Canada Day in Canada

On July 1, 1867, Canada became a self-governing dominion of Great Britain and a

federation of four provinces: Nova Scotia; New Brunswick; Ontario; and Quebec. The
anniversary of this date was called Dominion Day until 1982. Since 1983, July 1 has
been officially known as Canada Day.

What Do People Do?

In many towns and cities, municipal governments organize a range of events, often
outdoors. These include pancake breakfasts, parades, concerts, carnivals, festivals,
firework displays and citizenship ceremonies for new Canadian citizens. The
celebrations often have a patriotic mood. Canada's national flag is widely displayed
and a lot of people paint their faces red and white, which are Canada's national colors.
The celebrations in Ottawa, which is Canada’s capital city, are particularly exuberant.

In the province of Quebec, many home leases start on July 1 and last for exactly one
year. Hence, many people in Quebec spend Canada Day moving their possessions
from one house to another. In this province, Canada Day is also known as Moving
Day.

In the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, July 1 is also Memorial Day. This
commemorates the heavy loss of life in the Newfoundland Regiment on the first day
of the Battle of the Somme during World War I. In Newfoundland and Labrador, the
morning of July 1 is usually somber. Flags are flown at half-mast and memorial
services are held at cenotaphs (war memorials). In the afternoon, Canada Day
celebrations in the province are similar to those in the rest of the country.
Public Life
July 1 is a statutory holiday in Canada unless it falls on a Sunday; then it moves to
July 2. All provincial governments observe this day. Many organizations, businesses
and stores are closed, although some book stores, pharmacies and gas stations may
be open. Post offices are closed. As Canada Day falls in the Canadian summer holiday
period, all schools are closed.

Public transport services may operate to their usual or a reduced timetable. In some
areas, extra services are provided for large scale events. Street closures due to
concerts, parades and festivals may cause some local disruption to traffic.

Background
On July 1, 1867, the British North Americas Act created the Dominion of Canada as a
federation of four provinces. This event is known as the confederation of Canada. The
four original provinces were created from the former British colonies of Nova Scotia,
New Brunswick and the Province of Canada, which was divided into the provinces of
Quebec and Ontario. Canada's boundaries have been extended since 1867. The
country now consists of 10 provinces and three territories.

On June 20, 1868, the Canada's Governor General proclaimed that Canadians should
celebrate the anniversary of the confederation. July 1 became a statutory holiday,
known as Dominion Day, in 1879. However, no official celebrations were held until the
50th anniversary in 1917 and the 60th anniversary in 1927. After World War II,
Dominion Day was celebrated more frequently and more events were organized by
the national government. After the centenary of the confederation in 1967, Dominion
Day events became more widespread. July 1 became popularly known as Canada
Day. The date was also officially known as Canada Day from 1983 onwards.

Since 2006 Canada Day celebrations were also held at London's Trafalgar Square in
the United Kingdom. It is expected that these celebrations will be held annually.
Depending on the availability of Trafalgar Square, these events may be held just
before, on or just after July 1.

Symbols
Canada's national flag is seen on Canada Day. This consists of two vertical red
rectangles separated by a white square. The white square contains a red image of a
maple leaf. Canada’s national colors are red and white and are used in many ways on
Canada Day. Some people wear red and white clothing and others paint their faces in
these colors.

Canada Day Observances

Holiday Where it is a
Weekday Date Year Name Type statutory holiday

Thu Jul 1 2010 Canada National

Day holiday

Fri Jul 1 2011 Canada National

Day holiday

Sun Jul 1 2012 Canada National

Day holiday

Mon Jul 1 2013 Canada National

Day holiday
 Holiday Where it is a
Weekday Date Year Name Type statutory holiday

Tue Jul 1 2014 Canada National

Day holiday

Wed Jul 1 2015 Canada National

Day holiday

Copyright © Time and Date AS 1995–2017. All rights reserved.

Official Canada Day Weekend 2017 Festivities
June 26, 2017

Don’t miss the biggest Canada Day party ever in Ottawa as we celebrate Canada’s
150th anniversary of Confederation over the entire long weekend, June 30 to July 2, 2017!
Three official sites will feature programming over the three days, including live entertainment by a
range of Canadian artists, as well as the President’s Choice® Canada Day fireworks, the largest
Canada Day pyrotechnic show ever which will be taking place around 11:00 p.m. on the evening
of July 1! And yes, it’s all free!

The three official sites throughout the weekend are:

 Parliament Hill: The centrepiece of Ottawa’s downtown landscape, the political and cultural heart of
the city, and the main site for Canada Day festivities.

