SOURCE:    Vacation Tracker
TITLE:     Alberta Stat Holidays 2026: Dates, Long Weekends & Holiday Pay
URL:       https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/canada/alberta/2026/
LANG:      en
PUBLISHED: 2026-10-31
UPDATED:   2026-11-01
SUMMARY:   All 9 Alberta stat holidays for 2026 with dates, which days aren't statutory, holiday pay rules and free calendar downloads.

# Alberta Statutory Holidays 2026

Alberta has 9 statutory holidays in 2026, plus several more that many employers give.

Last updated on Nov 1, 2026.

## All 2026 holidays in Alberta

| Holiday | Date | Day of week | Substitute day | Type | Paid by law? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | 2026-01-01 | Thursday |  | Statutory | Required by law |
| Family Day | 2026-02-16 | Monday |  | Statutory | Required by law |
| Good Friday | 2026-04-03 | Friday |  | Statutory | Required by law |
| Easter Monday | 2026-04-06 | Monday |  | Commonly given | Not required |
| Victoria Day | 2026-05-18 | Monday |  | Statutory | Required by law |
| Canada Day | 2026-07-01 | Wednesday |  | Statutory | Required by law |
| Heritage Day | 2026-08-03 | Monday |  | Commonly given | Not required |
| Labour Day | 2026-09-07 | Monday |  | Statutory | Required by law |
| National Day for Truth and Reconciliation | 2026-09-30 | Wednesday |  | Commonly given | Not required |
| Thanksgiving | 2026-10-12 | Monday |  | Statutory | Required by law |
| Remembrance Day | 2026-11-11 | Wednesday |  | Statutory | Required by law |
| Christmas Day | 2026-12-25 | Friday |  | Statutory | Required by law |
| Boxing Day | 2026-12-26 | Saturday |  | Commonly given | Not required |

## What employers need to know

**Who qualifies.** Alberta's rules cover employees who work in Alberta for a provincially regulated employer. Federally regulated industries follow different rules. To get general holiday pay, an employee must have worked for you for at least 30 workdays in the 12 months before the holiday. They lose it if they skip a holiday they were scheduled to work, or miss their last scheduled shift before or first scheduled shift after the holiday without your consent.

**Holiday pay.** Holiday pay is the employee's average daily wage: wages earned divided by days worked, in either the 4 weeks just before the holiday or the 4 weeks ending on the last day of the previous pay period. Overtime pay is not counted as wages. If the employee doesn't work the holiday, it is only paid when the holiday falls on a regular day of work. For irregular schedules, a day counts as regular if they worked that weekday at least 5 times in the previous 9 weeks.

**Working on a holiday.** If the holiday is a regular day of work, you choose: pay 1.5 times the regular rate for hours worked plus the average daily wage, or pay regular wages for the day plus a future day off at the average daily wage. If the holiday is not a regular day of work, you pay 1.5 times the regular rate for the hours worked. Under the time-and-a-half option, hours worked on the holiday don't count toward overtime for that week.

**Holidays that fall on a weekend.** Alberta doesn't automatically move holidays that fall on a weekend. The one exception is Canada Day: when it falls on a Sunday, the holiday is July 2. If a holiday lands on a day the employee doesn't normally work and they don't work it, you owe no holiday pay and no paid day off in lieu. If the holiday falls during their vacation, they get a paid day off on their first scheduled workday after the vacation, or another agreed workday before their next annual vacation.

Full rules: Alberta leave laws: https://vacationtracker.io/leave-laws/canada/alberta/

## Maximize your PTO in 2026

These are our suggestions for the best days to take off in Alberta. Each one joins a few PTO days to a holiday and a weekend. Take all 11 suggested PTO days and you get **38 days off across 9 breaks**, including 7 long weekends. Pick a break to see it on the calendar.

- Take Friday, January 2 off to get a 4-day weekend from January 1 to 4 (New Year's Day).
- Take Friday, February 13 off to get a 4-day weekend from February 13 to 16 (Family Day).
- Take Thursday, April 2 off to get a 4-day weekend from April 2 to 5 (Good Friday).
- Take Friday, May 15 off to get a 4-day weekend from May 15 to 18 (Victoria Day).
- Take Friday, September 4 off to get a 4-day weekend from September 4 to 7 (Labour Day).
- Take Friday, October 9 off to get a 4-day weekend from October 9 to 12 (Thanksgiving).
- Take Thursday, December 24 off to get a 4-day weekend from December 24 to 27 (Christmas Day).
- Take Monday, June 29 and Tuesday, June 30 off to get a 5-day break from June 27 to July 1 (Canada Day).
- Take Monday, November 9 and Tuesday, November 10 off to get a 5-day break from November 7 to 11 (Remembrance Day).

## When Alberta teams take time off

The 5 weeks when the most Alberta employees using Vacation Tracker were off, compared with an average week.

