9 days off for 3 vacation days
Long weekends 2028 in Ontario
Ontario has 9 statutory holidays in 2028, and 7 of them land on a weekday. The smartest move: take 3 vacation days and get 9 days off, December 23 to 31.
- Holidays 2028
- 9
- on weekdays
- 7
- bridge days
- 0
- off for 3 vacation days
- 9 days
The 2028 calendar in Ontario
Ontario has 9 statutory holidays in 2028, taken from the provincial employment standards and Canada.ca. Federally regulated workplaces follow the federal list, so check which one applies to your job; this page plans with the provincial list.
CanadaiPhoto: Wilfredor · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
OntarioiPhoto: Crisco 1492 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons2 holidays land on a weekend. That is number 7 of 10 provinces and territories in our verified data, where the average is 9.1. With the common two weeks of vacation, a few well placed days go a long way.
CanadaiPhoto: Wilfredor · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsOntarioiPhoto: Crisco 1492 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsAll statutory holidays 2028 in Ontario, one by one
Here is each day off in date order, what it marks, and the quickest way to turn it into a longer long weekend.
VictoriaiPhoto: Michal Klajban · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
VictoriaiPhoto: Donaldytong · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons- Saturday, January 1: New Year's Day. New Year's Day is a statutory holiday across Canada, with polar bear dips in some towns and a quiet day for most. It closes the winter holiday season. It falls on a Saturday, and Ontario's list has no weekday in lieu for it in 2028.
- Monday, February 21: Family Day. Family Day on the third Monday of February gives a long weekend in the depth of winter. Families head to ski hills, skating rinks and winter festivals. You get 3 free days in a row, February 19 to 21, with no leave needed.
- Friday, April 14: Good Friday. Good Friday is a statutory holiday in every province. It creates the Easter long weekend, a popular time for spring skiing or a first trip south. You get 3 free days in a row, April 14 to 16, with no leave needed.
- Monday, May 22: Victoria Day. Victoria Day falls on the Monday before 25 May and is known as the May two four weekend. It opens cottage and camping season across much of Canada. You get 3 free days in a row, May 20 to 22, with no leave needed.
- Saturday, July 1: Canada Day. Canada Day celebrates Confederation on 1 July with fireworks, concerts and red and white everywhere. It opens the summer cottage season, so lakes and campgrounds fill quickly. It falls on a Saturday, and Ontario's list has no weekday in lieu for it in 2028.
- Monday, September 4: Labour Day. Labour Day on the first Monday of September is the last long weekend of summer in Canada, right before school starts. Expect busy roads to cottages and campgrounds. You get 3 free days in a row, September 2 to 4, with no leave needed.
- Monday, October 9: Thanksgiving. Canadian Thanksgiving falls on the second Monday of October, at the height of the fall colours. Families gather for a harvest dinner, and it is a favourite long weekend for a last cottage trip. You get 3 free days in a row, October 7 to 9, with no leave needed.
- Monday, December 25: Christmas Day. Christmas Day is a statutory holiday across Canada, when most shops close. Taking leave between Christmas and New Year gives one of the longest breaks of the year for few days of leave. You get 4 free days in a row, December 23 to 26, with no leave needed.
- Tuesday, December 26: Boxing Day. Boxing Day on 26 December is known for big sales and hockey on TV. Together with Christmas it gives two days off in a row and a natural start to a winter break. That makes 4 days off in a row without using any leave, December 23 to 26.
VictoriaiPhoto: Michal Klajban · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsVictoriaiPhoto: Donaldytong · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
2028's top long weekends for Ontario
Each long weekend below starts and ends on a free day, contains at least one statutory holiday, and needs no more than 10 vacation days. They are ranked by how many days off each day of leave brings.
Around Family Day, 4 vacation days on Tue February 22, Wed February 23, Thu February 24 and Fri February 25 unlock 9 days away, February 19 to 27.
Around Good Friday, 4 vacation days on Mon April 10, Tue April 11, Wed April 12 and Thu April 13 unlock 9 days away, April 8 to 16.
