When is Remembrance Day in Canada?
Remembrance Day is commemorated on November 11th each year and marks the end of World War I in 1918. It may also be commonly known as Armistice Day.
The intention of the day is to remember the fallen on both sides in the Great War (first world war).
Remembrance Day is a federal statutory holiday in Canada. It is also a statutory holiday in three territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut) and in six provinces (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador).
In Nova Scotia, it isn't listed as a paid holiday, but all government and bank employees have this day as a holiday and all staff are paid extra to work this day.
Why Remembrance Day is important
On Remembrance Day, Canadians pause to honour the men and women who have served and continue to serve Canada during times of war, conflict, and peace. More than 2,300,000 Canadians have served and more than 118,000 made the ultimate sacrifice.
The poppy is the symbol of Remembrance Day. In the run-up to Remembrance Day, replica poppies are sold by the Royal Canadian Legion to provide assistance to veterans.
The reason that the poppy is worn for Remembrance Day is due to a Canadian physician and poet who noticed how quickly poppies had grown over the graves of soldiers who had died during the Battle of Ypres. This symbolism of the blood-red flowers was beautifully captured by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae in his 1915 poem “In Flanders Fields.” The poem was apparently discarded by McCrae but was found by soldiers who sent it to a London-based magazine named Punch.
In 1921, people began wearing the poppy three years after the war ended. For the centennial observance of Remembrance Day in 2021, the Royal Canadian Legion released a commemorative replica of the original fabric pin from 1921.
November 11th marks the signing of the armistice (peace agreement) between the Allies and Germany at Compiègne, France.
The armistice took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning - the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month."
Did you know?
The last Canadian killed in action in World War I was Private George Lawrence Price of the Canadian Infantry (2nd Canadian Division) who was killed at Mons at 10.58 on November 11th, two minutes before the armistice. Officially, Price was the last Commonwealth soldier to be killed in World War One.
However, while this date is used to reflect the end of the whole war, it technically relates to the cease-fire on the Western Front; fighting continued after November 11th in parts of the Ottoman Empire.
After the 'end' of the war in 1918, it didn't take long before the signing of the armistice was adopted as a suitable time and date for countries involved in the war to mark the sacrifice of their soldiers, with official remembrance services taking place in the UK and USA in 1919.
The national ceremony is held at the National War Memorial in Ottawa. The Governor General of Canada presides over the ceremony. It is also attended by the Prime Minister, other government officials, representatives of Veterans’ organizations, diplomatic representatives, other dignitaries, Veterans as well as the general public.
In advance of the ceremony, long columns of Veterans, Canadian Armed Forces members, RCMP officers, and cadets march to the memorial lead by a pipe band and a colour guard. At the end of the ceremony, they march away to officially close the ceremony.
When did Remembrance Day become a stat holiday?
From 1921 to 1930, Armistice Day was held on the Monday of the week in which November 11th fell and Thanksgiving was held on the same day. In 1931, Alan Neill, Member of Parliament for Comox–Alberni, introduced a bill to observe Armistice Day only on November 11th. Passed by the House of Commons, the bill also changed the name to “Remembrance Day”. The first Remembrance Day was observed on November 11th 1931.
Remembrance Day is not a statutory holiday in Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Manitoba. Some employers in those provinces may give employees Remembrance Day off work, but there is no legal obligation to do so.
On March 1st 2018, An Act to amend the Holidays Act (Remembrance Day) received royal assent making November 11th is a legal holiday throughout Canada.
However, the revised status does not mean that all employees will now automatically get a public holiday on Remembrance Day. In Canada, the individual provinces and territories decide which days are public holidays for the vast majority of employees. The federal government cannot force the provinces to make Remembrance Day a paid day off for employees.
Remembrance Day by Province and Territory
Alberta
Alberta observes Remembrance Day as a statutory holiday and a paid general holiday for eligible employees. To be eligible, employees must work their scheduled shift before and after the holiday, unless consent is given for their absence, according to the government’s website.
If Alberta employees work on Remembrance Day, they must be paid at least their daily wage and at least 1.5 times their wage rate per hour worked. Workers who do not report for duty will still be given an amount that is at least their daily wage.
British Columbia
British Columbia also observes Remembrance Day as a statutory holiday. Employees are qualified for the holiday pay if they have been employed for 30 calendar days and have worked at least 15 of those days prior to the holiday, according to the government. That means employees who started working for a company after October 11th will not be eligible.
If employees in British Columbia work on Remembrance Day, they must be paid at least their daily wage based on the days they worked during the 30 calendar days before the holiday plus a per-hour rate equivalent to 150 per cent of their regular workday’s hourly work rate. Workers who will not report for duty will still be getting an amount that is at least their daily wage.
Manitoba
In Manitoba, employees of businesses in most industries are not allowed to work on November 11th even though the day is not recognized as a statutory holiday. However, there are a few exceptions. Employees working in hospitals, hotels and restaurants, emergency repairs business, farming, and a few other industries are allowed to do business, according to the Manitoba government. Factsheet on Remembrance Day in Manitoba from govt. website. All retail businesses must also be closed from 9 AM to 1 PM on Remembrance Day.
Employees in Manitoba who work on the holiday will be paid at least half the hours of a normal workday at 1.5 times their regular wages, according to the government. For example, employees who work two hours on the holiday, but normally work an eight-hour day, are paid four hours at 1.5 times their regular wage. Employees who work more than half their normal hours on Remembrance Day are paid 1.5 times their regular wage for all hours worked, plus a regular day’s pay.
Note that employers in Manitoba are not required to pay employees who do not work on Remembrance Day, but it has become common practice to do so.
New Brunswick
Remembrance Day is a paid public holiday in New Brunswick for eligible employees. To be eligible, employees must be employed by the employer for at least 90 calendar days during the 12 months before the holiday. They must work their scheduled regular day before and after the holiday, according to the government.
Employees who work on the holiday will be paid a regular day’s pay plus 1.5 times their regular wages for the hours that they worked, says the government. Employees who do not go to work will still be paid their regular pay.
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador lists Remembrance Day as one of its public holidays and the government allows employees working on that day to choose which way they want to be paid.
Employees in the province who work on the holiday can either receive wages at twice their rate for the hours worked, get an additional day off with pay within 30 days of the holiday or get an additional paid vacation day, according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. All employees are eligible for this benefit.
Should employees work less than their scheduled hours, they will be entitled to receive wages at their regular rate for the hours worked plus a regular day’s pay.
Northwest Territories
Remembrance Day is a statutory holiday in the Northwest Territories.
There are several conditions employees must meet to qualify for statutory holiday pay. They: must have worked for the employer for 30 days within the 12 months prior to the holiday; must report to work on their last scheduled workday prior to the holiday and their next scheduled workday following the holiday, and they must report to work on the holiday if they are scheduled, or called to work.
An employee on pregnancy or parental leave is not entitled to statutory holiday pay while they are on leave, according to the government, while part-time employees are entitled to statutory holiday pay once they meet the conditions set out above.
Quebec
Remembrance Day (Jour du Souvenir) is not a statutory general holiday in Québec. Only employees covered by the Canada Labour Code are entitled to a paid holiday. These include federal public service employees, employees of Crown corporations (such as Canada Post) and employees of federally regulated companies, such as banks, telecommunications companies and interprovincial transport companies.
