Fall is finally in the air in Ottawa, and that means Thanksgiving weekend is almost here. Whether you're planning a quiet long weekend at home or hosting a full-on turkey feast, it's good to know what's open on Thanksgiving — and what's not.
While most people celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving on the Sunday, it's actually not a holiday — so stores, malls and services will mostly operate as usual, though some spots may close early. It's Monday that you need to watch out for.
Thanksgiving Day 2025 falls on Monday, October 13, and it's both a statutory holiday in Ontario and a federal one across Canada. That means most major businesses and government services in Ottawa will be closed on Monday. But if you find yourself in need of last-minute cranberry sauce or forget the whipped cream for your pumpkin pie, you've still got options.
While many major stores will shut their doors on Thanksgiving Monday, there are a few select locations that will stay open in (and near) Ottawa. We've rounded up all the grocery stores open on Thanksgiving — which includes a few Loblaws, Metro, Farm Boy, Walmart and even Costco locations in the National Capital Region — plus info on liquor stores, malls, city services, events and attractions, so you can plan your holiday weekend without the guesswork.
Whether you're looking for a fun thing to do with your day off or just need to know where to buy gravy in a pinch, we've got you covered. Here's everything that's open and closed in Ottawa for Thanksgiving 2025.
Grocery stores
OPEN:
- Costco Gatineau — 1100 Boul. Maloney Ouest, Gatineau, QC, open 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Farm Boy Rideau — 50 Rideau St. (inside the Rideau Centre), open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Loblaws Isabella — 64 Isabella St., open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Loblaws Rideau — 363 Rideau St., open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Metro Glebe — 754 Bank St., open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Metro Rideau — 255 Rideau St., open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- T&T Hunt Club — 224 Hunt Club Rd., open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- T&T Kanata — 300 Eagleson Rd., open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Walmart locations in Gatineau — all four Gatineau/Hull locations will be open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Whole Foods — 951 Bank St. (at Lansdowne Park), open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Aisle 24 — All locations of this cashierless grocery chain are open 24/7, all year round. You'll just need to download the app and create a profile in order to unlock the door.
We checked all the major chains in the city, but your local corner store or independent grocery store may also be open.
CLOSED:
- Costco and Walmart locations in Ottawa proper
- All other Farm Boy, Loblaws and Metro locations not listed above
- Foodland
- FreshCo
- No Frills
- Produce Depot
- Real Canadian Superstore
- Sobeys
- Your Independent Grocer
Liquor stores
OPEN:
While no major liquor stores in Ottawa will be open on Thanksgiving, you can purchase beer, cider, wine and other ready-to-drink beverages at most of the open grocery stores listed above.
However, for those in search of something a bit stronger, the following SAQ locations in Gatineau will also be open:
- SAQ Express La Porte de Gatineau — 425 boul. Saint-Joseph, open 12 (noon) to 10 p.m.
- SAQ Express St-Joseph/St-Raymond — 25 ch. de la Savane, open 12 (noon) to 10 p.m.
CLOSED:
- LCBO
- The Beer Store
- All other SAQ locations in Gatineau
Shopping malls
OPEN:
- Rideau Centre — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Tanger Outlets — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Retail stores in the ByWard Market and the Glebe are also permitted to be open on Monday, although individual hours may vary.
CLOSED:
- Bayshore Shopping Centre
- Billings Bridge Shopping Centre
- Carlingwood Shopping Centre
- Place D'Orleans
- St. Laurent Centre
OC Transpo
- Buses and trains will run on a Sunday schedule. That means O-Train Line 1 will run from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Line 2 from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
- Rural Shopper Route 301 will not run.
- Regular or recurring ParaTranspo trips on Monday will be automatically cancelled, but customers can use the My Para Transpo app or reservation phone line (between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.) to book a trip.
- The Rideau Centre customer service centre will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the St. Laurent lost and found will be closed.
Services
City of Ottawa services:
- 3-1-1 will be open for urgent matters only.
- Curbside trash collection is cancelled on Thanksgiving Day. Monday's pickup will be pushed to Tuesday, and collection will be delayed for everyone by one day for the rest of next week.
- Most other City services — including ServiceOttawa offices and phone lines, Provincial Offences counters, public health clinics, Employment and Social Services offices, municipal child care centres, public libraries and City-run archives, galleries and museums — will be closed on Monday.
- A few City gyms, arenas and pools will be open on a modified schedule. You can check the hours for your local facility here.
Schools: All four of Ottawa's school boards observe Thanksgiving and will be closed on Monday. OCSB schools also have a P.D. day this Friday, making it a four-day weekend for English Catholic school students.
Canada Post: Given the ongoing strike, Canada Post services and post offices haven't been operating for some time. However, even if the strike were to end before Monday, there would be no mail collection or delivery on Thanksgiving as Canada Post is closed on all national holidays.
Banks: All banks will be closed.
Service Canada: All offices will be closed on Monday.
ServiceOntario: All locations will be closed. However, some ServiceOntario services have moved online, so you can still renew your driver's licence, health card and more.
Things to do
OPEN:
- Restaurants — businesses serving prepared meals are exempt from Ontario's Retail Business Holidays Act, so restaurants are allowed to stay open on Thanksgiving (and many do). Hours may vary, so it's always best to check the website or phone ahead.
- Cinemas — Cineplex, Landmark Cinemas, Ciné-Starz, the Mayfair Theatre and the Bytowne Cinema will all be open.
- Canada Agriculture and Food Museum — open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Canada Aviation and Space Museum — open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Canada Science and Technology Museum — open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Canadian Museum of History — open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Canadian Museum of Nature — open 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Canadian War Museum — open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- National Gallery of Canada — open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- City of Ottawa facilities — a few City gyms, arenas and pools will be open on a modified schedule. You can check the hours for your local facility here.
- City-run art centres and museums
- Bytown Museum
- Diefenbunker
- Ottawa Art Gallery
Have a tip about a store or event that's open on holidays in Ottawa? We want to hear about it! Send an email to avery.friedlander@narcity.com.
Doublespace Photography for National Capital Commission
The monument is made up of six concrete and mesh triangles that form a Star of David when viewed from above.Doublespace Photography for National Capital Commission
Photo-transfer murals are embedded in the monument's concrete walls.Doublespace Photography for National Capital Commission
The Peace Tower is visible atop a staircase inside the monument.Doublespace Photography for National Capital Commission
