This 2023 Stat Holiday Trick Will Help Maximize Your Vacation Time In Ontario This Year

Say hello to more 5-day weekends!

RV on Ontario road. Right: Ontario swimming hole.

RV on Ontario road. Right: Ontario swimming hole.

Creator

Statutory holidays are going to be your new best friend if you want to maximize your time off work in 2023.

Ontario has nine statutory holidays in 2023, with six falling on a Monday or Friday. This means you could hack your way into a five-day weekend or a week-long vacation by using just two to four of your paid days off.

So if you have two weeks of paid time off this year, you can transform it into 33 days off split into five five-day weekends and one full week by utilizing stat holidays and booking your time off around them.

Here's how you can best maximize your holiday planning in 2023.

@narcitytoronto

Statutory holidays are going to be your new best friend if you want to maximize your time off work in 2023. Ontario has nine statutory holidays in 2023, with six falling on a Monday or Friday. This means you could hack your way into a five-day weekend or a week-long vacation by using just two to four of your paid days off. #toronto #torontotiktok #lifehack #statholiday #canadalife #ontariocanada #greenscreen #VocêNasceuParaMudar

Family Day (5 days off)

Family Day is on Monday, February 20, so by taking February 17 and February 21 off using PTO, you can hack your way into a five-day vacation using just two days off.

Good Friday (5 days off + Bonus day)

Good Friday is on April 7, and for a five-day weekend, you can take off April 6 and April 5.

You may also get a bonus day off, depending on your employer, since Easter Monday is on April 10.

Victoria Day (5 days off)

Victoria Day falls on Monday, May 22, and for a five-day weekend, you can use two paid days off to take off May 18 and May 19.

Labour Day (week off)

Labour Day is on Monday, September 4, and you can use four paid vacation days to make this three-day weekend a week-long vacation by taking off September 1, 5, 6, and 7.

(Although you can use this week-long hack on any of the stat holidays, depending on what month you prefer to travel.)

Thanksgiving (5 days off)

Thanksgiving is on Monday, October 9, and you can stretch that time off just like your eating pants by taking Friday, October 6, off and Tuesday, October 10, off for a five-day break.

Christmas & Boxing day  (6 days off)

Christmas Day and Boxing Day are both stat holidays, so you'll have December 25 and December 26 off.

To make it a six-day weekend to celebrate the holidays, you can book off December 21 and 22.


By booking around the stat holidays that fall on Mondays or Fridays, you can maximize your time off and squeeze in all the tropical vacays, staycations and cottage trips on your bucket list!

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.

  • Brooke Houghton (she/her) was a Toronto-based writer for Narcity Media. Brooke has written for publications such as blogTO, Post City, Vitalize Magazine and more.

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