- Jun 29 – Jul 5 (Week 27): 2.3× a normal week
- Jul 20 – 26 (Week 30): 2.2× a normal week
- Jul 27 – Aug 2 (Week 31): 2.2× a normal week
- Aug 24 – 30 (Week 35): 2.1× a normal week
- Jul 6 – 12 (Week 28): 2.0× a normal week

## Compare provinces and territories

| Province or territory | Statutory holidays in 2026 | Holidays others don't have |
|---|---|---|
| [Alberta](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/canada/alberta/2026/) | 9 | None |
| [British Columbia](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/canada/british-columbia/2026/) | 11 | None |
| [Manitoba](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/canada/manitoba/2026/) | 9 | None |
| [New Brunswick](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/canada/new-brunswick/2026/) | 8 | None |
| [Newfoundland and Labrador](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/canada/newfoundland-and-labrador/2026/) | 6 | None |
| [Northwest Territories](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/canada/northwest-territories/2026/) | 11 | None |
| [Nova Scotia](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/canada/nova-scotia/2026/) | 6 | None |
| [Nunavut](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/canada/nunavut/2026/) | 11 | Nunavut Day |
| [Ontario](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/canada/ontario/2026/) | 9 | Boxing Day |
| [Prince Edward Island](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/canada/prince-edward-island/2026/) | 8 | None |
| [Quebec](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/canada/quebec/2026/) | 8 | National Holiday |
| [Saskatchewan](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/canada/saskatchewan/2026/) | 10 | None |
| [Yukon](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/canada/yukon/2026/) | 11 | Discovery Day |

## Frequently asked questions

Q: What are the stat holidays in Alberta in 2026?
Alberta has 9 statutory holidays in 2026: New Year's Day (Thursday, January 1), Family Day (Monday, February 16), Good Friday (Friday, April 3), Victoria Day (Monday, May 18), Canada Day (Wednesday, July 1), Labour Day (Monday, September 7), Thanksgiving (Monday, October 12), Remembrance Day (Wednesday, November 11) and Christmas Day (Friday, December 25). National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Boxing Day, Easter Monday and Heritage Day are not statutory in Alberta.


Q: Is Remembrance Day a stat holiday in Alberta?
Yes. Remembrance Day is a statutory holiday in Alberta. In 2026 it falls on Wednesday, November 11.


Q: Is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation a stat holiday in Alberta?
No. National Day for Truth and Reconciliation isn't a statutory holiday in Alberta, so provincially regulated employers don't have to give it. Alberta lists it as an optional holiday: employers can choose to give it, and if they do, the holiday pay rules apply. In 2026 it falls on Wednesday, September 30. Federally regulated employers, such as banks, airlines and telecoms, must still give it under the Canada Labour Code.


Q: Is Boxing Day a stat holiday in Alberta?
No. Boxing Day isn't a statutory holiday in Alberta, so provincially regulated employers don't have to give it. Alberta lists it as an optional holiday: employers can choose to give it, and if they do, the holiday pay rules apply. In 2026 it falls on Saturday, December 26. Federally regulated employers, such as banks, airlines and telecoms, must still give it under the Canada Labour Code.


Q: Is Easter Monday a stat holiday in Alberta?
No. Easter Monday isn't a statutory holiday in Alberta, so provincially regulated employers don't have to give it. Alberta lists it as an optional holiday: employers can choose to give it, and if they do, the holiday pay rules apply. In 2026 it falls on Monday, April 6.


Q: How is stat holiday pay calculated in Alberta?
Holiday pay is the employee's average daily wage: wages earned divided by days worked, in either the 4 weeks just before the holiday or the 4 weeks ending on the last day of the previous pay period. Overtime pay is not counted as wages. If the employee doesn't work the holiday, it is only paid when the holiday falls on a regular day of work. For irregular schedules, a day counts as regular if they worked that weekday at least 5 times in the previous 9 weeks.


Q: Who qualifies for stat holiday pay in Alberta?
Alberta's rules cover employees who work in Alberta for a provincially regulated employer. Federally regulated industries follow different rules. To get general holiday pay, an employee must have worked for you for at least 30 workdays in the 12 months before the holiday. They lose it if they skip a holiday they were scheduled to work, or miss their last scheduled shift before or first scheduled shift after the holiday without your consent.


Q: What do employees get for working on a stat holiday in Alberta?
If the holiday is a regular day of work, you choose: pay 1.5 times the regular rate for hours worked plus the average daily wage, or pay regular wages for the day plus a future day off at the average daily wage. If the holiday is not a regular day of work, you pay 1.5 times the regular rate for the hours worked. Under the time-and-a-half option, hours worked on the holiday don't count toward overtime for that week.


Q: What happens if a stat holiday falls on a weekend in Alberta?
In 2026, no statutory holiday in Alberta falls on a weekend. Alberta doesn't automatically move holidays that fall on a weekend. The one exception is Canada Day: when it falls on a Sunday, the holiday is July 2. If a holiday lands on a day the employee doesn't normally work and they don't work it, you owe no holiday pay and no paid day off in lieu. If the holiday falls during their vacation, they get a paid day off on their first scheduled workday after the vacation, or another agreed workday before their next annual vacation.


## Sources

- Employment standards – Alberta general holidays | Alberta.ca: https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-general-holidays

Holiday calendar data includes date-holidays (CC BY-SA 3.0), checked against the official sources above.
Holiday dates come from public sources. Check your employment contract and the official sources above before you rely on them.

CSV: https://vacationtracker.io/static/data/holiday-pages/canada/alberta-holidays-2026.csv