Leave of absence by province
Employees in Canada are entitled to leaves of absence away from work for family events, unexpected circumstances, and civil duties such as voting. Some leave policies are governed nationally, while most other leaves are set by provincial legislation.
The table below outlines the minimum leave durations and standards for each Canadian province and territory.
| Type of Leave (Duration) |
Province/
Territory | Maternity (weeks) | Parental (weeks) | Adoption (weeks) | Compassionate Care
(weeks)
| Bereavement (days) | Sick (days) | Voting (Provincial/
Federal) |
| Alberta | 16 | 62 | 62 | 27 | 3 | * | 3/3 |
| BC | 17 | 61 | 62 | 27 | 3 | * | 4/3 |
| Manitoba | 17 | 63 | 63 | 28 | 3 | * | 3/3 |
| New Brunswick | 17 | 62 | 62 | 28 | 5 | 5 | 3/3 |
| Newfoundland | 17 | 61 | 61 | 28 | 3 ¹ | 7 | 4/3 |
| NWT | 17 | 61 | 37 | 27 | 3/7 | 5 | 3/3 |
| Nova Scotia | 16 | 77 | 77 | 28 | 5 | 3 | 3/3 |
| Nunavut | 17 | 37 | 37 | 8 | * | * | 2/3 |
| Ontario | 17 | 61 | 63 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3/3 |
| PEI | 17 | 62 | 62 | 28 | 3 ³ | 1 ⁴ | 1/3 |
| Quebec | 18 | 104 | 104 | 8 | 1 ⁵ | 26 | 4/3 |
| Saskatchewan | 19 | 59 | 63 | 8 | 5 | * | 3/3 |
| Yukon | 17 | 37 | 37 | 8 | 7 | 1/12 ⁶ | 4/3 |
* No provincial law or minimum standard applies.
¹ 1 day paid plus 2 days unpaid if employed more than 30 days (or 2 days unpaid if employed less than 30 days).
² 3 days unpaid or 7 unpaid days if the funeral/memorial service takes place outside the employee's living area.
³ 1 days paid and 2 days unpaid if immediate family member, or up to 3 days unpaid if extended family member.
⁴ 1 day paid after 5 continuous years of employment, or 3 days unpaid after 6 months of employment.
⁵ 1 day paid if immediate family member, and up to 4 additional days unpaid.
⁶ 1 day unpaid for each month of employment up to 12 days per year.
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