Thanksgiving in Ontario cities: What is open and closed on October 14, 2024?

Preferred region



How does this work?

Here's a look at what's open and closed on Thanksgiving in Mississauga, Brampton, Toronto, Hamilton, Oakville, Milton, Burlington, Oshawa, Whitby, Pickering, Clarington, Niagara Falls and the Niagara Region on Monday, October 14, 2024.

Thanksgiving has been officially celebrated as an annual holiday in Canada since November 6, 1879 and usually occurs on the second Monday in October.

On January 31, 1957, Vincent Massey, Governor General of Canada, issued a proclamation stating: “A day of general thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed – observed on the second Monday in October. “”

Unlike in the United States, the Canadian festival takes place earlier in the fall to coincide with the harvest season in the colder country.

Thanksgiving is a public holiday throughout the country, except in the Atlantic provinces of Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, where the holiday is optional.

Schools, government offices and many non-essential businesses are typically closed on Thanksgiving.

Here's a look at what's open and closed on Thanksgiving Monday:

---

Mississauga has the most shops and Grocery stores remain closed on bank holiday Mondays.

Residents can visit what will be open Square One Shopping Center (including Walmart Supercentre, The Food District and The Rec Room), Whole Foods Square One, T&T Supermarket, some restaurants (call ahead to be sure), some smaller grocery stores (like Rabba grocery stores), most Shoppers Drug Mart locations and movie theaters.

Many locations will be closed, including local, regional and federal government officesall Peel Region non-emergency services, most large grocery stores, mMost major shopping centers (including Erin Mills Town Center, Dixie Outlet Mall and Heartland Town Center), banks, libraries, community centers and all Beer Store and LCBO locations.

Canada Post will also remain closed (no mail pickup or delivery).

GO Transit will operate on a Saturday schedule and MiWay will operate on a regular Sunday schedule.

There will be no trash collection on Monday, October 14th. Municipal recycling centers are closed and will reopen on Tuesday.

To learn more about what's open and closed on Thanksgiving in Mississauga, click here.

---

In Brampton, most non-essential businesses, including city hall, will be closed.

However, residents can visit Bramalea town center (although all retailers are not guaranteed to be open), most Shoppers Drug Mart locations, some smaller grocery stores (e.g. Rabba Grocery Stores), some restaurants (call ahead ), cinemas and other leisure facilities.

Locations that will remain closed on October 14 include Shoppers World, most major grocery stores, banks, libraries (which will remain closed on Sundays and Mondays), non-essential government offices (including Region of Peel services), LCBO and Beer Store locations , Canada Post (no mail pickup or delivery) and the Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives (PAMA).

Garbage and recycling will be picked up a day later and community recycling centers will be closed.

Brampton Transit will operate on a holiday schedule. Major transit terminals, including lost property access, will be closed. GO Transit will operate on a Saturday schedule.

For more information on what will be open and closed in Brampton, click here.

---

Similar to other regions, most non-essential services and businesses will be closed in Halton on Thanksgiving Monday.

However, residents can still visit local parks and certain outdoor recreation facilities, most Shoppers Drug Mart locations, most restaurants normally open on Mondays, smaller grocery stores (such as Rabba), Conservation Halton Parks such as Crawford Lake, Hilton Falls. Kelso, Mount Nemo, Mountsberg and Rattlesnake Point, Terra Cotta Conservation Area in Halton Hills, some Starbucks and Tim Hortons cafes and Toronto Premium Outlets in Halton Hills.

Banks, non-emergency government services (including city and town halls and Halton Region offices), the animal shelter, most community centers, senior centers, swimming pools, arenas and libraries, all LCBO and Beer Store locations, the Oakville Center for the Performing Arts and the Mattamy National Cycling Center remain closed. Milton Mall, Burlington Centre, Mapleview Mall and Oakville Place will also be closed.

Oakville Transit will operate its holiday schedule, Burlington Transit will operate on a Sunday schedule, Milton Transit will not operate and GO Transit will operate on a Saturday schedule.

There will be no trash pickup on Monday, October 14th (all trash pickup will be one day later than usual).

For more information about what will be open and closed in Halton, click here.

---

Similar to other jurisdictions, most non-essential businesses will be closed. However, residents can visit movie theaters, most Shoppers Drug Mart locations, bars, cafes and restaurants typically open on Mondays (call ahead to be sure), Splitsville Bowling, convenience stores and some cannabis shops.

