Is New Year's Day a stat holiday in British Columbia?
Yes. New Year's Day is a statutory holiday in British Columbia under the Employment Standards Act.
Sources checked
Dates
| 2026 | Thursday, January 1, 2026 |
|---|---|
| 2027 | Friday, January 1, 2027 |
Who gets it
You qualify if you've been employed for at least 30 calendar days before the holiday and worked or earned wages on at least 15 of the 30 days before it.
Holiday pay
Qualifying employees get an average day's pay: wages earned in the 30 calendar days before the holiday (not counting overtime) divided by the number of days worked.
If you work that day
Qualifying employees who work get 1.5 times their regular wage for hours up to 12 (double time after 12), plus an average day's pay. Employees who don't qualify are paid as on a regular day.
Federally regulated workers
New Year's Day is one of the 10 general holidays under the Canada Labour Code, so employees of federally regulated employers, such as banks and Canada Post, get it everywhere in Canada, including provinces where it isn't a provincial holiday. Holiday pay is at least 1/20 of wages (not counting overtime) earned in the 4 weeks before the week of the holiday, and employees who work it get at least 1.5 times their regular rate plus holiday pay.
Store closing rules
It isn't a retail closing day in British Columbia, so stores may open and set their own hours.
Sources
- Government of B.C.: Statutory holidays (2026 & 2027) · checked 2026-10-15
- Government of B.C.: Qualify for statutory holiday pay · checked 2026-10-16
- Government of B.C.: Calculate statutory holiday pay · checked 2026-10-16
- Canada.ca: General holidays for federally regulated employers · checked 2026-10-15
Questions
Is New Year's Day a stat holiday in British Columbia?
Yes. New Year's Day is a statutory holiday in British Columbia under the Employment Standards Act.
When is New Year's Day in 2026 and 2027?
Thursday, January 1, 2026 in 2026 and Friday, January 1, 2027 in 2027.
Who gets New Year's Day off with pay in British Columbia?
You qualify if you've been employed for at least 30 calendar days before the holiday and worked or earned wages on at least 15 of the 30 days before it.
How is holiday pay calculated in British Columbia?
Qualifying employees get an average day's pay: wages earned in the 30 calendar days before the holiday (not counting overtime) divided by the number of days worked.
What if I work on New Year's Day?
Qualifying employees who work get 1.5 times their regular wage for hours up to 12 (double time after 12), plus an average day's pay. Employees who don't qualify are paid as on a regular day.