OPSEU/SEFPO is committed to the principle of freedom of religion and upholding the right to equal treatment on the basis of creed. In recognition of these rights and principles, which include respect for religious beliefs, practices and observances, the Member Equity Unit has compiled a calendar of religious observances. Major religious celebrations, which represent the holiest time of the year for many worshipers, have also been highlighted. It should also be noted that there are many other forms of religions and traditions that may fall outside the scope of the calendar provided.
In addition, key human rights and equity dates have also been included. These dates promote achievements of the labour movement, and human rights and community organizations who have worked proactively to defend and improve members’ rights and working conditions.
While the calendar is not exhaustive, it does provide guidelines to assist in planning and scheduling OPSEU/SEFPO meetings, activities and events. To encourage inclusion and full participation, consideration should be given when scheduling events that could fall around these times.
Every effort is made to include all recognized holidays, events and days of remembrance. For any questions, please contact the Member Equity unit at [email protected].
Diversity Calendar (Religious, Human Rights and Equity Observances)
International Year of Camelids (United Nations)
June 2024
Pride Month
National Indigenous History Month
June 12 – World Day Against Child Labour* (UN)
June 16 – Eid al Adha (to June 19) (Islam) – MO/SH
June 18 – Father’s Day – MO/SH
June 20 – World Refugee Day* (UN)
June 21 – National Indigenous Peoples Day*
June 23 – United Nations Public Service Day*
June 27 – Multiculturalism Day* (Gov’t of Canada)
July 2024
July 1 – Canada Day* – MO/SH
July 18 – Nelson Mandela International Day* (UN)
July 21 – Asalha Puja Day (Buddhism) – MO/SH
August 2024
August 1 – Emancipation Day*
August 5 – Civic Holiday
August 9 – International Day of World’s Indigenous People* (UN)
August 12 – International Youth Day* (UN)
August 13 – Obon (Shinto-Buddhism) – MO/SH
August 19 – World Humanitarian Day* (UN)
August 23 – International Day for Remembrance of Slave Trade and its Abolition* (UN)
August 26 – Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu) – MO/SH
August 31 – Paryushana Parva (Jain) – MO/SH
September 2024
September 2 – Labour Day – MO/SH
September 8 – International Literacy Day* (UNESCO) – MO/SH
September 15 – International Day of Democracy* (UN)
September 21 – International Day of Peace* (UN)
September 28 – Confucius’ Birthday* (Confucian)
September 30 – Orange T-Shirt Day* (Indigenous)
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation*
October 2024
Women’s History Month
October 1 – International Day of Older Persons*(UN)
October 2 – Rosh Hashanah (to Oct 4) (Judaism) – MO/SH
October 3 – Navaratri (to Oct. 12) (Hindu) – MO/SH
October 10 – World Mental Health Day* (UN)
International Day of the Girl Child* (UN)
October 11 – Yom Kippur (Judaism)
October 14 – Thanksgiving Day – MO/SH
October 17 – International Day for the Eradication of Poverty* (UN)
October 18 – Jain New Year (Jain)
October 24 – United Nations Day*
October 31 – Halloween*
– Diwali (Hindu-Jain-Sikh) – MO/SH
November 2024
November 1 – Samhain – Litha* (Wicca/Pagan) – MO/SH
November 11 – Remembrance Day* – MO/SH
November 15 – Guru Nanak Dev Sahib Birthday (Sikh) – MO/SH
– International Day for Tolerance* (UNESCO)
November 16 – Louis Riel Day* (Métis)
November 20 – Universal Children’s Day* (UN)
Transgender Day of Remembrance*
November 25 – International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women* (UN)
December 2024
December 1 – World Aids Day* (UN)
– Advent (to December 24) (Christian)
December 2 – International Day for the Abolition of Slavery* (UN)
December 3 – International Day of Persons with Disabilities* (UN)
December 6 – National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women (Status of Women)*
December 10 – Human Rights Day* (UN)
December 18 – International Migrants Day* (UN)
December 20 – International Human Solidarity Day* (UN)
December 24 – Christmas Eve*
December 25 – Christmas Day* (Christian) – MO/SH
December 26 – Boxing Day* – MO/SH
– Hanukkah (to Jan 2, 2025) (Judaism)
December 31 – New Year’s Eve*
International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (United Nations)
January 2025
January 1 – New Year’s Day* – MO/SH
Gantan-Sai (New Year’s) (Shinto)* – MO/SH
January 5 – Twelfth Night* (Christian)
January 6 – Epiphany* (Christian)
January 7 – Nativity of Christ* (Armenian – Orthodox Christian) – MO/SH
January 27 – International Day to Commemorate Memory of Victims of Holocaust* (UN)
January 29 to February 13 Lunar New Year (Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist) – MO/SH
February 2025
Black History Month
February 3 – Setsubun-sai* (Shinto) – MO/SH
February 14 – Valentine’s Day*
February 12 – Magha Puja Day (Buddhism)
February 17 – Family Day – MO/SH
February 20 – World Day of Social Justice* (UN)
February 21 – International Mother Language Day* (UN)
February 28 – Ramadan Begins (Islam) – MO/SH
March 2025
March 1 – Zero Discrimination Day* (UNAIDS)
March 3 – Black Mental Health Day
March 3 – Lent (Orthodox)
March 4 – Shrove Tuesday (Christian)
March 5 – Ash Wednesday (Lent Begins) (Christian) – MO/SH