Around Victoria Day, 4 vacation days on Tue May 23, Wed May 24, Thu May 25 and Fri May 26 unlock 9 days away, May 20 to 28.
Around Labour Day, 4 vacation days on Tue September 5, Wed September 6, Thu September 7 and Fri September 8 unlock 9 days away, September 2 to 10.
Around Thanksgiving, 4 vacation days on Tue October 10, Wed October 11, Thu October 12 and Fri October 13 unlock 9 days away, October 7 to 15.
Around Christmas Day and Boxing Day, 3 vacation days on Wed December 27, Thu December 28 and Fri December 29 unlock 9 days away, December 23 to 31.
The math: vacation days in, days off out
Three days stretch to 9 days off (December 23 to 31). Five days, a typical week, become 11 days off around Christmas Day and Boxing Day, December 16 to 26.
Ten days, the most this planner books in one go, give 18 days in a row, December 9 to 26. For nine days or more away you need 3 vacation days.
Two weeks of vacation is ten working days, exactly the largest budget above: one long winter or summer break, or several long weekends spread over the year.
The best long weekends 2028 in Ontario
Every row is a run of weekends, statutory holidays and vacation days. The highlighted row brings the most days off per day of leave.
| Dates | Result | Take off | Holidays | School breaks | Plan a trip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Dec 25 to Sun, Jan 2 | 9 days offfor 5 vacation days, 1.8 days off per day of leave | Mon, Dec 27 · Tue, Dec 28 · Wed, Dec 29 · Thu, Dec 30 · Fri, Dec 31 | Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day | Winter break | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Feb 19 to Sun, Feb 27 | 9 days offfor 4 vacation days, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, Feb 22 · Wed, Feb 23 · Thu, Feb 24 · Fri, Feb 25 | Family Day | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Apr 8 to Sun, Apr 16 | 9 days offfor 4 vacation days, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Mon, Apr 10 · Tue, Apr 11 · Wed, Apr 12 · Thu, Apr 13 | Good Friday | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, May 20 to Sun, May 28 | 9 days offfor 4 vacation days, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, May 23 · Wed, May 24 · Thu, May 25 · Fri, May 26 | Victoria Day | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Jun 24 to Sun, Jul 2 | 9 days offfor 5 vacation days, 1.8 days off per day of leave | Mon, Jun 26 · Tue, Jun 27 · Wed, Jun 28 · Thu, Jun 29 · Fri, Jun 30 | Canada Day | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Sep 2 to Sun, Sep 10 | 9 days offfor 4 vacation days, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, Sep 5 · Wed, Sep 6 · Thu, Sep 7 · Fri, Sep 8 | Labour Day | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Oct 7 to Sun, Oct 15 | 9 days offfor 4 vacation days, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, Oct 10 · Wed, Oct 11 · Thu, Oct 12 · Fri, Oct 13 | Thanksgiving | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Dec 23 to Sun, Dec 31 | 9 days offfor 3 vacation days, 3 days off per day of leave | Wed, Dec 27 · Thu, Dec 28 · Fri, Dec 29 | Christmas Day, Boxing Day | none | Plan a trip |
What 1 to 10 vacation days bring
For each budget, the longest run of days off in 2028.
3 vacation days
9 days
December 23 to December 31
Christmas Day, Boxing Day
5 vacation days
11 days
December 16 to December 26
Christmas Day, Boxing Day
8 vacation days
16 days
December 16 to December 31
Christmas Day, Boxing Day
10 vacation days
18 days
December 9 to December 26
Christmas Day, Boxing Day
2028 calendar for Ontario
- Holiday
- Vacation day in a long weekend
- Weekend
- School breaks
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Season by season in Ontario
Winter: New Year's Day on January 1, Family Day on February 21, Christmas Day on December 25 and Boxing Day on December 26. The pick of the season is December 23 to 31 with 3 vacation days for 9 days off.
