Updated on March 29, 2024
Explore BC Statutory Holidays for this and the upcoming year on this page. Discover how to calculate your BC Stat Holiday pay and additional compensation for working on BC Stat Holidays in 2024-2025.
BC Stat Holidays 2024 -2025
In British Columbia, Canada, employees are entitled to 11 statutory holidays, which are paid days off. Employers have a legal obligation under British Columbia’s Employment Standards Act to provide eligible employees with time off and holiday pay. It’s important to note that Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, and Boxing Day are not included in BC Stat Holidays.
A new addition to the statutory holidays is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, established by the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Act, 2024. This change was approved in B.C.’s legislature on March 9th, 2024. As a result, starting this year, employees will now have 11 statutory holidays instead of the previous 10.
BC Statutory Holidays List 2024
| B.C. Statutory Holidays | Date/Day |
| New Year’s Day | Jan. 1, Sunday |
| Family Day | Feb. 20, Monday |
| Good Friday | April 7, Friday |
| Victoria Day | May 22, Monday |
| Canada Day | July 1, Saturday |
| B.C. Day | Aug. 7, Monday |
| Labour Day | Sep. 4, Monday |
| National Day for Truth and Reconciliation | Sep. 30, Saturday |
| Thanksgiving Day | Oct. 9, Monday |
| Remembrance Day | Nov. 1, Saturday |
| Christmas Day | Dec. 25, Monday |
BC Statutory Holidays List 2025
| B.C. Statutory Holidays | Date/Day |
| New Year’s Day | Jan. 1, Monday |
| Family Day | Feb. 19, Monday |
| Good Friday | Mar. 29, Friday |
| Victoria Day | May 20, Monday |
| Canada Day | July 1, Monday |
| B.C. Day | Aug. 5, Monday |
| Labour Day | Sep. 2, Monday |
| National Day for Truth and Reconciliation | Sep. 30, Monday |
| Thanksgiving Day | Oct. 14, Monday |
| Remembrance Day | Nov 11, Monday |
| Christmas Day | Dec. 25, Wednesday |
Work on a BC statutory holiday and get paid extra
If an employee chooses to work on a BC Statutory Holiday, they are entitled to BC Statutory Holiday Pay, which is time and a half for the hours worked during the holiday. If an employee works over 12 hours, they receive double time pay.
For those who prefer working on holidays and opt not to take a day off, there’s an opportunity to earn extra income. Importantly, employers do not have the right to compel workers to work on BC statutory holidays. The decision to work or not rests entirely with the employees.
Replacing another day for a Statutory Holiday
If both the employer and employees agree, a Statutory Holiday can be replaced with another day. This mutual agreement needs to be documented in writing. Once the substitution day is confirmed, it should be treated on par with the original B.C. Statutory Holiday.
How to Calculate BC Statutory Holiday Pay?
Curious about how BC Statutory Holiday Pay is calculated? Here’s a straightforward formula for employees to use:
Statutory Holiday Pay = Total wages ÷ number of days worked
However, keep in mind the following when making the calculation:
- The number of days worked is based on the days worked during the 30 calendar days preceding the statutory holiday.
- When calculating total wages, include all earnings except for overtime.
- Total wages encompass regular wages, earnings, statutory holiday pay, commissions, paid medical leave, and vacation days mandated by employment standards.
Who is Eligible for BC Stat Holiday pay?
To be eligible for BC Stat Holiday pay, there are key criteria outlined in the Employment Standards Act subsection 44 (a) & (b). The basic requirement is that an employee must have worked for at least 30 calendar days.
If an employee works on a statutory holiday but hasn’t reached the minimum of 30 calendar days of employment, they receive wages as on any other working day. However, if the statutory holiday falls on their day off and they haven’t worked for 30 days, they aren’t eligible for statutory holiday pay on that specific day.
If you qualify for B.C. Statutory holiday pay and your employer doesn’t provide it, you can reach out to Employment Standards and submit a complaint.
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