Civic Holiday

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Civic Holiday, which falls on August 7 this year, strives to help foster the spirit of community among residents. What do you call Canada’s first-Monday-in-August Civic Holiday? Well, that all depends on where you are. It’s technically not what Canadians call a ‘statutory’ holiday, and different parts of the country celebrate in different ways. For example, in Ottawa, it’s Colonel By Day — in honour of Lieutenant Colonel John By — who supervised the construction of Ottawa’s Rideau Canal. New Brunswick calls it New Brunswick Day, while it’s Simcoe Day in Toronto. John Graves Simcoe was the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada. Some provinces and cities don’t celebrate at all.