Details

WHEREAS the Family Day holiday is observed in British Columbia on the second Monday in February, while the Family Day holiday is observed on the third Monday in February in Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan, along with Lois Riel Day in Manitoba, Heritage Day in Nova Scotia and Islander Day in Prince Edward Island;

AND WHEREAS aligning the BC Family Day holiday with other provinces would allow families to more conveniently share the holiday with family from other provinces:

AND WHEREAS from a commerce and business perspective, aligning the BC Family Day holiday with other provinces and with President’s Day in the USA would allow our province to remain “open for business” on a day when national and international commerce, business, and markets are open:

AND WHEREAS weather on the later February week end is generally expected to be more favorable for highway travel as compared to a week earlier:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the government of the Province of British Columbia be encouraged to engage in a public consultation process with a view to answering widespread calls to align the date of the BC Family Day holiday with the other provinces in Canada by moving the date of the BC Family Day holiday from the second Monday to the third Monday in February.

SPECIAL NOTE: This resolution was endorsed at the 2016 NCLGA conference; however, UBCM executive has recommended adding the reference to the public consultation process.  This and a second addition relating to commerce and business are underlined.

Responses

UBCM Comments:

Due to time constraints, the UBCM membership was not able to consider resolution 2016-B139 at the 2016 Convention, and the resolution was referred automatically to the UBCM Executive. Upon consideration, the UBCM Executive referred the resolution back to the sponsor, to address questions arising about consultation, and effects on business operations.

As of 2016, UBCM members had not previously considered a resolution requesting the provincial government to move the annual Family Day holiday to the third Monday in February.