Ontario will not get provincial holiday to mark death of The Queen

Ontarians will not get a provincial holiday on Monday to mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Instead, Sept. 19 will be declared a provincial Day of Mourning.

“The people of Ontario may observe a moment of silence at 1:00 p.m. on that day,” the Premier’s Office said in a statement.

“This will give all Ontarians an opportunity to reflect on the remarkable life of Queen Elizabeth II and her unrelenting commitment to service and duty. It also allows students to be in school learning about the many contributions the Queen made to the people of Ontario, Canada, and the entire Commonwealth, as well as the accession of King Charles III.”

The Premier's Office encouraged Ontarians to use the day to "pay tribute to the extraordinary legacy (The Queen) leaves behind.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said the day of The Queen’s funeral will be marked as both a federal holiday and a national day of mourning.

The holiday will apply to federal government employees but would not automatically cover federally-regulated industries such as banks and post offices.

Companies may “follow suit,” Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan tweeted, “but they are not required to do so.”

• MORE: What you need to know about the Sept. 19 federal holiday

Meanwhile, the the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) came out against a statutory holiday, saying that it was much too short notice for most businesses and their staff.

With a six-day notice, it would be deeply unfair for small businesses and cost the economy billions,” CFIB President Dan Kelly said in a statement. “For many small businesses, such as restaurants, hotels and movie theatres, this would mean paying more in order to stay open.”

“The provinces should follow the suit of the United Kingdom and leave Monday as a commemorative holiday with no requirement for businesses to close or pay in lieu.”

This is the second time in recent years the province of Ontario has not followed suit with a declared federal holiday.

In 2021, Trudeau announced that Sept. 30 would be Truth and Reconciliation Day, and that federally regulated businesses and organizations were required to give employees the day off. The statutory holiday was a response to the 80th call to action in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report.

The Ontario government chose not to establish a provincial holiday to mark the day.

Ontario recognizes nine public holidays, including New Year’s Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.