2025 Statutory Holidays in Québec: The Complete List
Publié le 27 November 2024
Plan your next break from work with the complete list of 2025 statutory holidays in Québec.
A new year means new holidays. The 2025 statutory holidays in Québec are paid days off throughout the year as mandated by provincial law. These days are opportunities for Quebec workers to spend time with loved ones, families and friends and take a break from work.
While these holidays can be very fun, they also serve an important role. They help people avoid work-related burnout, exhaustion and stress, which greatly helps when trying to maintain overall positive wellbeing.
The opportunity to get away from work — even for short periods of time — can help employees feel rested and recharged. Upon their return to work, they can feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally, and be prepared to perform at their best.
Throughout the seasons, each public holiday brings its own set of festivities, traditions and gatherings that resonate with the province’s collective identity. From Quebec’s public holidays to the celebration of Christmas, each public holiday plays an essential role in the province’s social tapestry.
People across the province are now looking at the year ahead, and at all the possibilities for new and exciting adventures. Now is the time to grab your calendar and plan your next vacation with the 2025 statutory holidays in Québec.
Please always check with your employer to confirm the exact status of these holidays within your organization.
Here is the complete list of public holidays in Quebec in 2025:
- New Year’s Day – January 1
- Good Friday – April 18 and/or Easter Monday – April 21, at the employer’s discretion
- National Patriots’ Day – 19 May
- Fête nationale du Québec – 24 June (to be checked with your employer)
- Canada Day – 1 July (check with your employer)
- Labour Day – September 1
- Thanksgiving – October 13
- Christmas Day – 25 December
What Is A Statutory Holiday?
Statutory holidays are public holidays created through legislation passed by Federal, Territorial or Provincial governments. On these specific stat holidays, many employees are legally entitled to a paid off from their place of work. Those employees who will still work on stat holidays may also be entitled to increased financial compensation. The Federal government creates stat holidays that apply for Federal employees throughout the country, while Provincial and Territorial governments can create additional holidays for workers in their specific provinces. More than 4.8 million workers residing and working in Québec are entitled to these statutory holidays throughout the year.
The Québec National Holiday
June 24 marks the Fête Nationale du Québec, which is commonly known as Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day. Based on the traditional feast day of Saint Jean The Baptist, it has been Quebec’s official national holiday since the mid-1970s. Taking place a week before Canada Day, the Fête Nationale du Québec is extremely popular in the province and is celebrated with parades, fireworks and parties. While not everyone will have this day off from work, many employees who do work on the Fête Nationale du Québec will be entitled to increased holiday pay. Please be sure to confirm with your employer.
Why Is July 1st Moving Day?
Those living outside of Québec are often surprised to learn that July 1st is also referred to as “Moving Day.” Traditionally, this is the day on which rental lease agreements often expire, a practice that evolved from earlier legal mandates that covered fixed lease terms. While not an official statutory holiday, the practice has become so commonplace that more than 250,000 people Québec residents move on this day in one year, including over 70,000 people in the city of Montreal alone. If you plan to move on July 1st, be sure to secure your moving truck rental months in advance in order to avoid a headache.
What Are The “Construction Holidays?”
The 2025 Construction Holidays in the summer will occur from July 20th to August 2nd. These are not official 2025 statutory holidays in Québec, but the Construction Holidays play large part in summer vacation plans for provincial workers.
In the early 1970s, the government of Québec entered into an agreement with representatives of the provincial construction industry to create two periods of two-week holidays at the end of July and December. Over the past half century years, the summer period has grown into an unofficial holiday for workers from outside the construction industry as well. During this two-week period, it is estimated that over 150,000 people — a quarter of Québec’s population — will be on vacation.
As mentioned, the Construction Holidays are not official statutory holidays. As a result, there is no legal mandate for employers from outside of the construction industry to provide paid time off for their employees. Workers who want to take a vacation during this time will have to negotiate with their employers based on the exact arrangements and use of PTO from their benefit plans.
Is Boxing Day A Holiday in Québec?
Boxing Day occurs on December 26th, the day after Christmas. Boxing Day is not a statutory holiday in Québec, although it is a stat holiday in neighbouring Ontario. This can cause some confusion for workers, especially if they travel between provinces. It is a holiday for Federal employees across the country, meaning so those who work for the Federal Government while based in Québec will have the day off as well.
What If You Work On A Public Holiday?
In many fields and in some companies, you will be required to work on a public holiday. If you do, you are entitled to compensatory leave or additional pay. The choice is up to your employer. In exchange for working on a 2025 statutory holiday, employees must be paid “time and a half.”
On statutory holidays, employees are entitled to their regular pay plus an additional 50% by law. For example, an employee who earns the Quebec minimum wage of $15.75 an hour on a regular day will earn $24.42 ($15.75+$7.87) per hour for working on a statutory holiday. Another option allowed under the law is for employees to agree to additional paid time off on regular working days in exchange for working on a stat holiday.
If you are granted leave in lieu of additional pay, it must be taken within 3 weeks before or after the public holiday worked. If you are on holiday on a public holiday or do not work on that day, your employer has the option of offering you compensatory leave (a day of recuperation) or financial compensation.
What If The Public Holiday Falls On A Non-Working Day?
In accordance with Federal labour standards, if the public holiday falls on a non-working day, i.e. a Saturday or Sunday, you are entitled to paid leave on the working day that follows or precedes the public holiday. This applies to New Year’s Day, Canada Day, the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, Remembrance Day, and Christmas Day. If the public holiday is not on this list, you can still benefit from a paid public holiday added to your annual leave, but you will need to discuss this with your employer.
A break from work is more than just a nice perk. Rather, it can be a necessity for the health and wellness of employees and employers alike. The 2025 statutory holidays in Québec provide workers with the opportunity to rest, relax and spend time with loved ones. They are much more likely to return to the workplace feeling better and prepared to perform at their best. Add these 2025 stat holidays to your calendar for the new year and start planning your vacation.
PLEASE NOTE
Please note that it is necessary to discuss public holidays and your leave with your employer. In some fields or companies, you are still required to report to work on public holidays. If you are an employer, we suggest that you set up a calendar so that employees are kept up to date about the public holidays on which they must or must not report to work.
