September 25, 2025
Four years ago, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was first observed, a federal statutory holiday established to honor the legacy of the residential school system and the experiences of survivors, their families and communities. However, September 30 is not a statutory holiday in all provinces or territories (BC, Manitoba, PEI, Yukon, NWT and Nunavut all observe a mandatory holiday, while other provinces do not). Wanting to better understand how the Day is viewed by Canadians, we asked a series of questions of residents across the country.
Results show that approximately half of those who are working say that their workplace will be closed on September 30th. Just under half of the population more generally feels that September 30th should be a full statutory holiday when all businesses should be closed, while a third disagree, and a quarter are not sure. Support for a mandatory holiday is stronger among those aged up to 54 than among those aged 55 and up.
Turning to what plans Canadians have for Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, three-in-ten said they plan to go to work like any other day, while an additional quarter plan to take the Day as a day off. All together, three-in-ten plan to undertake some action towards reconciliation, from supporting or shopping from Indigenous-owned businesses, attending events, pursuing educational programming or reading, or volunteering, with many saying they will be pursuing multiple types of activities.
“It’s concerning that many Canadians still view September 30th merely as a day off, rather than an opportunity to engage meaningfully in reconciliation,” said Margaret Chapman, COO & Partner. “At the same time, it’s encouraging to witness the large number of individuals who are taking action, whether by attending community events, reading and reflecting, or participating in educational programs. Reconciliation is a shared responsibility, and it’s essential that all Canadians have access to the resources and opportunities needed to learn, grow, and contribute to this important work.”
Results are from an online survey conducted in partnership between Narrative Research and the Logit Group. The survey was conducted between September 10 – 12, 2025 with 1,230 Canadians, 18 years of age or older from the Logit Group’s online Canadian Omnibus. Data were weighted based on the 2021 Census, by gender, age, and region to reflect actual population distribution. For more information, please contact:
Margaret Chapman, COO & Partner, Narrative Research – 902.493.3834, mchapman@narrativeresearch.ca
OR
Sam Pisani, Managing Partner, Logit Group – 416.629.4116, sam.pisani@logitgroup.com
Narrative Research (www.narrativeresearch.ca), is a non-partisan, 100% Canadian-owned, research company, certified as a Women Business Enterprise (WBE). Narrative Research provides clients with state-of-the-art research and strategic consulting services.
The Logit Group (https://logitgroup.com/) is a leading North American data collection and market research execution company headquartered in Toronto, conducting large-scale projects for a variety of well-known research agencies and brands. Logit employs industry-best technologies across an array of methodologies, and is independent, experienced and quality-oriented.
The questions asked were:
As you may or may not know, September 30 is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Is your workplace closed on September 30?
- Yes
- No
- Not applicable (do not work)
- Not sure
What are you planning to do on September 30?
- Attending a local event (such as an ‘Every Child Matters’ walk or gathering)
- Reading and reflecting on my own at home (e.g. reading the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action)
- Attending a virtual event online (e.g. those hosted by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation or the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund)
- Participation in events organized through my workplace
- Educational programming organized through my workplace
- Going to work like any other day
- Whatever I feel like doing that day – to me it’s a day off
- Volunteering with an Indigenous-owned business or organization
- Supporting or shopping from Indigenous-owned businesses
- Something else not listed
In your view, should National Day for Truth and Reconciliation be a statutory holiday, when all businesses should be closed?
- Yes
- No
- Not sure
