Statutory Holidays in British Columbia in 2026: An Employer’s Guide

Every business owner should understand how to manage statutory holiday entitlement and pay for their employees. You could incur penalties or fines for not paying your staff the correct statutory holiday pay. It is important that you have a stat holiday policy to correctly manage public holiday pay.

This blog provides employers with an overview of British Columbia's statutory holidays in 2026 and goes over how to properly calculate statutory holiday pay.

British Columbia’s Employment Standards Act (ESA) outlines the statutory holidays in BC for employees. Employers are obligated to provide employees with time off and pay for the following BC statutory holidays in 2026:

2026 Statutory Holidays in British Columbia

How is statutory pay calculated in British Columbia?

Statutory pay equals an average day’s pay. BC employees are entitled to statutory holiday pay if they work or take the day off.

Statutory holiday pay = Total wages ÷ number of days worked in the pay period leading up to the statutory holiday

Employers should base their calculations on the last 30 days worked prior to the statutory holiday – including vacation days.

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation now officially a statutory holiday in BC

The new stat holiday became official after the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Act, 2023, received royal assent in BC’s legislature on March 9th, 2023.  Employers in BC are required to provide eligible employees under the Employment Standards Act, a day off with pay on September 30.

Do all employees qualify for statutory holiday pay?

Employees in British Columbia are eligible for general holidays off as well as holiday pay, if:

• They have been employed for 30 calendar days
• Have worked 15 of the 30 days prior to the statutory holiday

Substituting another day for a statutory holiday

Employers and employees can agree in writing to substitute another day for a statutory day. The agreed upon substitution day must be treated the same as a regular statutory holiday.

How to manage stat holiday entitlements in BC

Employers should understand how to correctly calculate statutory holiday pay to avoid incurring administrative penalties. You should have a comprehensive policy on statutory holiday pay and include it in your employee handbook.

Does your employee handbook include a policy for statutory holiday time off?

As a small business owner, it is important that you know how to manage stat holiday pay and entitlements correctly. If you are unsure about your responsibilities when it comes to calculating statutory holiday pay, Peninsula can help. Consult our HR experts, call us today at 1 (833) 247-3652 to get advice on developing a stat holiday pay and entitlement policy tailored to your business.