Alberta recognizes the 9 statutory holidays as laid out by the Federal Government of Canada, also known as “General Holidays. These are holidays that are paid time off of work, or extra pay if you work.
This applies to most Canadian workers, but there are exceptions. The 9 stat holidays are New Years Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving Day, Remembrance Day, Christmas Day, and yes, Alberta Family Day.
Is Family Day a Statutory General Holiday in Alberta?
The answer is yes, Family Day is a stat holiday in Alberta.
It should be noted that technically speaking, Family Day is not a Federal stat holiday as named.
New Brunswick, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan and British Columbia recognize that day (3rd Monday of February) as Family Day. Other Provinces also have that day as a stat holiday, but they have different names.
When is Family Day in Alberta?
Family Day is the 3rd Monday of February. Employers must treat Family Day as a statutory holiday as outlined in the Alberta Employment Standards Code.
Basic rules
- An employee is entitled to general holiday pay if they have worked for the same employer for at least 30 workdays in the 12 months prior to the holiday.
- Most employees are entitled to general holidays and receive general holiday pay if one of the following applies to them:
- a general holiday is a regular day of work, or
- they have worked on a general holiday that is not a regular day of work
When Was the First Family Day in Canada?
Alberta was the first province in Canada to have a Family Day as an official stat holiday.
The very first Family Day in Canada was held in Alberta on February 19, 1990. It was introduced by Premier Don Getty. Other provinces followed suit shortly after.
