In 2026, there are 261 weekdays (Monday to Friday) in Canada. After you subtract the federal statutory holidays — which all full-time employees are entitled to — you get 252 working days federally. Provincial holidays reduce that further to 249–251 depending on where you live.
2026 Working Days at a Glance
| Calculation | Days |
|---|---|
| Total calendar days in 2026 | 365 |
| Weekend days (Sat + Sun) | 104 |
| Total weekdays (Mon–Fri) | 261 |
| Federal statutory holidays (Mon–Fri) | 9 |
| Working days (federal) | 252 |
| Working days (Ontario, with provincial holidays) | 251 |
| Working days (BC, with provincial holidays) | 250 |
| Working days (Quebec, with provincial holidays) | 249 |
Federal Statutory Holidays in 2026
| Holiday | 2026 Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | January 1 | Thursday |
| Good Friday | April 3 | Friday |
| Victoria Day | May 18 | Monday |
| Canada Day | July 1 | Wednesday |
| Labour Day | September 7 | Monday |
| National Day for Truth and Reconciliation | September 30 | Wednesday |
| Thanksgiving | October 12 | Monday |
| Remembrance Day | November 11 | Wednesday |
| Christmas Day | December 25 | Friday |
Easter Monday is observed by some federal employers but is not a universal federal statutory holiday.
Working Days by Month (2026)
| Month | Weekdays | Federal Holidays | Working Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22 | 1 (New Year’s) | 21 |
| February | 20 | 0 | 20 |
| March | 22 | 0 | 22 |
| April | 22 | 1 (Good Friday) | 21 |
| May | 21 | 1 (Victoria Day) | 20 |
| June | 22 | 0 | 22 |
| July | 23 | 1 (Canada Day) | 22 |
| August | 21 | 0 | 21 |
| September | 22 | 2 (Labour Day, T&R Day) | 20 |
| October | 22 | 1 (Thanksgiving) | 21 |
| November | 21 | 1 (Remembrance Day) | 20 |
| December | 23 | 1 (Christmas) | 22 |
| Total | 261 | 9 | 252 |
Provincial Holidays That Reduce Working Days Further
| Province | Additional Holidays | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | 1 | Family Day (Feb 16) |
| BC | 2 | BC Day (Aug 3), Family Day (Feb 16) |
| Alberta | 2 | Family Day (Feb 16), Heritage Day (Aug 3) |
| Quebec | 3 | National Patriots’ Day, St. Jean Baptiste (Jun 24), Discovery Day |
| Manitoba | 2 | Louis Riel Day (Feb 16), Terry Fox Day (Aug 3) |
Why This Number Matters
Knowing your working days is useful for:
- Calculating your effective daily rate if you are paid annually ($80,000 ÷ 252 = $317/working day)
- Planning project timelines and deliverables
- Calculating vacation accrual (most salaried employees in Canada earn 2–3 weeks of vacation)
- Payroll calculations for hourly employees
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Boxing Day count as a working day in Canada?
Boxing Day (December 26) is a statutory holiday in Ontario, Alberta, and some other provinces — but not a federal statutory holiday. Federal employees work on Boxing Day unless their province or employer grants it.
How many working hours are in a year in Canada?
For a standard 8-hour workday: 252 working days × 8 hours = 2,016 hours per year federally. Most full-time salaried positions count 37.5–40 hours per week.
Do part-time workers get statutory holidays in Canada?
Yes, if they qualify under employment standards. In most provinces, you must have worked for the employer for at least 30 days and have worked on days around the holiday.
