Why Family Day isn’t a holiday in Quebec
CTV asks why Family Day, a stat holiday in some other provinces, is not observed in Quebec. It’s being debated on reddit, but although some cite François Legault’s concern for productivity, surely nobody really thinks a single day off would dent Quebec’s GDP. Legault doesn’t want us to have a long weekend between New Year and Easter because it’s Lent, and we have to suffer deprivation in Lent. Even Jews and Muslims and atheists. Especially atheists.
jeather 10:18 on 2026-02-16 Permalink
I still stand by my statement that I would vote for any party that promises a new stat day or two.
Daisy 10:59 on 2026-02-16 Permalink
Lent doesn’t begin until Wednesday.
Josh 11:16 on 2026-02-16 Permalink
Lots of Quebec gets January 2nd off. I always sort of assumed that was the other part of this equation.
Uatu 11:48 on 2026-02-16 Permalink
It’s a stat holiday at the MUHC
jeather 12:26 on 2026-02-16 Permalink
Jan 2 is optional and a business can take it away at any time, a stat holiday is not. Quebec is among the lower half of stat holidays.
Bert 14:05 on 2026-02-16 Permalink
Quebec has 8 official statutory holidays: https://www.cnesst.gouv.qc.ca/en/working-conditions/leave/statutory-holidays/list-paid-statutory-holidays
Anything else is either employer free-bee, part of a union or other employment contract, or falls under federally mandated and regulated industries such as railways, banks, etc.
Kate 14:16 on 2026-02-16 Permalink
Daisy, I think there’s an ingrained sense that people are supposed to keep their nose to the grindstone till Easter, whether it falls on March 22 or April 25. It’s April 5 this year, splitting the difference.
Daisy 15:36 on 2026-02-16 Permalink
If so it has nothing to do with Lent. There is a strong tradition of pre-Lent merry-making (Carnival, Mardi gras, etc.).
Kate 19:17 on 2026-02-16 Permalink
But no days off!
Ian 21:31 on 2026-02-16 Permalink
I’m kind of surprised Montreal doesn’t do Mardi Gras.
Kate 23:37 on 2026-02-16 Permalink
A Mardi Gras here would be a winter carnival. There used to be a winter carnival here in the 19th century – there’s a famous photo of an ice palace on Place d’Armes, for example – but why Quebec City carried on with theirs, and we did not, I’ve never found out.
An amateur historian who posts to Facebook is promising a book about its history so maybe then I will know why.
In a way, the High Lights Festival is a sort of attempt to revive festivities this time of year, I suppose.
I find that The Main blog has a recent piece about ice palaces here, but it’s partly closed to non‑members.
CE 10:58 on 2026-02-17 Permalink
The modern Quebec City carnaval was a purely commercial scheme to bring people to the old city in the 1950s (I assume as people were fleeing to the suburbs).
From their website:
En 1954, dans une perspective de développement économique de la Vieille Capitale, un groupe de gens d’affaires relance la fête et choisit Bonhomme comme représentant de l’événement. La première édition du Carnaval d’hiver de Québec a lieu en 1955. Le Carnaval devient alors une manifestation incontournable pour la population de Québec et le moteur de l’activité touristique hivernale dans la ville. Aujourd’hui, le Carnaval de Québec est sans contredit un événement hivernal d’envergure et demeure une locomotive de la vie hivernale québécoise.
https://carnaval.qc.ca/le-carnaval/a-propos-du-carnaval/
VAZKEN BALOUZIAN 12:14 on 2026-02-17 Permalink
There should be a stat holiday every month. the fact that there’s long stretches of time without one are CRIMINAL
Nicholas 13:31 on 2026-02-17 Permalink
When asked if Quebec would make Indigenous Peoples Day a holiday, Legault said “we need more productivity.” “We are not in favour of adding statutory holidays for any reason whatsoever in Quebec,” Legault said. “We have, proportionately, already a lot,” he added, falsely.