Victoria Day in Canada
When Is Victoria Day 2019? May 20, 2019
Victoria Day, also known as May
Two-Four, May Long, and May Long Weekend, is a Canadian holiday on the Monday
preceding May 25.
Is Victoria Day a Public Holiday?
Victoria Day is a public holiday
in 10 provinces and territories, where it is a day off for the general
population, and schools and most businesses are closed. Victoria Day is
celebrated nationally in Canada.
What Do People Do?
In some cities, fireworks
displays or parades are held to mark Victoria Day. One of the most notable
parades is held in the city of Victoria, British Columbia, which was named
after Queen Victoria. Many people gather in parks to enjoy fireworks displays,
which are particularly impressive in Hamilton and Toronto. For many people, the
long Victoria Day weekend marks the end of the winter and the unofficial start
of the spring or summer season. After
this weekend, gardeners can be reasonably sure that there will be no more frost
until the autumn so they can sow or plant out delicate crops and plants. For
the same reason, people with recreational homes in colder parts of the country
often go to them to open them up for the summer. In addition, many amusement
parks and outdoor attractions open for their summer season this weekend.
Notably, stores on Prince Edward Island are permitted to open on Sunday only
between Victoria Day and Christmas Day.
Public Life
Victoria Day is marked as a
public holiday at a national level. Many people have a day off work and schools
are closed. However, it is not one of the general paid holidays listed in the
Nova Scotia Labour Standards Code and it is not a designated retail closing day
in Nova Scotia. An employer may agree to provide employees with Victoria Day as
a paid holiday in Nova Scotia. It is not listed in the Quebec government's list
of statutory general holidays either, although National Patriots’ Day is
celebrated in the province. Nor is Victoria Day listed as a paid public holiday
in New Brunswick, but it is listed as a prescribed day of rest. It is not
listed as a paid public holiday in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Newfoundland
and Labrador Lieutenant Governor-in-Council can however, proclaim an additional
holiday. Moreover, different holidays can be set by collective agreements to
substitute the public holidays designated under the province's law. Post
offices across Canada are closed, while stores may be closed in many Canadian
provinces and territories. Public transport services may run on a normal or
reduced timetable.
Background
Queen Victoria was born on May
24, 1819. Following the death of 3 uncles and her father, she became Queen of
the United Kingdom on June 20, 1837 and reigned until her death on January 22,
1901. During Victoria's life, the British Empire expanded considerably.
However, her powers as Queen of the United Kingdom were reduced as the House of
Commons became more important and powerful in British politics. The monarch's
birthday has been celebrated in Canada since before the beginning of Queen
Victoria's reign. After her death, in 1901, May 25 became known as Empire Day.
The sovereign's official birthday was still celebrated, often on the King's or
Queen's actual birthday. In 1952, Empire Day was moved to the Monday before May
25 and since 1953, the official birthday of Queen Elizabeth II has been
celebrated on this date in Canada. In 1958, Empire Day became known as
Commonwealth Day, which was moved to the second Monday in March. The Monday
before May 25 then became known as Victoria Day, which is a Canadian statutory
holiday.
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