Spring: Good Friday on April 14 and Victoria Day on May 22. The pick of the season is April 8 to 16 with 4 vacation days for 9 days off.
Summer: Canada Day on July 1. The pick of the season is June 24 to July 2 with 5 vacation days for 9 days off.
Fall: Labour Day on September 4 and Thanksgiving on October 9. The pick of the season is September 2 to 10 with 4 vacation days for 9 days off.
School breaks 2028 in Ontario
The official school calendar of Ontario has these 2 breaks touching 2028. Families can line up their leave with them, and everyone else can see when flights and stays get busier.
Christmas / winter break: December 18, 2027 to January 2, 2028. It overlaps the long weekend December 25, 2027 to January 2, 2028, so a few days of leave cover the whole break.
March break: March 11 to 19.
Ontario next to the other provinces and territories
British Columbia has the most with 11 statutory holidays in 2028, Newfoundland and Labrador the fewest with 6. Ontario sits in between with 9.
British ColumbiaiPhoto: Deror_avi · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
NewfoundlandiPhoto: Daniel L. Lu (user:dllu) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsIts best long weekend, December 23 to 31, returns 3.0 days off per day of leave. No other province or territory in our data does better this year.
British ColumbiaiPhoto: Deror_avi · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsNewfoundlandiPhoto: Daniel L. Lu (user:dllu) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsWhere to go on a long weekend from Ontario
Ontarians head to Muskoka and cottage country in summer, Algonquin Park for fall colour, Niagara for wineries and the falls, and Prince Edward County for beaches. Ottawa's Winterlude and Blue Mountain suit winter weekends.
Your strongest long weekends this year fall in February, April and May, so pick the trip that suits that season, and book early: everyone else in Ontario has the same days off.
Long Weekend Planner 2028 for Ontario as a PDF
Every stretch, holiday and school break in ON on one printable page. Plus The Sunday Getaway every week and a note whenever a long weekend is worth it.
Where to on the long weekends?
For the six strongest stretches: places with the right climate that month, flights from YYZ, YOW.
December 23 to December 31: 3 days of leave, 9 days off
Warm, up to 4 hours away in December, flights from YYZ
iPhoto: Jason Boldero · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsTurks and Caicos Islands27 °C by day · Sea 26 °C · Flight about 3 h 30, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Turks and Caicos Islands
iPhoto: Fraganda · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsHavana28 °C by day · Sea 27 °C · Flight about 3 h 15, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Havana
iPhoto: Daniel Schwen · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsChichen Itza30 °C by day · Flight about 3 h 43Plan a trip for these daysSee Chichen Itza
February 19 to February 27: 4 days of leave, 9 days off
Warm, up to 4 hours away in February, flights from YYZ
- iPhoto: Jason Boldero · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsTurks and Caicos Islands26 °C by day · Sea 25 °C · Flight about 3 h 30, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Turks and Caicos Islands
- iPhoto: Fraganda · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsHavana29 °C by day · Sea 26 °C · Flight about 3 h 15, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Havana
iPhoto: Pierre André · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsKingston28 °C by day · Sea 27 °C · Flight about 3 h 53, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Kingston
April 8 to April 16: 4 days of leave, 9 days off
Warm, up to 4 hours away in April, flights from YYZ
- iPhoto: Jason Boldero · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsTurks and Caicos Islands26 °C by day · Sea 26 °C · Flight about 3 h 30, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Turks and Caicos Islands
- Plan a trip for these daysSee El Paso
- iPhoto: Fraganda · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsHavana32 °C by day · Sea 26 °C · Flight about 3 h 15, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Havana
May 20 to May 28: 4 days of leave, 9 days off
Warm, up to 4 hours away in May, flights from YYZ
- Plan a trip for these daysSee El Paso
- iPhoto: Jason Boldero · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsTurks and Caicos Islands27 °C by day · Sea 27 °C · Flight about 3 h 30, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Turks and Caicos Islands
- Plan a trip for these daysSee Shipstern
