In Ontario, someone who earned $4,000 in the four weeks before a holiday gets $200 of public holiday pay. Work the day for eight hours at $25 and you add $300 of premium pay, so the day brings in $500. Choose your province, fill in the fields and you’ll get the number for your own holiday.
How is holiday pay worked out in each province?
Both the number of paid holidays and the formula change with the place, and it’s easy to assume your province works like the one next door when it doesn’t. Several provinces divide recent wages by a set number, while others use an average day. Federal employers count ten holidays.
| Where | Paid holidays | Pay for the day off | If you work it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | 9 | Wages of the last 4 weeks, plus vacation pay, divided by 20 | 1.5 times your rate for hours worked, plus holiday pay |
| British Columbia | 11 | Average day’s pay over the last 30 days | 1.5 times for 12 hours, 2 times after that, plus average day’s pay |
| Alberta | 9 | Average daily wage over the last 4 weeks | 1.5 times for hours worked, plus average daily wage |
| Saskatchewan | 10 | 5% of wages in the last 4 weeks | 1.5 times for hours worked, plus holiday pay |
| Manitoba | 9 | One regular day’s pay, or 5% of 4 weeks of wages if hours vary | 1.5 times for hours worked, plus holiday pay |
| New Brunswick | 8 | A regular day’s pay | 1.5 times for hours worked, plus a regular day’s pay |
| Nova Scotia | 6 | A regular day’s pay | 1.5 times for hours worked, plus a regular day’s pay |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 6 | Average day’s pay over the last 3 weeks | 2 times your rate, or a day off with pay |
| Federal employers | 10 | At least 1/20 of wages in the last 4 weeks | 1.5 times for time worked, plus holiday pay |
What if I stay home, and what if I work?
Start with the day off. An Ontario worker earned $4,000 over the four weeks before the holiday, with no vacation pay in that stretch. Divide by 20 and the holiday pay is $200. If $160 of vacation pay was payable in those weeks, the total becomes $4,160 and the pay is $208.
Now the day worked. Eight hours at $25 an hour earns 8 times $37.50, which is $300 extra. Add the $200 and that’s $500 for the day. Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia all land on the same $500 with these inputs. Newfoundland and Labrador pays two times the rate, so there the same day is worth $600.
Do I always get paid for the holiday?
Not automatically, and this is where people get caught out. Most provinces want you to work your last shift before the holiday and your first shift after it, unless you have a good reason to be away. Some add a waiting period too, such as 30 days of employment in Newfoundland and Labrador. The note under the result shows the rule for your province.
A few limits on the estimate:
- Overtime is left out of the wage base in most places, so enter regular wages only.
- Some employers give a substitute paid day off instead of premium pay, if the law and your agreement allow it.
- Commission staff and people with irregular hours can fall under different formulas.
- Quebec, Prince Edward Island and the territories rest on less certain data here, so check them locally.
Curious what the holiday cheque leaves after deductions? The take-home pay calculator shows it. A long shift on the holiday can also tip into overtime, and the overtime pay calculator covers that. Yearly time off is a separate entitlement, worked out on the vacation pay calculator, and the minimum wage calculator shows the pay floor.
Where the numbers come from
Holiday counts, formulas and eligibility rules come from provincial employment standards pages and the federal labour code, as of 29 September 2026. Laws change, some sectors have special rules of their own, and we can’t promise you’ll never hit a case the formula doesn’t cover. This website isn’t connected to any government body.
Frequently asked questions
How is stat holiday pay calculated?
It depends on the province. Ontario adds four weeks of wages and vacation pay, then divides by 20. Other provinces use an average day or a regular day's pay.
How many paid public holidays are there?
Ontario and Alberta have 9, British Columbia has 11, Saskatchewan and federal employers have 10, and Nova Scotia has 6.
What do I earn if I work on the holiday?
Most provinces pay 1.5 times your rate for hours worked, on top of the holiday pay itself. Newfoundland and Labrador pays two times.
Do I lose holiday pay if I miss a shift?
You can. Most places want you to work the shifts before and after the holiday unless you have a reasonable excuse.
Should overtime go into the four-week wages?
Usually not. Most provinces leave overtime out of the formula, so enter regular wages only.
Sources and updates
Updated: . How we check rates · Editorial team · Updates
Estimate only. These figures are a planning estimate, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Tax-Services.ca is an independent publisher: we don't prepare or file tax returns, and we don't offer tax, legal or accounting services. We have no connection with the Canada Revenue Agency, Revenu Québec or any provincial government. Your real amounts depend on details this tool cannot see, so confirm them with an official source or a qualified professional before you act.