 Major’s Hill Park: Conveniently located just a few minutes’ walk from Parliament Hill, between the
Fairmont Château Laurier and the National Gallery of Canada, this beautiful green space features
family-friendly programming and performances.

 Canadian Museum of History: Enjoy indoor and outdoor live entertainment at Canada’s most visited
museum, conveniently located in Gatineau, Quebec, just across the Ottawa River from other official
Canada Day sites.

Note: From 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on July 1, a free shuttle bus will be running between Major’s
Hill Park (bus stop on St. Patrick Street, between the National Gallery of Canada and Major’s Hill
Park) and the Canadian Museum of History (bus stop on Laurier Street, in front of the
museum). Also, various road closures will be in effect from June 27-July 2. For details, see
the complete list of road closures and interactive map.

Here’s an overview of what’s been announced so far:

JUNE 30 – PRE-CANADA DAY FUN

Major’s Hill Park

Throughout the park:

4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.: Buskers, trivia games, airbrush tattoos, fun photo opportunities and more

On the Tim Hortons Family Stage:

4:30 p.m.: Swing dancing performance

5:00 p.m.: Performances by indigenous artists including Pukawiss dancers Performance, David R
Maracle – Spirit World and Traditional Regalia Dancers

On the Tim Hortons Stage:

 7:15 p.m.-10:00 p.m.: Jonathan Painchaud; Moon vs. Sun featuring Raine Maida and Chantal
Kreviazuk

Canadian Museum of History

5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.: Inflatable games, wall climbing and live wild animals, a choir and dance
performances by Syrian refugee children living in Canada (5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.)

8:30 p.m.: A silent battle of the DJs featuring DJ TIZI, DJ Little Fever and DJ Rise Ashen

Parliament Hill

As preparations get underway for the July 1 and July 2 festivities on Parliament Hill, the site will not
feature official programming on June 30 (though rehearsals will be taking place on the outdoor
stage).

JULY 1 – HAPPY CANADA DAY!

All three official sites will be buzzing with excitement all day long and a large portion of the downtown
core will be closed off to motor vehicles. It’s a humongous street party for you to explore! Here’s just
some of what can be expected:

Parliament Hill

This year’s programming on Parliament Hill differs slightly from other years. Here’s an outline of
what’s planned on Parliament Hill and in the surrounding area:

9:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m.: Public entertainment, a carillon concert, pop-up performances and more

11:40 a.m.-1:15 p.m.: Opening celebrations include:

 Inspection of the Guard (note: this is taking place at the Peacekeeping Monument on Sussex Drive,
near the National Gallery of Canada, and it is a different experience than the usual Changing of the
Guard ceremony which takes place on Parliament Hill in the summer)

 A 21-gun salute
 Salute to the Canadian Armed Forces

 Air Show with the Snowbirds, CF-18 and vintage planes

 Special presence of: The Prime Minister of Canada, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, the
Governor General of Canada, His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston and Their Royal
Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, who are celebrating their first Canada
Day in Ottawa as part of their Royal Tour of Canada this summer.

 Appearances and performances by various artists including Buffy Sainte-Marie, Marie-Josée Lord
with Orkidstra, Marie-Mai, Laurence Nerbonne, Patrick Watson, Walk Off The Earth, Bono and The
Edge, and many more!

1:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m.: Celebrate diversity and notable Canadians with a Citizenship Ceremony, CIBC
Reaffirmation Program, concert featuring Kinnie Starr and others, plus notable Canadians

5:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m.: Get inspired by notable Canadians and interactive programming including the
Canada 150th “Sharing Dance”, street performers, a dance battle, pop-up concerts, buskers, floating
decorations and more

8:30 p.m.-11:30 p.m.: Don’t miss the impressive evening show featuring Canadian artists Cirque du
Soleil, Alessia Cara, Marie-Mai, Walk Off The Earth, Lisa LeBlanc, Kelly Bado, Dean Brody, Louis-
Jean Cormier, Serena Ryder, Kinnie Starr, Gordon Lightfoot, Mike Tompkins and more

11:00 p.m.: The President’s Choice® Canada Day fireworks begin (for details, see dedicated
section below)

Major’s Hill Park

Throughout the park:

9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.: Enjoy a huge variety of family-friendly programming including buskers, trivia
games, face painting, fun photo opportunities, swing dancing performances, rides for kids on the VIA
Rail miniature train, the Chicken Farmers of Canada’s 25th annual Great Canadian Chicken BBQ,
and much more!
On the Tim Hortons Family Stage:

9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.: Rotating live entertainment acts throughout the day

On the Tim Hortons Stage:

10:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.: Rotating family acts

6:15 p.m.-10:20 p.m.: Ruth B, Laurence Nerbonne, Mother Mother as well as DJ Rise Ashen with Lil
Theland