September 2 to September 10: 4 days of leave, 9 days off
Beach in September, flights from YYZ
- iPhoto: Jason Boldero · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsTurks and Caicos Islands30 °C by day · Sea 29 °C · Flight about 3 h 30, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Turks and Caicos Islands
iPhoto: A.Miskovsky · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsPunta Cana29 °C by day · Sea 29 °C · Flight about 4 h 01, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Punta Cana
iPhoto: Calyponte · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsAntigua29 °C by day · Sea 29 °C · Flight about 4 h 29, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Antigua
October 7 to October 15: 4 days of leave, 9 days off
Warm, up to 4 hours away in October, flights from YYZ
- Plan a trip for these daysSee El Paso
- iPhoto: Jason Boldero · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsTurks and Caicos Islands29 °C by day · Sea 29 °C · Flight about 3 h 30, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Turks and Caicos Islands
- iPhoto: Fraganda · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsHavana31 °C by day · Sea 29 °C · Flight about 3 h 15, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Havana
Statutory holidays 2028 in Ontario
| Date | Weekday | Holiday | Applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | Saturday | New Year's Day | province-wide |
| February 21 | Monday | Family Day | province-wide |
| April 14 | Friday | Good Friday | province-wide |
| May 22 | Monday | Victoria Day | province-wide |
| July 1 | Saturday | Canada Day | province-wide |
| September 4 | Monday | Labour Day | province-wide |
| October 9 | Monday | Thanksgiving | province-wide |
| December 25 | Monday | Christmas Day | province-wide |
| December 26 | Tuesday | Boxing Day | province-wide |
School breaks 2028
| Break | From | To | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter break | Sat, Dec 182027 | Sun, Jan 2 | 16 |
| March break (mid-winter break) | Sat, Mar 11 | Sun, Mar 19 | 9 |
Source: www.ontario.ca. Individual schools may add their own days off.
Ontario in other years
2026 and 2027 are planned as well, each with its own dates and long weekends.
Holiday dates move every year: fixed-date days change their weekday, and Easter moves between late March and late April, which is why the best long weekends are never the same twice.
Where these dates come from
Every date on this page comes from the official source for Ontario: Canada.ca: General holidays and Ontario: Your guide to the ESA: Public holidays, read directly and compared day by day with an independent second source. A year appears once its official list is published, and we never fill a gap with another province or territory's dates.
The planner treats weekends and full statutory holidays as free days and works out where your vacation days turn into the longest time off. Days kept in part of Ontario or as observances are shown but never counted. Last checked on October 1, 2026.
Long Weekend Planner 2028 in ON: frequently asked questions
How many statutory holidays does Ontario have in 2028?
9 statutory holidays: New Year's Day on January 1, Family Day on February 21, Good Friday on April 14, Victoria Day on May 22, Canada Day on July 1, Labour Day on September 4, Thanksgiving on October 9, Christmas Day on December 25 and Boxing Day on December 26. 7 fall on a weekday.
What is the best long weekend in Ontario in 2028?
December 23 to 31: 3 vacation days give 9 days off around Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
How many vacation days do I need for nine days off in 2028?
3 vacation days: take December 27 to 29 off and you are off December 23 to 31.
Is Family Day a statutory holiday in Ontario in 2028?
Yes. Family Day is a full day off on Monday, February 21.
Is Boxing Day a statutory holiday in Ontario in 2028?
Yes. Boxing Day is a full day off on Tuesday, December 26.
When are the school breaks in Ontario in 2028?
Christmas / winter break: December 18, 2027 to January 2, 2028; March break: March 11 to 19.
2028 in the other provinces and territories
How the Long Weekend Planner works
Holidays: the public holidays from the official list in ON, checked date by date. The planner counts only days off for the whole region.
Stretches: start and end on a day off, include at least one holiday and at most 10 vacation days. Ranked by days off per day of leave; Saturday and Sunday count as free.
School breaks: officially published dates only, checked every month. Trip ideas: the month's climate and flights from the region's main airport.
