Spending Simcoe Day At Lake Simcoe

The first Monday in August is a Civic Holiday here in Canada.  It’s officially known as a Civic Holiday but each region has it’s own name for the day. 

In fact, Wikipedia advises that it’s known as British Columbia Day in British Columbia, New Brunswick Day in New Brunswick, and Saskatchewan Day in Saskatchewan.  It is also an official statutory holiday in Nunavut and Northwest Territories, where it is simply known as “Civic Holiday”.

In Alberta, Heritage Day is an “optional” civil holiday. The first Monday in August is celebrated as Natal Day in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, but is not an official provincial holiday.

It is an official provincial holiday in Ontario, and is celebrated as a municipal holiday as Simcoe Day in Toronto, and Colonel By Day in Ottawa, Joseph Brant Day in Burlington, Founders’ Day in Brantford, McLaughlin Day in Oshawa, Alexander Mackenzie Day in Sarnia, James Cockburn Day in Cobourg, and John Galt Day in Guelph.

So I’ll be spending Simcoe Day at our lake home on the shores of Lake Simcoe.  Many people think the holiday was named for the Lake.  It is, in fact, named for Lord John Graves Simcoe, the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada.

Where ever you spend today and whatever name you choose to call the holiday, I hope you have a great day!