Most major grocery stores, Lime Ridge Mall, Eastgate Square, Jackson Square, non-essential municipal, regional and federal offices, banks, LCBO and beer stores, libraries, community centers, civic museums, the Gage Park Greenhouse, Canada Post (no mail pickup or delivery), the Hamilton Farmers' Market and the Animal Services office desk are closed.

HSR will operate on a Sunday schedule and GO Transit will operate on a Saturday schedule. DARTS is open during holiday periods.

Garbage and recycling will be picked up a day later. Trash must be at the curb by 7 a.m. Municipal recycling centers will reopen on Tuesday.

To learn more about what will be open and closed, click here.

---

In Durham, most non-essential businesses are closed.

However, a number of locations will be open, including most restaurants, bars and cafes normally open on Mondays (call ahead to be sure), Cineplex cinemas in Bowmanville, Oshawa, Ajax and Pickering, and Landmark Cinemas in Whitby and Roxy Theater in Uxbridge, most Shoppers Drug Mart locations, outdoor recreation facilities including major parks and trails such as the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail and the Oak Ridges Morain, most craft breweries, some Oshawa recreation centers, some cannabis stores, convenience stores, etc. Oshawa Zoo and all three casinos: Pickering Casino Resort, Ajax Casino and Blue Heron Casino in Scugog.

Locations that will be closed include banks, non-essential government offices (including all town and city halls), Canada Post (no mail pickup or delivery), libraries, Pickering Town Centre, Oshawa Centre, all LCBO and Beer Stores -Locations, most major grocery stores, art galleries and museums, most community centers, arenas and swimming pools, Service Oshawa, Humane Society of Durham Region and schools.

Durham Region Transit and Pulse will operate on a holiday schedule and GO Transit will operate on a Saturday schedule.

Monday's Blue Box collection will be postponed until the next day in Whitby and Oshawa.

---

Because Niagara Falls and Niagara-0n-the-Lake are tourist destinations, many attractions are open on Thanksgiving. Residents can also visit the Smart Center and Canada One Mall in Niagara Falls, the Outlet Collection in Niagara-on-the-Lake, restaurants throughout Niagara (but call ahead to be sure), some smaller grocery stores, and movie theaters, most of them Shoppers Drug Mart locations as well as wineries and breweries (but always call ahead just in case).

Niagara Falls tourist attractions such as Bird Kingdom, The Fun House, Niagara City Cruises, Clifton Hill Entertainment, Niagara Falls Fun Zone and Ripley's Believe It or Not! will be open.

Wine Rack locations are open throughout the region.

Several locations will be closed, including the Pen Center and Fairview Mall in St. Catharines, non-emergency municipal services (including all city and town halls, federal and provincial government offices), Canada Post (no mail pickup or delivery), most major grocery stores, banks, LCBO and beer stores, as well as most community centers and libraries.

Niagara Falls Public Transit, Welland Public Transit and St. Catharine Public Transit all operate on holiday schedules. The Niagara Inter-Municipal Transit Service, which operates a regional transit system with stops in St. Catharines, Welland, Niagara Falls, Port Colborne, Thorold and Fort Erie, will operate on a holiday schedule. GO Transit will operate on a Saturday schedule.

There will be no garbage collection on October 14th. All pickups will be one day later.

To find out more about what is open and closed, click here.

---

In Toronto, the usual suspects – schools, banks, non-essential government offices, etc. – are being closed. However, many attractions are open on bank holiday Mondays. Residents and visitors can visit the Eaton Center, Pacific Mall, Rabba grocery stores, most Whole Foods locations, Summerhill Market, Eataly (all locations), Wellington Market, and restaurants, bars, and cafes typically open on Mondays (including restaurants at The Well), and Wine Rack locations.

A number of tourist attractions will also be open including Ripley's Aquarium, the AGO, the ROM, Toronto Zoo, CN Tower, Aga Khan Museum, Hockey Hall of Fame, Casa Loma, Allan Gardens Conservatory, Centennial Park Conservatory , High Park Animal Display and Riverdale Farm. Parks and trails will also be open.

Non-emergency federal, provincial and municipal offices (including city hall), Canada Post (no mail pickup or delivery), banks, libraries, St. Lawrence Market, Sherway Gardens, Dufferin Mall, Scarborough Town Centre, Yorkdale, the Don Mills stores, all LCBO and Beer Store locations, and most major grocery stores will be closed.

The TTC will operate on a holiday schedule and GO Transit will operate on a Saturday schedule.

Garbage and recycling pickup is not affected.

INsauga editorial standards and guidelines