The RM of Corman Park, as well as the Cities of Warman and Martensville and the Towns of Hepburn, Dalmeny and Langham are following the City of Saskatoon’s lead in observing Thursday, September 30 as a municipal holidays.
Other municipalities in the region, including Osler, Rosthern, Hague, Waldheim, Aberdeen, Delisle, and Borden are not closing their municipal offices that day, but are instead encouraging employees and residents to observe the ‘National Truth and Reconciliation Day’ in other ways.
In June, the federal government passed legislation to make September 30 a federal statutory holiday. Federally-regulated employees, including those with Canada Post, have the day off.
However, the federal statutory holiday legislation does not automatically include private sector workers, or provincial and municipal employees.
Some municipal governments and pubic sector employers in the region are observing the holiday by voluntarily providing employees with a holiday that day.
The Prairie Spirit School Division, Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools Division and Saskatoon Public School Division are among those formally recognizing the statutory holiday. Schools in those divisions are closed September 30.
Warman City Council passed a resolution at its meeting on Monday, September 27 to observe the ‘National Day of Truth and Reconciliation’ as a statutory holiday for all civic employees. The decision to observe the federal statutory holiday is consistent with the wording of the city’s existing ‘paid holiday’ policy.
The City of Martensville’s collective bargaining agreement with its civic employees also includes wording that allows the city to provide its employees with federal statutory holidays.
The RM of Corman Park posted a notice on its website stating that the municipal office will be closed Thursday, September 30 “in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.”
Langham Town Council passed a resolution to formally observe the statutory holiday at its most recent meeting. The Town of Hepburn posted a notice of its intention on its website following a town council decision.
Most communities are posting notices of closure on their websites or facebook pages.