February Provincial Holiday Considered for New Brunswick

The New Brunswick government says it is considering introducing a statutory holiday in February. 

Social Development Minister Cathy Rogers says multiple departments will conduct a preliminary analysis on the proposal in the coming months.

New Brunswick is one of three provinces that do not have a mid-winter statutory holiday.

Last year, Nova Scotia became the seventh province to legislate a paid holiday in February, joining Prince Edward Island, Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Nova Scotia's government solicited naming suggestions from the public and settled on Nova Scotia Heritage Day.

The yet-to-be-named holiday in New Brunswick would likely fall on the third Monday in February.

The period between New Year’s Day and Good Friday is the longest span of the year without a paid holiday

The intent would be to provide workers with more time with their families during what's arguably the hardest month of the year.

“New Brunswick is built on strong families and communities,” said Rogers. “Giving hard-working New Brunswickers a chance to take a break and spend a day with their families could lead to a more engaged and productive workforce.”

“We look forward to exploring the possibility of introducing a statutory holiday,” said Landry. “We will weigh all the factors when making this decision, including the impacts for both employees and employers.”