Is this a new (additional) holiday? Here in Alberta, when they brought in the Family Day holiday in February (I think it's the third Monday), it replaced the August statutory holiday. Right... how many people prefer a long weekend in the cold, dark days of winter over one at the height of summer?

It's a new/additional holiday. Apparently the prov gov't polled some people here to see if it should be the 2nd or 3rd Monday. There were enough people who didn't want the conflict with President's Day so the gov't chose the 2nd Monday.

http://tinyurl.com/6qhakof

Having it a different day than elsewhere means someone has to work to do the business missed if not there when others are. Seems kinda dumb.

Hye krp - don't understand your comment that the Family Day holiday in February replaced the August long weekend. The August long weekend is still a stat holiday in the Province.

http://www.statutoryholidays.com/alberta.php

cruiser, read that page a bit more closely: "•Heritage Day, first Monday of August, is officially not a statutory holiday but some people and businesses take the day off ", and right from the government website, a list of stat holidays: http://employment.alberta.ca/SFW/1472.html

Many national companies (banks etc.), federal government offices and the post office, and some unionized workplaces, which include Heritage Day as a stat in their contracts, are closed, or include it as a paid stat, but it's not one for the run-of-the-mill Alberta worker.

In Ontario Family Day is a provincial stat holiday, meaning most federal employees do not have if off, unless it is written into contracts. For example, postal workers do not have it off.Suspect it is same in Alberta, and likely will be so in BC.

I stand corrected, however it did not "replace" the August holiday (as you stated Jasper); companies chose which holiday to observe. I don't know anyone who lost the August holiday.

It's always been my impression that we are pretty free & easy with stat holidays in BC. My guess is that not just the provincial institutions will be closed but also the municipal, the federal, the banks, etc etc - retail & restaurants would be open, that sort of thing, but I bet everyone else will be closed. Look at Boxing Day - it's not technically a stat but do you know anyone who is open on Boxing Day other than retail (not even all restaurants are open that day)? And I for one DO intend to make it a real family day!

I would think this day will be just like Victoria Day weekend. White collar offices, schools and banks will close but retail will be open as usual. I can't think of another stat hol, except Christmas and perhaps New Year, when someone isn't working while others are. I think that's a bit of a nuisance for families for any of our stats. There is a lot of comment flying around here right now, highlighting everyone's politics! LOL In years when Easter is late, it will be nice to have a break between Christmas and Easter. Don't know what warm climate you can fly to in 3 days though. There you go East! It can be a "snow day," as they say, but for the whole family.