CURRENTLY SEPTEMBER 30TH IS NOT A PROVINCIAL HOLIDAY AND THEREFORE OPTIONAL TO NON FEDERALLY REGULATED COMPANIES UNTIL PROVINCE SAYS OTHERWISE.
BILL C-5, AN ACT TO AMEND THE BILLS OF EXCHANGE ACT, THE INTERPRETATION ACT, AND THE CANADA LABOUR CODE (NATIONAL DAY FOR TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION)
Originally proposed in 2015, Bill C-5, An Act to amend the Bills of Exchange Act, the Interpretation Act and the Canada Labour Code (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation), received Royal Assent on June 3, 2021, creating a new public holiday under the Canada Labour Code (the “Code”). This Bill will officially come into force on August 3, 2021, which means that this will be the first year that this new holiday will be in effect.
The new statutory holiday on September 30th applies to all federally regulated public and private sectors, including employers that are subject to the Code. Sectors that are federally regulated include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Air transportation, including airlines, airports, aerodromes, and aircraft operations;
- Banks, including authorized foreign banks;
- Most federal crown corporations, such as Canada Post Corporation;
- Radio and television broadcasting;
- and Telecommunications, such as telephone, Internet, telegraph and cable systems.
This new holiday applies to federally regulated employers which are subject to the Code exclusively. This means that the holiday does not apply to provincially regulated employers at this time. However, the provincial legislatures may follow suit.