News Release

FREDERICTON (GNB) – The provincial government is considering introducing a statutory holiday in February to recognize New Brunswick families.

The announcement was made today by Social Development Minister Cathy Rogers, who is responsible for child, youth and family services, and Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Francine Landry.

“New Brunswick is built on strong families and communities,” said Rogers. “Giving hard-working New Brunswickers a chance to take a break and spend a day with their families could lead to a more engaged and productive workforce.”

“We look forward to exploring the possibility of introducing a statutory holiday,” said Landry. “We will weigh all the factors when making this decision, including the impacts for both employees and employers.”

If a February holiday were to be legislated, New Brunswick would have eight statutory holidays per year.

During the coming months, the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour will conduct a preliminary analysis. It will consider whether the holiday should be a paid public holiday and assess the impacts on employers and New Brunswickers. The analysis will also include a jurisdictional review.

The period between New Year’s Day and Good Friday is the longest span of the year without a paid holiday. New Brunswick is one of three provinces that do not have a mid-winter statutory holiday dedicated to families.

Last year, Nova Scotia became the seventh province to legislate a paid holiday in February celebrating families, joining Prince Edward Island, Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.