Thanksgiving is Monday, October 12, 2026.
Unlike September 30, this one is a real statutory holiday in Alberta. It is one of the province's nine general holidays, so the pay rules apply, banks and government offices close, and schools are out. But Alberta still has no law forcing stores to close, so more is open than most people expect.
The short answer
Thanksgiving Day is a general holiday under Alberta's Employment Standards Code. If you qualify, you get the day off with pay, or premium pay if you work.
Retail is each business's call. Alberta has no holiday closing law, unlike Manitoba or Nova Scotia. Most grocery stores, malls and pharmacies open on shorter holiday hours. Costco does not.
Do you get paid?
You qualify for general holiday pay if you have worked for the same employer for at least 30 workdays in the 12 months before the holiday.
If you don't work on the Monday: you get your average daily wage, which is your total wages over the previous four weeks divided by the days you worked.
If you do work: your employer either pays 1.5 times your regular wage for the hours you work plus your average daily wage, or pays your regular wage and gives you a future day off with your average daily wage.
Those rules cover the Monday only. The Saturday and Sunday before it are ordinary weekend days. The full list of Alberta holidays and pay rules is here: Alberta Stat Holidays 2026: Dates, Pay Rules, What's Open.
What's closed on Monday, October 12
Banks. All branches. ATMs and online banking work as normal.
Government offices. Federal, provincial and municipal offices are closed, and so are most Alberta registry agents.
Canada Post. No delivery and no counter service.
Costco. Closed for the day, as it is on Alberta's other statutory holidays. Warehouses reopen Tuesday.
Schools. Closed across the province. The Calgary Board of Education and Edmonton Public Schools both list October 12 as a holiday, and CBE students also have a non-instruction day on Monday, October 19.
Libraries. Calgary Public Library is closed all day. Edmonton Public Library closes on statutory holidays.
Courts. Closed.
What's open
Grocery stores. Most large chains open on holiday hours, typically opening later and closing early. Check your store before you head out for the last-minute cranberries.
Malls. The big malls in Calgary and Edmonton usually open on shortened holiday hours, and stores inside a mall follow the mall's hours.
Pharmacies, gas stations and convenience stores. Open, some on reduced hours.
Restaurants. Many open and serve a Thanksgiving menu. Book ahead: Sunday and Monday dinner fill up.
Transit. Edmonton Transit runs a Sunday schedule on October 12 for buses and LRT. Calgary Transit has confirmed buses, CTrains and On Demand run on a Sunday level of service on Monday, October 12. Also in Calgary: the Red Line is closed between Chinook and Heritage stations from October 10 to 12 for track work, with shuttle buses between the two, and full service is scheduled to resume early Tuesday.
Parking in Calgary. On-street ParkPlus parking is free on Monday, October 12, with weekend rates at Calgary Parking parkades and surface lots. Regular rates still apply at partner lots.
City recreation. The City of Calgary is running free family skates on Monday, October 12 (1 to 2:15 p.m. and 2:30 to 3:45 p.m.) at Shouldice, Stu Peppard, Murray CoPot and Rose Kohn/Jimmie Condon arenas, and free family swims (1 to 2:30 p.m. and 3 to 4:30 p.m.) at Glenmore Aquatic Centre and Thornhill. No skate rentals, and you are asked to pick one time slot. City golf courses are closed Saturday and Sunday for the cold and reopen Monday, the last day of the season at McCall Par 3. Edmonton's recreation centres normally open on holiday hours.
The quick list
Closed: banks, all government offices, registries, Canada Post, Costco, schools, libraries, courts.
Open: most grocery stores and malls on holiday hours, pharmacies, gas stations, restaurants, transit on a Sunday schedule.
Pay: a paid day off if you qualify, or 1.5 times pay plus your average daily wage if you work.
Sources:
Government of Alberta, Alberta general holidays and general holiday pay (alberta.ca)
Calgary Board of Education, 2026-2027 Instructional Calendar
Edmonton Public Schools, 2026-27 School Year Calendar
Calgary Public Library, Central Library holiday hours
City of Edmonton, Transit service changes
City of Calgary newsroom, City Services: Thanksgiving Day 2025
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