March 8 – International Women’s Day* (UN)
March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day* (Christian)
March 20 – Journée internationale de la francophonie* (UN)
UN French Language Day*
March 21 – Naw Ruz* (Baha’i) – MO/SH
International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination* (UN)
March 22 – World Water Day*
March 24 – International Day for Truth Regarding Gross Human Rights violations and dignity of victims* (UN)
March 25 – International Day of Remembrance to Victims of Slavery and Transatlantic Slave Trade* (UN)
March 29 – Hindu New Year
March 29 – Eid al Fitr (Evening of Mar 29 to Mar 30) (Islam) – MO/SH
March 31 – Trans Day of Visibility*
April 2025
April 2 – World Autism Awareness Day* (UN)
April 4 – Qingming Festival (Confucian)
April 7 – World Health Day* (UN)
April 9 – International Day of Pink
April 10 – Mahavir Jayanti (Jain) – MO/SH
April 12 – Pesach (Passover – to April 20) (Judaism) – MO/SH
April 13 – Palm Sunday (Christian)
April 13 – Palm Sunday (Orthodox)
April 14 – Baisakhi (New Year)* (Sikh) – MO/SH
April 18 – Good Friday (Christian) – MO/SH
April 18 – Good Friday (Orthodox)
April 20 – Easter (Christian) – MO/SH
April 20 – Pascha (Easter) (Orthodox Christian)
April 21 – Easter Monday
April 28 – National Day of Mourning* (CLC/Gov’t of Canada)
World Day for Safety and Health at Work*
May 2025
Asian Heritage Month
May 1 – Beltane and Samhain* (Wicca/Pagan) – MO/SH
May Day/International Worker’s Day* (CLC)
May 5 – National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (Red Dress Day)*
May 4 – Chongmyo Taeje (Confucian)
May 11 – Mother’s Day
May 12 – Visakha Puja – Buddha Day (Buddhism) – MO/SH
May 17 – International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia* (IDAHO) (Fondation Émergence)
May 19 – Victoria Day – MO/SH
May 21 – World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development* (UN)
May 23 – Declaration of the Bab* (Baha’i) – MO/SH
May 29 – Ascension of Baha’u’llah* (Baha’i) – MO/SH
June 2025
Pride Month
National Indigenous History Month
June 6 – Eid al Adha (to June 10) (Islam) – MO/SH
June 8 – Pentecost (Christian) – MO/SH
June 12 – World Day Against Child Labour* (UN)
June 15 – Father’s Day – MO/SH
June 20 – World Refugee Day* (UN)
June 21 – National Indigenous Peoples Day*
June 23 – United Nations Public Service Day*
June 27 – Multiculturalism Day* (Gov’t of Canada)
July 2025
July 1 – Canada Day* – MO/SH
July 10 – Asalha Puja Day (Buddhism) – MO/SH
July 18 – Nelson Mandela International Day* (UN)
August 2025
August 1 – Emancipation Day*
August 4 – Civic Holiday
August 9 – International Day of World’s Indigenous People* (UN)
August 12 – International Youth Day* (UN)
August 13 – Obon (Shinto-Buddhism) – MO/SH
August 16 – Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu) – MO/SH
August 19 – World Humanitarian Day* (UN)
August 21 – Paryushana Parva (Jain) – MO/SH
August 23 – International Day for Remembrance of Slave Trade and its Abolition* (UN)
September 2025
September 1 – Labour Day – MO/SH
September 8 – International Literacy Day* (UNESCO) – MO/SH
September 15 – International Day of Democracy* (UN)
September 21 – International Day of Peace* (UN)
September 22 – Navaratri (to Oct. 1) (Hindu) – MO/SH
September 22 – Rosh Hashanah (to Sept 4) (Judaism) – MO/SH
September 28 – Confucius’ Birthday* (Confucian)
September 30 – Orange T-Shirt Day* (Indigenous)
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation*
October 2025
Women’s History Month
October 1 – International Day of Older Persons*(UN)
October 1 – Yom Kippur (Judaism)
October 10 – World Mental Health Day* (UN)
International Day of the Girl Child* (UN)
October 13 – Thanksgiving Day – MO/SH
October 17 – International Day for the Eradication of Poverty* (UN)
October 20 – Diwali (Hindu-Jain-Sikh) – MO/SH
October 23 – Jain New Year (Jain)
October 24 – United Nations Day*
October 31 – Halloween*
November 2025
November 1 – Samhain – Litha* (Wicca/Pagan) – MO/SH
November 5 – Guru Nanak Dev Sahib Birthday (Sikh) – MO/SH
November 11 – Remembrance Day* – MO/SH
November 16 – Louis Riel Day* (Métis)
– International Day for Tolerance* (UNESCO)
November 20 – Universal Children’s Day* (UN)
Transgender Day of Remembrance*
November 25 – International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women* (UN)
December 2025
December 1 – World Aids Day* (UN)
– Advent (to December 24) (Christian)
December 2 – International Day for the Abolition of Slavery* (UN)
December 3 – International Day of Persons with Disabilities* (UN)
December 6 – National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women (Status of Women)*
December 10 – Human Rights Day* (UN)
December 14 – Hanukkah (to Dec 22, 2025) (Judaism)
December 18 – International Migrants Day* (UN)
December 20 – International Human Solidarity Day* (UN)
December 24 – Christmas Eve*
December 25 – Christmas Day* (Christian) – MO/SH
December 26 – Boxing Day* – MO/SH
December 31 – New Year’s Eve*
Note: This calendar only highlights religious celebrations which represent the holiest time of the year for many worshipers. Major religious observances and statutory holidays are denoted as – MO/SH. The asterisk (*) indicates observances and/or events which fall on the same day annually.
Compiled by the Member Equity Unit, OPSEU/SEFPO
Download the calendar here:
2024-Observances Calendar
2025 Observances Calendar