Don Redmond

This year, the annual Civic Holiday will fall on Monday, Aug. 5 in Ontario. While it’s common knowledge that the first Monday of August is a holiday for people in many parts of Canada, what it’s actually called depends on where you live in the country. Ontario mostly refers to it as the Civic Holiday, but there are other names for it in the province. Some in Toronto refer to it as Simcoe Day. In Guelph, it’s sometimes called John Galt Day, while many in Ottawa refer to it as Colonel By Day.

Victoria Day has been observed in Canada since at least 1845 and has always been a distinctly Canadian observance. No other country in the world celebrates the monarch’s birthday, including Great Britain. In Canada, the May 2-4 weekend has often been considered the beginning of the summer season. Cottages are aired out and opened, camping trips are planned and gardens are planted. It falls on the Monday between the 18th and the 24th (inclusive), so in this year’s case, it’s May 19, 2025.

Victoria Day has been observed in Canada since at least 1845 and has always been a distinctly Canadian observance. No other country in the world celebrates the monarch’s birthday, including Great Britain. In Canada, the May 2-4 weekend has often been considered the beginning of the summer season. Cottages are aired out and opened, camping trips are planned and gardens are planted. It falls on the Monday between the 18th and the 24th (inclusive), so in this year’s case, it’s May 19, 2025.