by Melissa
(3rd Monday in February, Canada) In October of 2007, the Ontario government decreed a ninth holiday for workers in the province, because “Ontarians work very hard and they deserve more time to spend with the people they love” (Government of Ontario faq sheet). Canadians have long wished for a mid-winter holiday. The government agreed, saying the day “will also give employees a day off between New Year’s Day and Easter, which is a long period of time in which people need a rest” (Government of Ontario faq sheet). Many people expected the day off would fall around February 2, but the province selected the third Monday in February, possibly to provide a long weekend at the same time that American citizens enjoy a long weekend. There are no special activities expected for the day, however, the government expects that “a mid-winter holiday may spark an increase in industries such as tourism and entertainment/leisure” (Government of Ontario faq sheet). The holiday was first celebrated in 1990 in the province of Alberta and was later adopted by Saskatchewan in 2007 and Ontatio in 2008. A couple of years later, the government of British Columbia adopted Family Day but chose to celebrate it on the second Monday in February instead of on the typical third Monday of February.
For more information, see: http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/es/family/faq.html and http://www.day-finder.com/family-day-2019.php.