What’s closed and open Family Day across southern Ontario
Published February 18, 2024 at 1:26 pm
Family Day is on Monday, February 19 in Ontario.
Although not a nationally recognized statutory holiday, Family Day is observed in the province, meaning some organizations, businesses and services will be closed.
Here’s what’s open and closed on Monday (Feb. 19) in various cities across southern Ontario.
Closed: The LCBO, The Beer Store, Wine Rack, banks, most libraries, City Hall, provincial government offices, along with non-emergency services will be closed for Family Day in Mississauga, Brampton, Halton, Hamilton, Durham and Niagara.
Open: Square One, Wal-Mart, and Whole Foods Market in the mall will be open, along with some smaller grocery stores like Rabba and most Shoppers Drug Mart locations.
Canada Post services will continue as normal, while federal government offices will focus on online services.
For public transit, MiWay will run on a holiday schedule. GO Transit will follow a Saturday schedule. Region of Peel TransHelp requires booking all trips for Feb. 19 and 20 by 7 p.m. on Feb. 18.
For more details on places open and closed in Mississauga including hours of operations visit here
Open: Bramalea City Centre will be open on reduced hours while most convenience stores, movie theatres and Shoppers Drug Mart locations will also remain open.
Certain Brampton recreation centres will offer drop-in activities, though try calling in advance to confirm.
Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives (PAMA) will be open.
Essential services, including Fire and Emergency Services, Traffic Services, By-Law Enforcement, Road Operations, and Security Services will continue uninterrupted.
Brampton Transit will operate on a Sunday or holiday service schedule and Go Transit will run on a Saturday schedule.
For more details on places open and closed in Brampton including hours of operations visit here
Open: Most convenience stores, Shoppers Drug Mart, and movie theatres will operate as usual while some restaurants will offer dining and takeout— it’s advisable to call ahead.
Canada Post services and Federal government offices will remain operational.
Recreational facilities like Angela Coughlan Pool in Burlington and skating at Burlington Rotary Centennial Pond will be open.
Public libraries, including Glen Abbey and Iroquois Ridge branches in Oakville, will also be open. Various community centres and malls will have modified hours.
Town-run events in Oakville, Milton, and Burlington will also take place.
Oakville Transit will operate on a holiday schedule. Burlington Transit will follow a Sunday schedule. Milton Transit will not run and GO Transit will operate on a Saturday schedule.
For more details on places open and closed in Halton including hours of operations visit here
Open: Canada Post, most convenience stores, federal government offices, the Hamilton Civic Museums, Bennetto Recreation Centre, restaurants that typically open on Monday’s, Royal Botanical Gardens, select City of Hamilton Recreation Centres and Arenas, and the Tropical Greenhouse at Gage Park.
The Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) has a special holiday schedule that will conclude operations at 9 p.m. For the most current schedule information, passengers are encouraged to visit the HSR website.
It is important to note that routes not in service on Sundays will similarly be inactive on Family Day, affecting HSR myRide and Route 18 Waterdown Mountaineer, which will not be operational.
GO Transit is set to follow a Saturday schedule for the holiday.
Trans-Cab service will see a modified schedule, with no service running between Countrywide Recycling and the Twenty at Nebo transfer point. The Accessible Transit Services Customer Service office will also be closed in observance of the holiday.
For those requiring specialized transportation, DARTS will be offering holiday service hours. Passengers in need of travel on this day are advised to schedule their trips in advance to ensure availability.
For more details on places open and closed in Hamilton including hours of operations visit here
Open: Most Shoppers Drug Mart locations, select restaurants, Canada Post, federal government offices (by appointment), Audley library branch in Ajax, and some cannabis stores and breweries.
A few recreation centres in Oshawa, Ajax, Pickering, Clarington, and Whitby will also be open—call ahead to confirm.
Places open for families to enjoy together include Winterfest in Ajax, the WonderLearn Festival in Clarington, and various recreation centres offering free swimming and skating in Ajax, Pickering, Newcastle and Whitby.
Indoor activities include tours of the Canadian Automotive Museum in Oshawa while outdoor options include activities like snowshoeing at places like Eniskilling Conservation Area in Clarington.
Durham Region Transit will run on a weekend schedule, while GO Transit will follow a Saturday schedule.
For more details on places open and closed in Durham including hours of operations visit here
Open: Canada One, SmartCentres (Niagara Falls, Welland, St. Catharines), Outlet Collection at Niagara, and Shoppers Drug Mart locations.
Some wineries/vineyards, local breweries, and most Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake grocery stores will also be open.
Some bars, restaurants, movie theatres, family-oriented tourist attractions, Canada Post and federal government offices will be open but call ahead to confirm.
GO Transit will run on a Saturday schedule while other transit services will operate on holiday hours.
For more details on places open and closed in Niagara including hours of operations visit here
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