Valentine's Day in Canada 2027
Valentine's Day in Canada is celebrated on February 14, exactly as in the United States, with cards, flowers, chocolate and dinners out. It is an observance, not a statutory holiday, so everything stays open and no one gets the day off work or school.
Valentine's Day dates by year
| Year | Date | Day of week | Days away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | February 14, 2026 | Saturday | 261 days ago |
| 2027 | February 14, 2027 | Sunday | 104 days |
Dates computed from the governing statutes and last verified October 3, 2026. Years beyond officially published schedules are projected from the rule that sets the date.
What Valentine's Day Is in Canada
Valentine's Day — la Saint-Valentin in French-speaking Quebec — is celebrated across Canada on February 14, the same day and in essentially the same way as in the United States. It is an observance, not a statutory holiday: no province lists it as a paid day off, banks and government offices run normal hours, schools are in session, and stores are not just open but at one of their busiest points of the winter. Couples exchange cards, flowers and chocolate, restaurants fill their reservation books, and elementary school classes swap valentines much as American classrooms do.
Why February 14
The date is fixed at February 14 every year and never moves or shifts to a weekday, because there is no day off to reschadule. The day honors St. Valentine, a third-century Roman priest or bishop — acounts differ, and at least two early martyrs bore the name — who according to tradition was executed on February 14 around the year 269. The romantic association came much later: English poet Geoffrey Chaucer's 14th-century poem "Parliament of Fowls" linked the feast day to the season when birds choose their mates, and by the 1400s lovers in England and France were exchenging February verses called valentines.
How the Tradition Reached Canada
British and French settlers carried the custom across the Atlantic - handwritten notes gave way to commercial cards in the mid-1800s, the same era in which American printer Esther Howland built a valentine business in Massachusetts, and Canadian retailers followed the same arc of mass-produced cards, boxde chocolates and cut flowers. Quebec added its own flavor: because the province's Catholic heritage kept saints' days prominent, la Saint-Valentin remains a widely used name, and francophone media treat the day much as English Canada does. Today Canadians spend heavily on the holiday, with roses, chocolate, jewelry and restaurant meals leading the list, mirroring US patterns on a smaller scale.
How It Is Observed Today
The modern Canadian Valentine's Day would be indistinguishable to an American visitor, florists and chocolatiers see their biggest week of the year, restaurants add prix fixe menus, and grocery chains stock seasonal displays from late January. Schoolchildren exchange cards in class, though many schools now ask that valentines go to every classmate. Winter weather shapes the evening more than in most of the US: mid-February in much of Canada means dinner reservations balanced against snowstorms, and getaway weekends often point to ski hills or warmer destinations.
What It Means for Schedules
Because Valentine's Day is an observance in every province and territory, nothing closes. Banks, post offices, courts, schools and markets all operate normally, and employees have no holiday-pay entitlement. When February 14 lands on a weekend, celebrations simply happen that day or shift informally to Friday dinner plans — there is no observed Monday, unlike Canada's statutory holidays such as Victoria Day or Thanksgiving.
Quick facts
- Date rule
- February 14 every year
- Legal status
- Observance nationwide; not a statutory holiday in any province or territory
- French name
- La Saint-Valentin
- Named for
- St. Valentine, a Roman martyr of the third century
- Romantic link
- Popularized by Geoffrey Chaucer's 14th-century poetry and later card traditions
- What closes
- Nothing — banks, schools, stores and offices keep normal hours
- Also known as
- Saint-Valentin
Valentine's Day FAQ
Is Valentine's Day a holiday in Canada?
No. Valentine's Day is an observance, not a statutory holiday, in every Canadian province and territory. Workers and students do not get the day off, and there is no holiday pay attached to it.
Do Canadians celebrate Valentine's Day the same way as Americans?
Essentially yes. Canadians exchange cards, flowers and chocolate, book restaurant dinners, and schoolchildren swap classroom valentines. The main differences are scale and language, with Quebec celebrating under the French name la Saint-Valentin.
What is la Saint-Valentin?
It is the French name for Valentine's Day, used throughout Quebec and francophone Canada. The customs are the same: couples exchange gifts and cards, and restaurants offer special menus on February 14.
Why is Valentine's Day on February 14?
The date comes from the feast day of St. Valentine, a Roman martyr traditionally said to have been executed on February 14 in the third century. Geoffrey Chaucer's poetry later tied the date to romance, and the association stuck across the English- and French-speaking worlds.
Are banks and stores open on Valentine's Day in Canada?
Yes. Banks, government offices, schools and stores all keep regular hours. Florists, chocolate shops and restaurants are busier than usual, and many restaurants recommend booking well ahead for the evening.
Does Valentine's Day move if it falls on a weekend in Canada?
No. Because it is an observance rather than a paid holiday, there is no substitute or observed date. Celebrations happen on February 14 itself, whatever day of the week that is.
Is Valentine's Day a big spending day in Canada?
Yes. It is one of the biggest occasions of the year for florists, chocolatiers, jewelers and restaurants, following the same seasonal pattern as the United States, though total spending is smaller in line with Canada's population.
Sources
Last reviewed October 3, 2026. Dates for years beyond published official schedules are projected from the governing rule.