What is Canada Day?
Canada Day celebrates the anniversary of Confederation on 1 July 1867, when the British North America Act, now called the Constitution Act, 1867, joined the Province of Canada, which was split into Ontario and Quebec, with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to form a federal Dominion within the British Empire. It is Canada's national day and one of the most widely celebrated days of the year. The date is a milestone in the history of the country, though other provinces and territories joined later: Prince Edward Island in 1873, British Columbia in 1871, and Newfoundland and Labrador only in 1949.
Celebrations include fireworks, concerts, parades, citizenship ceremonies and community festivals. The largest gathering takes place on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, which hosts a free daytime show and an evening concert with fireworks, attended by the Governor General and the Prime Minister. Many Canadians wear red and white, fly the flag and spend the day at barbecues, beaches and cottages. The day also coincides with the start of the summer holiday season. In recent years many communities have also used the day to reflect on the history of Indigenous peoples and reconciliation.
Why it is observed
The Constitution Act came into force on 1 July 1867, and the day was called Dominion Day from 1879, when it became a statutory holiday. Other provinces joined Confederation in the following decades. In 1982, with the patriation of the Canadian constitution, a federal law renamed it Canada Day, which took effect on 27 October 1982. The date is also Newfoundland and Labrador's Memorial Day, in remembrance of the losses of the Newfoundland Regiment at the Somme on 1 July 1916, and in Quebec it is known as Moving Day, because many rental leases traditionally end on 30 June.
How the date is set
Canada Day is fixed on 1 July. When it falls on a Sunday, the holiday is observed on the Monday, 2 July.
How it is observed
Canada Day is a statutory holiday across Canada. Banks, government offices, schools, most shops and many restaurants are closed or have shorter hours, and public transport runs on a holiday schedule. Large events, concerts and fireworks in city centres lead to road closures and crowded transport. In Quebec, many people move house on 1 July, which busies roads and moving companies. Pay and time off depend on the province, the employer and the contract. Check provincial rules. Visitors should expect busy streets in Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver. Many outdoor events are weather dependent.
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