Yesterday, Prime Minister Trudeau announced that Monday, September 19th, 2022, would be a new federal holiday in honour of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.
The passing of Queen Elizabeth II is truly the end of an era. While we all may have different feelings about the Monarchy in general, I personally choose to focus on the fact that Queen Elizabeth II was among the world’s first female “executives”. This perspective was provided by a BlackBerry colleague, Barb Bidan, and I couldn’t agree with her more. She personified “dutiful” and provided relevant leadership through seven (7) decades. Her messages in dark and ambiguous times provided not only direction but hope. She was a working mother and truly dedicated her life to serving others. As a leader, she provided a source of inspiration.
In honour of the Queen, Canada has a new federal holiday, the National Day of Mourning on Monday, September 19th, 2022. But what does that mean for your business? For your staff? For your operations?
What does this new federal holiday mean to the average business owner?
Employers that are federally regulated (like banks and government offices), or employers with a unionized workforce that has provisions in the collective agreement that recognize new federal holidays, may get the day off.
At the time of writing, Canada’s banks will be open.
What if your business is Provincially Regulated?
Here is a look by Province:
| British Columbia | K-12 public schools, public post-secondary institutions, and most Crown corporations will be closed. This Provincial government has advised private employers to find a way to recognize or reflect on the day in a way that is appropriate for their employees. |
| Saskatchewan | September 19 is being proclaimed as “a day in tribute and commemoration of Queen Elizabeth II”. It has not been designated as a provincial public statutory holiday. |
| Manitoba | All non-essential government services and offices will be closed for that day. However, schools will remain open, and classes will be in session. Child-care facilities will also be open. The healthcare system will continue to operate as usual. |
| Ontario | Ontario has declared the day as a “Day of Mourning” with a moment of silence at 1:00 pm. This means that you must attend work unless your employer provides you with the day off. |
| Quebec | Quebec will hold a commemoration day, but there will not be a holiday. |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Declared a day to honour the memory of Queen Elizabeth II. Provincial government offices, schools and other entities will be closed. |
| New Brunswick | Government offices and schools will be closed as part of the National Day of Mourning. |
| Nova Scotia | Provincial government offices, public schools and regulated child-care will be closed on Monday. Health care services, appointments and procedures will remain operational across the province. |
| Prince Edward Island | Sept 19 will be a one-time statutory holiday. Provincial government offices, schools in the Public Schools Branch and la Commission scolaire de langue française will be closed. |
| Northwest Territories | At the time of writing, have not yet confirmed whether Monday, September 19, will be considered a holiday. |
| Nunavut | At the time of writing, have not yet confirmed whether Monday, September 19, will be considered a holiday. |
| Yukon | At the time of writing, have not yet confirmed whether Monday, September 19, will be considered a holiday. |
Have questions about how this applies to or will impact your business?
We are keeping our eye on it so you don’t have to.
Contact us today and we’ll help you out.
Carrie Thomas has worked in various market segments including the tech space. She has provided solutions for small start-ups, and created programs for large financial institutions. as an avid surfer, Carrie knows the value of expecting the unexpected.