Here's What'll Be Open & Closed In Canada During Monday's Federal Holiday For The Queen
Your week might start off a bit complicated!
The Canadian Parliament building. Right: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that September 19 is going to be a federal holiday to mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II, which might have you wondering "what's open on Monday?"
The holiday means that federal employees across Canada will be getting a day off. But this has not been extended to workers in private and federally-regulated industries.
This means that only some services will be closed on Monday. This includes federal organizations such as Service Canada branches.
But Service Canada has said that they will be adjusting operations so people with previously scheduled appointments or urgent service needs can be served. They're doing this by rescheduling appointments on September 19 to other days.
So, if you had anything on your to-do list related to passport, employment, or pension, best not to keep it for September 19.
Meanwhile, federally-regulated organizations have been welcomed to follow suit but are not required to be closed, according to Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan.
This includes airlines and banks. However, Canada Post has announced it will not be collecting or delivering mail and that post offices across Canada will be closed. Offices in franchises may be open during the host's hours.*
\u201cSeptember 19, 2022 will be a holiday for federal government employees. It will be a day of mourning for the passing of Her Majesty Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada. \n\nFederally regulated employers are welcomed to follow suit, but they are not required to do so.\u201d— Seamus O'Regan Jr (@Seamus O'Regan Jr) 1663093652
You can also expect most private businesses to be open, unless they independently decide to take the time off.
So, grocery stores, department stores, malls, and other businesses will largely be unaffected by the holiday.
Since Queen Elizabeth II's death on September 8, the U.K. and the Commonwealth nations have entered a national mourning period.
Australia and New Zealand are some of the countries that have given their citizens a day off to mourn the Queen, followed by the recent announcement of a national holiday in Canada.
Of course, each province does have its own plan for what they're going to do when Monday rolls around. Some, like Alberta, have yet to release a plan on what they're going to do.
Other provinces, such as B.C., have said they will be closing down the public sector, including schools.
Others, like Quebec and Ontario, won't be closing down at all, but will be holding a "day of mourning" for the dead monarch.
On September 19, Canada is going to have an official memorial ceremony in Ottawa. It will include a parade and a 96-gun salute, one for every year of Queen Elizabeth II's life. There will also be a Canadian Air Force flyover with the whole event being broadcasted live across the country.
* A previous version of this article stated that Canada Post would be operating on September 19, however, it recently announced that they will be suspending services on that day.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.