Canadians, here's how you can maximize your time off in 2025
If you’re entering 2025 and looking forward to your next vacation from work or some time off, you may want to read this first and mark those stat holidays in your calendars.
We’ve broken down the year with the stat holidays and other provincial holidays so Canadians can strategically plan their time off to maximize their vacation time. While every workplace has different vacation policies, this information will help you get at least one or two extended breaks throughout the year.
Put in those time-off requests early. In the future, you will thank yourself for thinking ahead and planning some extended holidays in 2025.
January
It’s a bit late for this one, but if you were extra strategic, you booked days off just after the New Year’s Day stat.
February
Monday, February 17 is a stat holiday in several provinces:
- Islander Day – PEI
- Louis Riel Day – Manitoba
- Heritage Day – Nova Scotia
- Family Day – BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, New Brunswick
If you live in any of these places, you can book off the rest of the week (February 18 to 21), and you’ll be getting an extra long vacation because the 15 to 16 and 22 to 23 are both weekends.
April
Good Friday is on April 18, 2025, and is an official national statutory holiday, except in Quebec.
April 21 is Easter Monday, which is not an official public holiday (except in Quebec). However, it is a non-working day for many employees nationwide, and many businesses are closed.
With this four-day long weekend, you can take off the four days leading up to Good Friday (April 14 to 17). If you factor in April 12 and 13 (Saturday and Sunday), you’ll have up to 10 days off (if you get Easter Monday as a holiday).
If you’re looking for a longer break, you could take April 7 to 11 off. This means you’d be getting 16 days away from work (if you factor in April 5 to 6, a weekend), but you’d only have to take nine workdays off.
May
Monday, May 19 is Victoria Day, an official stat holiday across Canada except in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador. You could book off May 20 to 23 from work, meaning you’d get an extra long vacation because two weekends are tacked on (May 17 to 18 and 24 to 25).
July
All Canadians can strategically plan some time in the sun for Canada Day. The day officially falls on Tuesday, July 1. You can take off the rest of the week (July 2 to 4) to maximize your Canada Day celebrations for a few more days.
August
Monday, August 4, is a civic/provincial holiday in some parts of Canada, including the Northwest Territories, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Alberta, BC, and Saskatchewan — book off August 5 to 8 for nine days of relaxation (when you count the weekends).
September
The potential to take even more time off continues into September. Labour Day, a national stat holiday, is on Monday, September 1, 2025. To maximize the long weekend holiday, book off September 2 to 5.
Tuesday, September 30 is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day off nationally for federally regulated workplaces only. Some provinces and territories have recently passed legislation to observe September 30 as a stat holiday as well. If that’s the case for where you live, you can book October 1 to 3 for an extended break.
October
Monday, October 13 is Thanksgiving, which is observed as a national holiday everywhere except in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador. Tack on a few more days off to make it an extra-long Thanksgiving break.
November
Tuesday, November 11 is Remembrance Day, a stat holiday in all provinces and territories except Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. Take off November 10 for an extra-long weekend.
December
There’s nothing like trying to get more time off for some proper year-end R&R.
In 2025, Christmas (a national stat) falls on Thursday, December 25, with Boxing Day (a stat for workers across Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador) following right after on Friday.
If you live in a province/territory that doesn’t observe Boxing Day as a stat, take off December 22, 23, 24, and 26 for an extra-long holiday break.
So what are you waiting for? Start booking that time off now and enjoy a few getaways or staycations tacked on to stat holidays in 2025.
This article was originally published on December 3, 2024. It has since been updated.