Canadian Museum of History

From 9:00 a.m. to midnight, the museum will feature indoor and outdoor programming including
inflatable games, wall climbing, live wild animals, puppet theatre, a Syrian house, plus the official
opening of the museums’ new Canadian History Hall! Live entertainment includes:

6:30 p.m.: The Souljazz Orchestra

9:00 p.m.: The Lost Fingers presenting a special Canada 150 show

Other Sites

Various sites around the city are offering free admission and special programming on Canada
Day including national museums (Canada Agriculture and Food Museum, Canada Aviation and
Space Museum, Canadian History Museum, Canadian Museum of Nature, Canadian War Museum,
Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum, National Gallery of Canada), as well as the Bytown
Museum, the National Arts Centre and the TD Ottawa Jazz Festival. (For even more programming
throughout the city, see our suggestions on what else is happening during Canada Day Weekend
2017.)

PRESIDENT’S CHOICE® CANADA DAY FIREWORKS!

Around 11:00 p.m. on July 1, the 20-minute 17-second (a nod to 2017) President’s Choice® Canada
Day pyromusical fireworks show—the largest Canada Day pyrotechnic show ever—will be
launched from five different locations: Nepean Point, as well as four sites along Confederation
 Boulevard (the ceremonial and discovery route of Canada’s Capital Region) including two sites in
Ottawa and two in Gatineau, Quebec. The result is a dazzling and perfectly synchronized 360-degree
fireworks extravaganza! (Keep in mind the fireworks show is weather dependent.)

Best viewing spots

Parliament Hill is not necessarily the best place to see the fireworks, as the historic Parliament
Buildings can block part of your view. Consider these alternatives:

 The central loop of Confederation Boulevard which runs along Wellington Street, MacKenzie
Avenue, Sussex Drive in Ottawa, as well as Laurier Street in Gatineau

 Major’s Hill Park, overlooking the Ottawa River

 The lawn of the Canadian Museum of History along the Gatineau side of the Ottawa River (note:
the Alexandra Bridge, which links Ottawa to Gatineau, is closed to vehicles as of 6:00 a.m. and to
pedestrians and cyclists as of 9:00 p.m. on Canada Day—subject to change without notice).

JULY 2 – POST-CANADA DAY FESTIVITIES AND WE DAY CELEBRATION

Major’s Hill Park

9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.: Most of the family-friendly activities offered on July 1 are back on July 2 including
live entertainment, buskers, trivia games, face painting, fun photo opportunities, rides for kids on the
VIA Rail miniature train and more.

Canadian Museum of History

9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.: The museum is offering similar indoor and outdoor family-friendly programming
as on July 1 including inflatable games, wall climbing, live wild animals, puppet theatre, a Syrian
house, and much more.

WE Day Canada
From 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., join notable Canadians artists, influential figures and some of Canada’s
remarkable young future leaders on Parliament Hill to celebrate the next generation of Canada’s
change-makers. Guests include:

Hosts: Tyrone Edwards, Jus Reign, Maripier Morin, Kardinal Offishall, Nicolas Ouellet, Inez Point,
Chloe Wilde

Performers: Mustafa Ahmed, Celebrity Marauders, Marc Dupré, Barenaked Ladies, Hedley, Nelly
Furtado, Tom Jackson, Les Trois Accords, Alex Nevsky, Lilly Singh, The Tenors

Speakers: National Chief Perry Bellegarde, Michael “Pinball” Clemons, Roméo Dallaire, Alexandre
Despatie, Jessie Gélinas, Chris Hadfield, Rick Hansen, Aqsa Hussain, Hani Al Moulia, President
Natan Obed, Penny Oleksiak, Joannie Rochette, PK Subban, Margaret Trudeau, Pearl Wenjack and
many more

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR CANADA DAY WEEKEND IN OTTAWA

For full official Canada Day programming details and updates, visit the Canada Day website.

For more on what’s happening in Ottawa over Canada Day weekend, check out our article Extend
Your Stay: What To Do Around Canada Day Weekend 2017.

And to know more on what to expect, how to get around the city and how to prepare for your Canada
Day visit to Ottawa, consult our Canada Day Packing Guide.

Still looking for accommodations for the long Canada Day weekend? Consider the City of
Ottawa’s Urban Camping Program. Select green spaces and parking lots will be converted into
family-friendly sites that visitors can reserve between June 29 to July 4, 2017 for their tents and RVs.
Campers will have access to showers and toilets and in some cases, can access additional amenities
for a small extra fee.

STAY CONNECTED

Many surprises are planned throughout the weekend, so get out there, enjoy the action and share
your experiences using the #MyOttawa and #CanadaDay hashtags!