On February 7, 2023, the B.C. government announced that September 30 will be declared a provincial statutory holiday. Although schools have observed this day the past two years, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation will be enshrined in B.C. law to give more people the chance to honour the strength and resilience of residential school survivors and remember the children who never came home. This is another sign of our government’s commitment to lasting and meaningful reconciliation with the Indigenous Peoples of B.C.

For the purposes of the school calendar, please ensure that this day is observed as a statutory holiday. Please be aware that boards are required to continue to offer the following hours of instruction in the 2023-24 and subsequent school years: 853 hours for Kindergarten, 878 hours for Grades 1 to 7, and 952 hours for Grades 8 to 12.

For any questions about the school calendar submission process, please contact Tracie Carlson, Legislative Coordinator, at the Governance, Legislation, and Workforce Branch at (250) 387-8037 or educ.schoolcalendars@gov.bc.ca.

For any questions about labour relations implications, please contact your BCPSEA District Liaison.