School holidays in Canada in 2025-26

School holidays can be an enjoyable time for children, but they can also create challenges for parents. Many need to adjust their work schedules or arrange childcare, so knowing term dates in advance is important for planning.

Families may also need to budget for these periods. Whether it’s organising a trip abroad, paying for childcare, or signing children up for holiday camps, managing money carefully is essential. For expat families in Canada who travel frequently or stay connected to their home country, services like Wise can make international payments and handling different currencies easier.

An overview of school holidays in Canada
When are the Canadian school holidays in 2025-26?
When are the Canadian school holidays in 2026-27?
When are the public holidays in Canada?
Tips for expat parents in the US

An overview of school holidays in Canada

School holidays in Canada vary by province/territory, city, and sometimes even individual school. In general, the school year begins around late August/early September and ends around mid/late June. There are three main breaks:

Winter break – two-week holiday covering the Christmas and New Year period, running from mid/late December until the start of January
Spring break – lasting one or two weeks, usually sometime in March or April (but can sometimes be February or May in some areas)
Summer break – lasting over two months (around 9–10 weeks), usually starting around mid/late June.

Some schools may have an additional Fall break lasting one week around November.

In addition to the longer breaks, there are shorter holidays to cover the five national annual public holidays in Canada, provincial/territorial public holidays, and individual school professional development days.

You can find out more information, including some calendars for 2025-26 and 2026-27, on the following provincial and territorial websites:

International schools in Canada generally set their own independent calendar, sometimes with longer seasonal breaks, but they are usually closely aligned with local public schools in the area.

When are the Canadian school holidays in 2025-26?

Here is a rough guide to the Canadian school calendar for 2025-26. You can find the exact dates for your school by visiting the website of your province or territory, local school district, or individual school.

Holiday	Date(s)
First day of school	Around 2–4 September, although earlier (around 25–27 August) in some areas, especially Quebec and Yukon
Winter break	22 December – 2 January
Spring break	Typically one week starting 16, 23, or 30 March; some schools have a two-week break; others have an earlier break in February (especially in Saskatchewan) or a later break (especially in Northwest Territories or Nunavut)
Summer break	Starting around 24–26 June, although about one week later in some areas (e.g., Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario) or 1–2 weeks earlier in others (e.g., Quebec and Yukon)

*Information correct on 27th March 2026

When are the Canadian school holidays in 2026-27?

Holiday	Date(s)
First day of school	Around 8-10 September, although earlier (around 31 August–2 September) in some areas, especially Quebec and Yukon
Winter break	21 December – 1 January
Spring break	Typically one week starting 15, 22, or 29 March; some schools have a two-week break; others have an earlier break in February (especially in Saskatchewan) or a later break (especially in Northwest Territories or Nunavut)
Summer break	Starting around 30 June–2 July, although about one week later in some areas (e.g., Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario) or 1–2 weeks earlier in others (e.g., Quebec and Yukon)

*Information correct on 27th March 2026

When are the public holidays in Canada?

Canada has five nationwide public holidays during the year , plus around seven additional holiday dates for federal employees. In addition, each province and territory has its own regional holidays and school calendars. Some public holidays may fall during school term time and are treated as additional days off. For full details, check with your school or local education authority.

Holidays & Celebrations

Public holidays in Canada

Financial planning for the school holidays

School holidays can mean additional costs for families. Activities, childcare, travel, and vacation travel costs are all potential considerations. This can be especially true for expat families travelling internationally or paying for services in different currencies.

When planning trips abroad during school breaks, it’s a good idea to:

Create a holiday budget that accounts for currency fluctuations
Consider the most cost-effective way to spend money abroad
Plan ahead for any international payments made for activities or facilities overseas

Using a Wise multi-currency account can help you manage your holiday finances.

Wise Wise, you can hold and convert in 40+ currencies, as well as spend abroad in 150+ countries with the Wise card.

Go to Wise

Childcare during the school holidays

Childcare options for school-age children in Canada during the holidays includes:

Holiday camps: Offered by private providers, nonprofits such as the YMCA, and municipal recreation programs
Programs in schools or community centers: Run by licensed childcare providers or local organizations, sometimes using school facilities
Home-based childcare: including nannies, babysitters, au pairs, or home daycare providers

Costs vary depending on the type, provider, and location. You can check for options in your area by contacting your local school, childcare registry, or municipal recreation website. You can also look on websites such as Our Kids or YMCA.

10 fun summer camps in Canada

Canada has many fun summer camps where kids can learn and play. Here is a selection:

You can search for summer camps in Canada on websites such as Our Kids and camps.ca.

Education