Days of Observance
As a hospital foundation proud to serve our community, we believe that diversity and inclusion is integral to our day-to-day life at home, at work, and in our community. This calendar is a celebration of the rich tapestry of cultures, traditions, and perspectives that make up our community. The calendar highlights important cultural events, religious holidays, and awareness days throughout the year, fostering understanding and inclusivity. By inspiring communities to support exceptional health care for all in Durham Region and beyond, we aim to honour these special days and learning more about the diverse world we live in. Together, we can build a more inclusive and compassionate society.
We are making every effort to learning and understanding with a commitment to create an environment where everyone feels valued and respected. By embracing this journey, we can foster a culture of growth, ensuring that progress is made every step of the way.
If you believe a correction is needed, please reach out to our Foundation team at foundation@lh.ca.
2025 Observances
Tamil Heritage Month | January |
New Year’s Day | January 1 |
January 4 | |
Epiphany | January 5 |
Guru Gobind Singh Gurpurab | January 6 |
Bodhi Day | January 7 |
Orthodox Christmas | January 7* |
Maghi | January 14* |
Makar Sankranti | January 14* |
Orthodox Epiphany | January 19* |
Martin Luther King Jr. Day | January 20* |
January 17 | |
Lincoln Alexander Day | January 21 |
January 24 | |
January 27 | |
National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack | January 29 |
Lunar New Year | January 29 to February 12* |
Black History Month | February |
Sangha Day | February 12* |
Have a Heart Day | February 14 |
Family Day | February 17* |
February 21 | |
Pink Shirt Day | February 26 |
Maha Shivarati | February 26* |
Losar | February 28* |
March | |
March | |
March | |
March | |
World Hearing Day | March 3 |
Ash Wednesday | March 5* |
Lent | March 5 to April 17* |
International Women’s Day | March 8 |
Purim | March 13 to 14* |
Holi | March 14* |
Hola Mohalla | March 14 to 16* |
March 15 | |
March 17 | |
Two-Spirit Celebration & Awareness Day | March 19 |
Nowruz | March 20* |
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination | March 21 |
World Down Syndrome Day | March 21 |
World Water Day | March 22 |
Eid-al-Fitr | March 31* |
International Transgender Day of Visibility | March 31 |
National Indigenous Languages Day | March 31 |
April | |
April | |
World Autism Awareness Day | April 2 |
Vesak | April 8* |
April 9 | |
April 9* | |
Vaisahki | April 14* |
Good Friday | April 18* |
Easter Sunday | April 20* |
Easter Monday | April 21* |
Passover | April 12 to 20* |
Orthodox Good Friday | April 18* |
Orthodox Easter Sunday | April 20* |
April 23 to April 24* | |
Armenian Genocide Memorial Day in Canada | April 24 |
Speech and Hearing Month | May |
May | |
May | |
May | |
May | |
May | |
May | |
May 5 | |
May | |
National Day of Awareness for Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls | May 5 |
May 12 to 18 | |
Moose Hide Campaign Day | May 16 |
International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia | May 17 |
May 21 | |
Victoria Day | May 19* (on the Monday between 18 and 24) |
National Indigenous History Month | June |
June | |
June | |
June | |
Launch of Pride Season | June |
Hajj | June 4 to June 9* |
Eid Al-Adha | June 6 to 10* |
Pentecost | June 8* |
Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Sahib | June 16* |
Summer Solstice | June 20 |
National Indigenous Peoples Day | June 21 |
June 23 | |
June 24 | |
June 25 to July 1 | |
June 27 | |
July | |
July | |
Canada Day | July 1 |
Ashura | July 5 to 6* |
Islamic New Year | July 6 |
Nunavut Day | July 9 |
Huron Tract Treaty of 1827 Anniversary | July 10 |
Dharma Day | July 10* |
July 28 | |
August | |
August 1 | |
Civic Holiday | August 4* |
International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples | August 9 |
August 15 | |
Krishna Janmashtami | August 15* |
Assumption of Mary | August 15 |
Public Service Pride Week | August 18 to 22 (Third Week of August)* |
World Humanitarian Day | August 19 |
August 18 to 22 (Third Week of August)* | |
September 7 | |
September 11 | |
September 8 to 14 (Second week of September)* | |
Powley Day | September 19 |
Rosh Hashanah | September 22 to September 24* |
September 25 | |
September 21 to 27 (Third week of September) * | |
Navrati | September 22 to October 1* |
Durga Puja | September 28 to October 2* |
National Day of Truth and Reconciliation | September 30 |
October | |
October | |
October | |
October | |
October | |
October | |
National Seniors Day | October 1 |
Yom Kippur | October 1 to October 2* |
National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit and gender diverse people | October 4 |
October 11 | |
Thanksgiving Day | October 13* |
October 18 | |
Diwali | October 20* |
Haldimand Treaty of 1784 Anniversary | October 25 |
November | |
National Indigenous Disabilities Awareness Month | November |
First Week of November | |
Guru Nanak Jayanti | November 5* |
November 5 to 11 | |
November 7 | |
November 8 | |
Remembrance Day | November 11 |
Louis Riel Day (Ontario) | November 16 |
November 20 | |
Transgender Day of Remembrance | November 20 |
November 20 to 26 | |
November 22 (Fourth Saturday of November) | |
International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women | November 25 |
November 25 to December 10 | |
Advent | November 30 to December 24 |
International Day of Persons with Disabilities | December 3 |
National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women | December 6 |
December 10 | |
December 11 | |
Anti-Bullying Day | December 17 |
Hanukkah | December 14 to December 22* |
Winter Solstice | December 21 |
Christmas | December 25 |
Kwanzaa | December 26 |
Those with an asterisk () do not take place on the same day every year.
References:
https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/important-commemorative-days.html
https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontarios-celebrations-and-commemorations
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/calendar-health-promotion-days.html#m01
Days of Significance | Office of Indigenous Relations | University of Waterloo