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What you need to know about the September 30 holiday today

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The second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is here, and while it is not a statutory holiday in Ontario, there are some things you should know about.

Sept. 30 is observed in Ontario only as a federal holiday, which means provincially regulated businesses are not required to give employees the day off work.

The federal government established the new statutory holiday in July 2021 commemorate the tragic legacy of residential schools in Canada.

WHO GETS SEPTEMBER 30 OFF?

People who work for a federally regulated company that operates under the Canada Labour Code will receive a paid holiday for National Truth and Reconciliation Day.

Some examples of federally regulated businesses include Air Canada, Westjet, Canada Post, UPS Canada, Bell Canada, and Rogers Communications.

All federal public service workers in Ontario will also the day off work.

Banks will be closed, as they are federally regulated in Canada.

WHO DOESN'T GET SEPTEMBER 30 OFF?

Companies that are not federally regulated won’t be required to give their employees the day off. Private companies and organizations not federally regulated can decide for themselves if they want to give employees the day off.

Hospitals in Ontario are provincially regulated, meaning health-care workers won’t get the day off work either.

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

ARE SCHOOLS CLOSED ON SEPTEMBER 30?

Schools in Ontario will be open and operating normally as they are provincially regulated. Teachers and education staff will have to work and will not get any sort of overtime pay.

WHAT IS OPEN?

Malls in the Greater Toronto Area will be open on Friday, though some will have reduced hours. Yorkdale Shopping Centre, Eaton Centre, Scarborough Town Centre, Vaughan Mills and Fairview Mall will be open.

The TTC and GO Transit will operate on a normal schedule.

The LCBO will be open on Sept. 30, though some locations may have modified hours.

Libraries and most grocery stores will be open.

Most tourist attractions, like the CN Tower and Ripley's Aquarium, will be open.

IS SEPTEMBER 30 A HOLIDAY IN OTHER PROVINCES?

The B.C. government formally recognized Sept. 30 as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in the province in 2021 and announced the closure of schools, post-secondary institutions and some health sector workplaces.

Other provinces, including New Brunswick, Alberta and Saskatchewan, have decided they will not make the day a provincial statutory holiday.

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