Canada Stat Holiday Pay Calculator
Estimate statutory or public holiday pay using the formula for your province or federally regulated workplace. The calculator switches formulas automatically instead of applying one Ontario rule to all of Canada.
Reviewed for 2026 by
Ruby Miller
· HR & Employment Law Content Lead
How the Canada stat holiday pay calculator works
Holiday pay in Canada is governed mainly by provincial or territorial employment standards, unless your workplace is federally regulated. That means a single “divide by 20” calculator can be wrong outside the jurisdiction it was designed for. This calculator changes the reference period and formula when you change the province.
2026 statutory holiday pay formulas by jurisdiction
| Jurisdiction | Base formula modelled | Reference period | Important note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | (Regular wages + qualifying vacation pay) ÷ 20 | Four work weeks before the work week containing the holiday | Overtime and several other payments are excluded from “regular wages.” |
| British Columbia | Total eligible wages ÷ days worked/earned wages | 30 calendar days before the statutory holiday | Eligibility generally requires 30 days of employment and work/earnings on at least 15 of the prior 30 days, subject to exceptions. |
| Alberta | Wages earned ÷ days worked | Selected four-week average-daily-wage period | Alberta allows specified four-week reference-period options. |
| Saskatchewan | 5% of eligible wages | 28 days before the public holiday | Overtime is excluded from the public-holiday-pay calculation. |
| Manitoba | Regular workday pay, or 5% of gross wages for variable schedules | Four weeks before the holiday for variable schedules | The calculator lets you switch between consistent and variable schedules. |
| Quebec | 1/20 of wages; qualifying commission workers use 1/60 | Four complete weeks, or 12 weeks for the commission formula | Overtime is excluded. |
| Prince Edward Island | 5% of regular wages | Four weeks before the paid holiday | Overtime is excluded; qualifying rules still apply. |
| Federal | 1/20 of wages; qualifying commission workers use 1/60 | Four weeks, or 12 weeks for qualifying commission employees | Only for workplaces regulated under the Canada Labour Code. |
Province-by-province formula notes
Ontario
Ontario public holiday pay is generally the employee’s regular wages earned in the four work weeks before the work week with the public holiday, plus vacation pay payable with respect to those four work weeks, divided by 20.
Ontario public holiday guidance ↗British Columbia
BC calculates an average day’s pay by dividing eligible wages in the 30 calendar days before the statutory holiday by the number of days worked or days on which wages were earned in that period.
BC statutory holiday pay guidance ↗Alberta
Alberta’s base general holiday amount is an average daily wage. The employer may use one of the permitted four-week reference periods, then divide eligible wages by days worked in that period.
Alberta general holiday guidance ↗Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan public holiday pay is generally 5% of wages earned in the 28 days before the public holiday, with overtime excluded from the holiday-pay calculation.
Saskatchewan holiday pay guidance ↗Manitoba
Employees who consistently work the same hours generally receive one regular workday’s pay. For employees whose hours or wages vary, general holiday pay is generally 5% of gross wages, excluding overtime, in the four weeks immediately before the holiday.
Manitoba employment standards ↗Quebec
For most workers, the statutory holiday indemnity is 1/20 of wages earned during the four complete weeks of pay before the week of the holiday. Commission-paid workers can use a 1/60 formula over 12 complete weeks.
CNESST holiday indemnity guidance ↗Prince Edward Island
PEI holiday pay is generally 5% of regular wages earned in the four weeks before the holiday, excluding overtime. The province also applies qualifying rules around scheduled shifts.
PEI paid holidays guidance ↗Federally regulated workplaces
For most federally regulated employees, general holiday pay is at least 1/20 of wages excluding overtime earned in the four-week period immediately before the week of the holiday. Commission employees with at least 12 weeks of continuous employment can use a 1/60 formula over 12 weeks.
Federal general holiday guidance ↗Worked examples
Common statutory holiday pay mistakes
- × Using Ontario’s ÷20 formula everywhere. BC and Alberta use average-day methods, while Saskatchewan and PEI use percentage formulas.
- × Including overtime when the rule excludes it. Several jurisdictions explicitly exclude overtime from the base holiday-pay calculation.
- × Confusing holiday pay with premium pay for working the holiday. The base holiday entitlement and the extra amount for hours worked are separate calculations in many provinces.
- × Ignoring eligibility rules. Service length, scheduled shifts before and after the holiday, and sector-specific exemptions can affect entitlement even when the formula itself is simple.
Frequently asked questions
Is statutory holiday pay calculated the same way across Canada?
No. Employment standards differ by province and jurisdiction. Ontario uses a four-work-week ÷20 formula, BC uses an average day’s pay based on the prior 30 days, and several provinces use a 5% calculation.
Does this calculator include pay for working on the holiday?
No. The main result estimates the base statutory holiday-pay amount. If you work on the holiday, premium rates or a substitute paid day may apply depending on the jurisdiction and workplace.
Do I include overtime in holiday pay?
Usually not in the formulas modelled here. Ontario excludes overtime from regular wages for this purpose; BC excludes overtime from the 30-day wage amount; Saskatchewan, Manitoba variable-schedule calculations, Quebec and the federal formula also exclude overtime.
What if my employer’s policy is more generous?
Employment standards usually set minimum entitlements. A contract, workplace policy or collective agreement may provide a greater benefit, subject to the rules that apply to your workplace.
Which employees should choose “Federal”?
Choose Federal only if your workplace is regulated under the Canada Labour Code, such as many interprovincial transportation, banking, telecommunications and federal Crown corporation workplaces. Most employees are covered by provincial employment standards instead.
Sources and methodology
We model the base holiday-pay formulas from primary government employment-standards sources and keep province-specific reference periods separate. The calculator does not infer legal eligibility from a pay amount alone.
- Ontario.ca — Public holidays
- Province of British Columbia — Calculate statutory holiday pay
- Alberta.ca — General holidays
- Government of Saskatchewan — Paying employees for public holidays
- Manitoba Employment Standards — Quick guide
- CNESST — Calculating statutory holiday indemnity
- Prince Edward Island — Paid holidays
- Canada.ca — Federal general holidays
Reviewed by Ruby Miller
Ruby Miller reviews LeaveCalculators.com employment-law and leave-calculation content for clarity, source quality and practical accuracy.
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