Cheer in the winter of 1606–07. Parks Canada describes it as a dining society that held regular feasts to improve the men’s health and morale; it was a one-winter gathering, not the origin of today’s October holiday.[3]

Meals and ways of observing

Many Canadian Thanksgiving meals draw on harvest foods and familiar North American dishes. Turkey, squash and pumpkin were introduced to Nova Scotians in the 1750s, and Loyalists who came after the American War of Independence helped spread this fare to other parts of Canada.[1]

Families may gather for a holiday meal over the long weekend, but customs vary. The history of the holiday includes both harvest observances and practices influenced by American Thanksgiving, so no single menu or ritual represents every household.[1]

Time off and practical effects

Thanksgiving is a paid general holiday for employees covered by the Canada Labour Code. Provincial employment standards also name it as a statutory holiday in places such as British Columbia and Quebec, although eligibility and pay rules depend on the jurisdiction and the employee’s situation.[4][5][6]

A holiday listing does not mean every worker has the day off or every workplace closes. Federal rules allow work on a general holiday and set pay or substitute-holiday arrangements for eligible employees who work; Quebec’s guidance also describes services such as hospitals, buses and convenience stores that may need staff on statutory holidays.[4][5]

There is no single automatic substitute-day rule for every worker across Canada. Under federal rules, employers may substitute another day subject to approval requirements, and British Columbia permits an employer and employee to agree in writing to a substitute statutory holiday.[4][6]