What’s open and closed Family Day in Hamilton Feb 19, 2024

Family Day in Hamilton and the rest of Ontario this year falls on Feb. 19, 2024.

While not a federal holiday, the third Monday in February is a regional statutory holiday in most provinces — though some use their own names, as they celebrate the day for different reasons.

Family Day is also observed in Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, and Saskatchewan. Meanwhile, Manitoba recognizes the holiday as Louis Riel Day, Nova Scotia celebrates Heritage Day, and Islander Day is observed on Prince Edward Island.

During the Ontario provincial election in 2007, the Liberal Party’s Dalton McGuinty promised that, if re-elected premier, he would establish a provincial holiday in February. McGuinty made good on his promise.

However, Family Day does not necessarily add to the number of holidays Ontarians receive because employers can substitute any non-statutory holidays that employees may already receive in lieu of this day. Many employers have substituted the popular Civic Holiday, which falls on the first Monday in August.

Here’s what is open and closed in Hamilton on Family Day 2024.

Open

• Canada Post
• Most convenience and drug stores
• Federal Government offices
• Hamilton Civic Museums:
  • Battlefield House Museum & Park
  • Dundurn National Historic Site: Family Day at Dundurn
  • Hamilton Military Museum
  • Fieldcote Memorial Park & Museum: Family Day – Pine Cone Café
  • The Hamilton Children’s Museum: Family Day – Pine Cone Café
  • Hamilton Museum of Steam & Technology: Unplugged Family Day Activity Centre
  • Whitehern Historic House & Garden
• Bennetto Recreation Centre will be open for swimming and gym
• Restaurants typically open on Mondays
• Royal Botanical Gardens: The RBG Centre open early for its Winter Exhibit
• Select City of Hamilton Recreation Centres and Arenas will be open on a modified Family Day Schedule
• The Tropical Greenhouse at Gage Park

Closed

• Banks
• Beer Store
• City of Hamilton administrative offices
• Hamilton Farmer’s Market
• Most major grocery stores
• LCBO
• Libraries
• Municipal parking enforcement
• Ontario works
• Provincial Government offices
• Service Ontario

Mail delivery

Mail delivery will not be impacted, as it falls under federal services

Transit

• Hamilton Street Railway will operate a special holiday schedule, ending at 9 p.m. Visit the HSR website for the most up-to-date schedules.
• Routes that do not operate on Sundays will not operate on Family Day. As a result, HSR myRide and Route 18 Waterdown Mountaineer will not be running.
• GO Transit will run on a Saturday schedule.

Trans-Cab will operate a modified schedule. Service between Countrywide Recycling and the Twenty at Nebo transfer point will not run.

GO Transit will operate on a Saturday schedule.

The Accessible Transit Services Customer Service office will be closed.

DARTS will be operating holiday service hours. If passengers must travel on this day, they must make a reservation in advance.

Waste and recycling

Green bin, blue box, garbage, and bulk waste will not be picked up.

Waste collection will occur one day later.

Waste must be at the curb by 7 am.

Community Recycling Centres are closed.