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The 11 Best Days to Take Off in Canada in 2026

Here’s how you can get the most out of your holiday time in Canada this year.

Portrait of Konstantin
By Konstantin Bikos

Published 1-Jan-2026

Lone man hiking through bright red and green tundra with a glacier, glacier lake and snow-capped mountain in the background and a blue sky above.
Create free time in 2026 to find the roads less traveled—like this hiker in Mount Robson Provincial Park, British Columbia.
©iStock.com/benedek

Create Two Weeklong Breaks for the Price of One

2026 is a great year for Canadians who want to create extra-long breaks by combining vacation days with public holidays.

Note that some of the combinations apply only to some provinces and territories—see our list of suggestions below.

But there are two golden opportunities for everyone: Both Canada Day on July 1 and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30 fall on a Wednesday in 2026.

In both cases, you can take off two days to create 5-day weekends—or take off four days and enjoy a 9-day break!

Print Canada calendar 2026 with holidays

The 11 Best Days to Take Off

  1. January 2: New Year’s Day falls on a Thursday. Take off the Friday after to create a 4-day weekend.
  2. February 13 or 17: Family Day falls on a Monday. Take off the Friday before or the Tuesday after to create a 4-day weekend—or both for a 5-day break.
    (Note: Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Ontario, and Saskatchewan only.)
  3. April 2 or 7: Good Friday and Easter Monday bracket the weekend. Take off the Thursday before or the Tuesday after to create a 5-day break—or both for a 6-day break.
    (Note: Good Friday is an Optional Holiday in Quebec; Easter Monday is a Statutory Holiday in New Brunswick, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut only—however, it may still be a de facto day off in other provinces and territories.)
  4. May 15 or 19: Victoria Day falls on a Monday. Take off the Friday before or the Tuesday after to create a 4-day weekend—or both for a 5-day break.
    (Note: Victoria Day is not a holiday in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec.)
  5. June 29–30 or July 2–3: Canada Day falls on a Wednesday. Take off the Monday and Tuesday before or the Thursday and Friday after to create a 5-day break. Or take off all four for a 9-day break.
  6. July 31 or August 4: Civic/Provincial Day falls on a Monday. Take off the Friday before or the Tuesday after to create a 4-day weekend—or both for a 5-day break.
    (Note: Northwest Territories and Nunavut only.)
  7. September 4 or 8: Labour Day falls on a Monday. Take off the Friday before or the Tuesday after to create a 4-day weekend—or both for a 5-day break.
  8. September 28–29 or October 1–2: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation falls on a Wednesday. Take off the Monday and Tuesday before or the Thursday and Friday after to create a 5-day break. Or take off all four for a 9-day break.
  9. October 9 or 13: Thanksgiving Day falls on a Monday. Take off the Friday before or the Tuesday after to create a 4-day weekend—or both for a 5-day break.
    (Note: Thanksgiving Day is not a holiday in Prince Edward Island.)
  10. November 9–10 or November 12–13: Remembrance Day falls on a Wednesday. Take off the Monday and Tuesday before or the Thursday and Friday after to create a 5-day break. Or take off all four for a 9-day break.
    (Note: Remembrance Day is not a holiday in Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec.)
  11. December 24 or 28: Christmas Day falls on a Friday. Take off the Thursday before or the Monday after to create a 4-day weekend—or both for a 5-day break.
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