British Columbia Statutory Holidays 2026
British Columbia has 11 statutory holidays in 2026.
Last updated on Nov 1, 2026
11 statutory holidays in 2026.
11 statutory holidays in 2026.
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All 2026 holidays in British Columbia
11 days listed| Month | Date | Holiday | Type | Paid by law? | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1Thu | New Year's Day | Statutory | Required by law | |
| February | 16Mon | Family Day | Statutory | Required by law | |
| April | 3Fri | Good Friday | Statutory | Required by law | |
| May | 18Mon | Victoria Day | Statutory | Required by law | |
| July | 1Wed | Canada Day | Statutory | Required by law | |
| August | 3Mon | British Columbia Day | Statutory | Required by law | |
| September | 7Mon | Labour Day | Statutory | Required by law | |
| 30Wed | National Day for Truth and Reconciliation | Statutory | Required by law | ||
| October | 12Mon | Thanksgiving | Statutory | Required by law | |
| November | 11Wed | Remembrance Day | Statutory | Required by law | |
| December | 25Fri | Christmas Day | Statutory | Required by law |
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What employers need to know
Who qualifies
An employee gets statutory holiday pay if they have been employed for 30 calendar days and worked or earned wages on 15 of the 30 days before the holiday. Paid vacation days and other statutory holidays count toward the 15 days. B.C. has no rule requiring the employee to work the day before and the day after the holiday. Some groups are excluded, such as managers, farm workers, fishers and high-tech professionals.
Holiday pay
Statutory holiday pay is an average day's pay: total wages divided by days worked in the 30 calendar days before the holiday. Total wages include regular wages, salary, commission, statutory holiday pay, paid vacation and paid sick days required by law. Overtime is not included.
Working on a holiday
A qualifying employee who works the holiday gets an average day's pay plus time-and-a-half for hours worked, rising to double time for hours over 12. An employee who doesn't qualify gets regular pay for working on the holiday. You and the employee can agree in writing to swap in another day, and that day must be treated the same as the statutory holiday.
Holidays that fall on a weekend
If a statutory holiday falls on a regular or scheduled day off, such as a weekend, a qualifying employee is still paid an average day's pay for it. You and the employee can also agree in writing to treat a different day as the holiday.
Maximize your PTO in 2026
These are our suggestions for the best days to take off in British Columbia. Each one joins a few PTO days to a holiday and a weekend. Take all 14 suggested PTO days and you get 47 days off across 11 breaks, including 8 long weekends. Pick a break to see it on the calendar.
- Statutory
- Suggested PTO day
- Weekend
- Today
January 2026
February 2026
March 2026
April 2026
May 2026
June 2026
July 2026
August 2026
September 2026
October 2026
November 2026
December 2026
All 2026 suggestions as a list
- 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, July 31 off to get a 4-day weekend from July 31 to August 3 (British Columbia 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, September 28 and Tuesday, September 29 off to get a 5-day break from September 26 to 30 (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation).
- Take Monday, November 9 and Tuesday, November 10 off to get a 5-day break from November 7 to 11 (Remembrance Day).
When British Columbia teams take time off
The 5 weeks when the most British Columbia employees using Vacation Tracker were off, compared with an average week.
- Dec 21 – 27Week 52 2.5× a normal week2.5×
- Jul 27 – Aug 2Week 31 2.3× a normal week2.3×
- Aug 17 – 23Week 34 2.2× a normal week2.2×
- Jun 29 – Jul 5Week 27 2.1× a normal week2.1×
- Dec 14 – 20Week 51 1.7× a normal week1.7×
Compare provinces and territories
| Province or territory | Statutory holidays in 2026 | Holidays others don't have |
|---|---|---|
| AlbertaOnly here: None | 9 | None |
| British Columbia You're hereOnly here: None | 11 | None |
| ManitobaOnly here: None | 9 | None |
| New BrunswickOnly here: None | 8 | None |
| Newfoundland and LabradorOnly here: None | 6 | None |
| Northwest TerritoriesOnly here: None | 11 | None |
| Nova ScotiaOnly here: None | 6 | None |
| NunavutOnly here: Nunavut Day | 11 | Nunavut Day |
| OntarioOnly here: Boxing Day | 9 | Boxing Day |
| Prince Edward IslandOnly here: None | 8 | None |
| QuebecOnly here: National Holiday | 8 | National Holiday |
| SaskatchewanOnly here: None | 10 | None |
| YukonOnly here: Discovery Day | 11 | Discovery Day |
Sources
Holiday calendar data includes date-holidays (CC BY-SA 3.0), checked against the official sources above.
Last updated on Nov 1, 2026. Holiday dates come from public sources. Check your employment contract and the official sources above before you rely on them.
Frequently asked questions
British Columbia has 11 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), British Columbia Day (Monday, August 3), Labour Day (Monday, September 7), National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Wednesday, September 30), Thanksgiving (Monday, October 12), Remembrance Day (Wednesday, November 11) and Christmas Day (Friday, December 25). Boxing Day and Easter Monday are not statutory in British Columbia.
No. Boxing Day isn't a statutory holiday in British Columbia, so provincially regulated employers don't have to give it. 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.
No. Easter Monday isn't a statutory holiday in British Columbia, so provincially regulated employers don't have to give it.
Yes. National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a statutory holiday in British Columbia. In 2026 it falls on Wednesday, September 30.
Yes. Remembrance Day is a statutory holiday in British Columbia. In 2026 it falls on Wednesday, November 11.
Statutory holiday pay is an average day's pay: total wages divided by days worked in the 30 calendar days before the holiday. Total wages include regular wages, salary, commission, statutory holiday pay, paid vacation and paid sick days required by law. Overtime is not included.
An employee gets statutory holiday pay if they have been employed for 30 calendar days and worked or earned wages on 15 of the 30 days before the holiday. Paid vacation days and other statutory holidays count toward the 15 days. B.C. has no rule requiring the employee to work the day before and the day after the holiday. Some groups are excluded, such as managers, farm workers, fishers and high-tech professionals.
A qualifying employee who works the holiday gets an average day's pay plus time-and-a-half for hours worked, rising to double time for hours over 12. An employee who doesn't qualify gets regular pay for working on the holiday. You and the employee can agree in writing to swap in another day, and that day must be treated the same as the statutory holiday.
In 2026, no statutory holiday in British Columbia falls on a weekend. If a statutory holiday falls on a regular or scheduled day off, such as a weekend, a qualifying employee is still paid an average day's pay for it. You and the employee can also agree in writing to treat a different day as the holiday.