Nova Scotia Statutory Holidays 2027
Nova Scotia has 6 statutory holidays in 2027, plus several more that many employers give.
Last updated on Nov 1, 2026
6 statutory holidays and 2 commonly given in 2027.
6 statutory holidays in 2027.
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All 2027 holidays in Nova Scotia
9 days listed| Month | Date | Holiday | Type | Paid by law? | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1Fri | New Year's Day | Statutory | Required by law | |
| February | 15Mon | Heritage Day | Statutory | Required by law | |
| March | 26Fri | Good Friday | Statutory | Required by law | |
| July | 1Thu | Canada Day | Statutory | Required by law | |
| August | 2Mon | Natal Day | Commonly given | Not required | |
| September | 6Mon | Labour Day | Statutory | Required by law | |
| 30Thu | National Day for Truth and ReconciliationNot a statutory holiday in Nova Scotia. Federally regulated employers must give it. | Observance | Not a day off | ||
| November | 11Thu | Remembrance Day | Commonly given | Not required | |
| December | 25Sat | Christmas DayFalls on a Saturday. Substitute day often Mon Dec 27 | Statutory | Required by law |
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What employers need to know
Who qualifies
To qualify for a paid holiday, the employee must have been entitled to pay for at least 15 of the 30 calendar days before the holiday. They must also have worked their last scheduled shift before the holiday and their first scheduled shift after it. Employers cannot hold back holiday pay until a probation period ends.
Holiday pay
An employee who qualifies and gets the day off is paid a regular day's pay. If their hours change from day to day, average the hours they worked over the 30 days before the holiday. Commissions they regularly earn count toward that day's pay.
Working on a holiday
An employee who qualifies and works the holiday gets a regular (or average) day's pay plus 1.5 times their regular rate for every hour worked. In a continuous operation, the employer can pay this way, or pay straight time for the hours worked and give a different paid day off instead.
Holidays that fall on a weekend
If a holiday falls on a qualifying employee's regular day off, the employer must give them a different paid day off. That can be the next working day, a day added to the end of their vacation, or another day the employee agrees to.
Maximize your PTO in 2027
These are our suggestions for the best days to take off in Nova Scotia. Each one joins a few PTO days to a holiday and a weekend. Take all 6 suggested PTO days and you get 24 days off across 6 breaks, all long weekends. Pick a break to see it on the calendar.
- Statutory
- Commonly given
- Suggested PTO day
- Weekend
- Today
January 2027
February 2027
March 2027
April 2027
May 2027
June 2027
July 2027
August 2027
September 2027
October 2027
November 2027
December 2027
All 2027 suggestions as a list
- Take Monday, January 4 off to get a 4-day weekend from January 1 to 4 (New Year's Day).
- Take Friday, February 12 off to get a 4-day weekend from February 12 to 15 (Heritage Day).
- Take Thursday, March 25 off to get a 4-day weekend from March 25 to 28 (Good Friday).
- Take Friday, July 2 off to get a 4-day weekend from July 1 to 4 (Canada Day).
- Take Friday, September 3 off to get a 4-day weekend from September 3 to 6 (Labour Day).
- Take Friday, December 24 off to get a 4-day weekend from December 24 to 27 (Christmas Day).
When Nova Scotia teams take time off
The 5 weeks when the most Nova Scotia employees using Vacation Tracker were off, compared with an average week.
- Aug 2 – 8Week 31 2.5× a normal week2.5×
- Jul 5 – 11Week 27 2.2× a normal week2.2×
- Sep 13 – 19Week 37 2.0× a normal week2.0×
- Sep 6 – 12Week 36 1.9× a normal week1.9×
- Aug 23 – 29Week 34 1.8× a normal week1.8×
Compare provinces and territories
| Province or territory | Statutory holidays in 2027 | Holidays others don't have |
|---|---|---|
| AlbertaOnly here: None | 9 | None |
| British ColumbiaOnly 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 Scotia You're hereOnly 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 and Retail Closing Day Charts | novascotia.ca
- Nova Scotia Paid Holidays and Retail Closing Days (Open Data NS, Labour, Skills and Immigration; 2015-2028)
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
Nova Scotia has 6 statutory holidays in 2027: New Year's Day (Friday, January 1), Heritage Day (Monday, February 15), Good Friday (Friday, March 26), Canada Day (Thursday, July 1), Labour Day (Monday, September 6) and Christmas Day (Saturday, December 25). Victoria Day, Remembrance Day, Thanksgiving, Boxing Day, Easter Monday, Natal Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation are not statutory in Nova Scotia.
No. Victoria Day isn't a statutory holiday in Nova Scotia, so provincially regulated employers don't have to give it. In 2027 it falls on Monday, May 24. Federally regulated employers, such as banks, airlines and telecoms, must still give it under the Canada Labour Code.
No. Remembrance Day isn't a statutory holiday in Nova Scotia, so provincially regulated employers don't have to give it. It isn't a general paid holiday under the Labour Standards Code. It's covered by the separate Remembrance Day Act, so only some employees get a benefit. In 2027 it falls on Thursday, November 11. Federally regulated employers, such as banks, airlines and telecoms, must still give it under the Canada Labour Code.
No. Thanksgiving isn't a statutory holiday in Nova Scotia, so provincially regulated employers don't have to give it. In 2027 it falls on Monday, October 11. Federally regulated employers, such as banks, airlines and telecoms, must still give it under the Canada Labour Code.
No. Boxing Day isn't a statutory holiday in Nova Scotia, so provincially regulated employers don't have to give it. In 2027 it falls on Sunday, December 26. Federally regulated employers, such as banks, airlines and telecoms, must still give it under the Canada Labour Code.
An employee who qualifies and gets the day off is paid a regular day's pay. If their hours change from day to day, average the hours they worked over the 30 days before the holiday. Commissions they regularly earn count toward that day's pay.
To qualify for a paid holiday, the employee must have been entitled to pay for at least 15 of the 30 calendar days before the holiday. They must also have worked their last scheduled shift before the holiday and their first scheduled shift after it. Employers cannot hold back holiday pay until a probation period ends.
An employee who qualifies and works the holiday gets a regular (or average) day's pay plus 1.5 times their regular rate for every hour worked. In a continuous operation, the employer can pay this way, or pay straight time for the hours worked and give a different paid day off instead.
In 2027, Christmas Day falls on a Saturday. If a holiday falls on a qualifying employee's regular day off, the employer must give them a different paid day off. That can be the next working day, a day added to the end of their vacation, or another day the employee agrees to.