List of Nova Scotia Holidays in 2025

Whether you're looking forward to family time, outdoor fun, or just some quiet rest, marking statutory holidays on your calendar will help you make the most of your time off. Use this guide to plan your breaks and take some time to explore Nova Scotia’s culture and beautiful coastlines.

For 2025, the province of Nova Scotia has 6 statutory holidays.

2025 Statutory Holidays in Nova Scotia:

• New Year’s Day
  • January 1, 2025 (Wednesday)‍
• Heritage Day‍
  • February 17, 2025 (Monday)
• Good Friday
  • April 18, 2025 (Friday)‍
• Canada Day‍
  • July 1, 2025 (Tuesday)
• Labour Day
  • September 1, 2025 (Monday)
• Christmas Day
  • December 25, 2025 (Thursday)

What is a Statutory Holiday?

Statutory holidays (or stat holidays for short) are public holidays mandated through legislation from federal, territorial, or provincial governments. On these specific days throughout the year, many employees are legally entitled to a paid day off or increased compensation in exchange for working. 

The Federal Government of Canada mandates six statutory holidays that apply across the country. Each province and territory is also responsible for creating additional statutory holidays as they deem appropriate. 

Other Holidays in Nova Scotia

There are additional days during the year that some employers in Nova Scotia can treat as days off from work. These are not official 2025 statutory holidays, and employers are under no legal obligation to pay their employees if they have the day off. 

Below is a list of the 6 holidays that are not statutory in Nova Scotia:

• Easter Monday
  • April 21, 2025 (Monday)
• Victoria Day
  • May 19, 2025 (Monday)
• Civic Holiday (Natal Day)
  • August 4, 2025 (Monday)‍
• National Day for Truth and Reconciliation‍
  • September 30, 2025 (Tuesday)‍
• Thanksgiving ‍
  • October 13, 2025 (Monday)
• Boxing Day
  • December 26, 2025 (Friday)

Some employers give their employees Easter Monday off from work in addition to the Good Friday statutory holiday, allowing for an extra-long weekend right around the time the spring thaw really gets going. 

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Victoria Day, Civic Holiday, Thanksgiving, and Boxing Day are currently not official holidays in Nova Scotia, although some employers choose to observe them.

Now that you have a list of Nova Scotia statutory and civic holidays for 2025, it’s time to get to planning your next long weekend!

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