Mark Your Calendars: Key Dates for the Spring-Summer 2025 Semester

What’s a Reading Break? When is Saint Patrick’s Day celebrated? Do we get time off on Easter Monday? Here are answers to some of the questions most international students have when they come to Canada. Keep these dates in mind, and check with your institution for up-to-date information on examination dates, and the last day of classes.

Here are key dates to remember for the spring and summer of 2025 in Canada:

January 1: New Year's Day

A time to take stock and prepare for new beginnings.

January 2-3: Welcome Day

Not all educational institutions begin on the same day, but most do after the first day of the year. Keep an eye on your inbox for an official email from your school, college or university.

Family Day: February 17

This isn’t a national statutory holiday and is only observed in New Brunswick, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. It was created to give Canadians more time with families, which sounds like a great idea, and is!

February 17-21: Reading Break

This period varies from institution to institution. It is a time of no lectures, tutorials or practicals, so use it wisely to get a lot of studying done.

Daylights Saving Time: Sunday, March 9

The clocks ‘spring’ forward, which means they move one hour ahead. Not so complicated when you look at it this way, is it?

Saint Patrick’s Day: March 17

It falls on a Monday, which may or may not be such a good thing depending on what your plans for Tuesday are like. Still, a great day to celebrate though.

April 17: Last day of classes

This date can vary depending on your college or university because some institutions even close a week or two before, but classes usually cease around this period.

Good Friday: April 18

This is a statutory holiday in Canada, meant to be a day of reflection. It is followed by:

Easter Monday: April 21

This is also a federal statutory holiday.

Victoria Day: May 19

A statutory holiday honouring Queen Victoria's birthday celebrated on the Monday between the 18th and the 24th. The holiday is called National Patriotes Day or, to be specific, Journée nationale des patriotes, in Quebec.

Canada Day: July 1

The day our country became a new federation with its own constitution by signing the Constitution Act on this day, back in 1867.

Civic Holiday: August 4

This is a public holiday in some provinces and territories. It isn’t a statutory holiday, but your institution may choose to give students time off, so check with the office. Also, remember that it’s always celebrated on the first Monday of August.