Islander Day in Canada
Islander Day is a holiday in the province of Prince Edward Island on the third Monday of February. It gives people the chance to have a day off to relax or to take a short winter break.

What Do People Do?
Many workers in the province have the day off work or school on Islander Day. The holiday gives people the time to rest, relax and engage in personal activities. The idea of this holiday also centers on celebrating family and the community.
Public Life
Islander Day is a statutory holiday for many people in the province of Prince Edward Island. Schools and many businesses are closed and provincial government employees get the day off but federal government employees in the province may have to choose between Islander Day and the one they receive in August, known as Natal Day.
Background
Islander Day was recently created in the province of Prince Edward Island. The province’s premier Robert Ghiz promised in a previous election that he would look at having a new holiday for the province. He reiterated his promise in April in 2008, saying the new holiday would afford everyone an opportunity to celebrate family and community. The province’s legislator approved the new statutory holiday for Prince Edward Island on November 28, 2008.
It was announced that the second Monday of February would be known as “Islander Day”. Its first observance was scheduled for February 9 in 2009. However, this new holiday caused some concern regarding federal government employees. The Public Service Alliance of Canada’s officials said that federal government employees in the province would need to choose between the February holiday and a federal government holiday in August.
Community and Cultural Affairs Minister Carolyn Bertram raised the issue with Federal Minister of Labour Rona Ambrose. Ms. Bertram said that Islander Day was intended to be a paid holiday for all workers in the province. However, a federal collective agreement happens outside of provincial jurisdiction. Nonetheless, Ms. Ambrose confirmed that she would consider this issue. The holiday's date was later changed in 2009 to be on the third Monday of February. This change was to take effect from 2010 onwards.
Symbols
Prince Edward Island has various provincial symbols including armorial bearings, a great seal, and an official wordmark. The provincial bird is the blue jay (cyanocitta cristata) and the flower is the “lady’s slipper”. The provincial tartan features the following colors:
- Reddish-brown, which signifies the soil’s redness.
- Green, which represents the grass and the trees.
- White, which symbolizes for the caps on the waves.
- Yellow, which represents the Sun.
The red oak (quercus rubra) is the province’s tree. Although many consider the red oak to be the tree on the provincial coat-of-arms (adopted in 1905), this was never formally recognized.
Islander Day Observances
Weekday | Date | Year | Name | Holiday Type | Where it is a statutory holiday |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mon | Feb 15 | 2010 | Islander Day | Common Local Holidays | Prince Edward Island |
Mon | Feb 21 | 2011 | Islander Day | Common Local Holidays | Prince Edward Island |
Mon | Feb 20 | 2012 | Islander Day | Common Local Holidays | Prince Edward Island |
Mon | Feb 18 | 2013 | Islander Day | Common Local Holidays | Prince Edward Island |
Mon | Feb 17 | 2014 | Islander Day | Common Local Holidays | Prince Edward Island |
Mon | Feb 16 | 2015 | Islander Day | Common Local Holidays | Prince Edward Island |
Mon | Feb 15 | 2016 | Islander Day | Common Local Holidays | Prince Edward Island |
Mon | Feb 20 | 2017 | Islander Day | Common Local Holidays | Prince Edward Island |
Mon | Feb 19 | 2018 | Islander Day | Common Local Holidays | Prince Edward Island |
Mon | Feb 18 | 2019 | Islander Day | Common Local Holidays | Prince Edward Island |
Mon | Feb 17 | 2020 | Islander Day | Common Local Holidays | Prince Edward Island |
Quick Facts
Islander Day is a day off for many people in the province of Prince Edward Island in Canada.Islander Day 2018
Monday, February 19, 2018 (Prince Edward Island)Islander Day 2019
Monday, February 18, 2019 (Prince Edward Island)Name in other languages
Name | Language |
---|---|
Islander Day | English |
Fête des Insulaires | French |
Islander Day | German |
Related holidays
- Family Day – Monday, February 12, 2018, Monday, February 19, 2018
- Natal Day – Monday, August 6, 2018
- Nova Scotia Heritage Day – Monday, February 19, 2018
Other holidays in February 2018 in Canada
- Groundhog Day – Friday, February 2, 2018
- Family Day – Monday, February 12, 2018
- Carnival/Shrove Tuesday – Tuesday, February 13, 2018
- Ash Wednesday – Wednesday, February 14, 2018
- National Flag of Canada Day – Thursday, February 15, 2018
- Chinese New Year – Friday, February 16, 2018
- Family Day – Monday, February 19, 2018
- Yukon Heritage Day – Friday, February 23, 2018
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