Dates of Significance - 2025
When we consider creed, we must open our hearts and minds beyond our own perspectives and understanding. While the OHRC does not define creed, reference to creed as religious beliefs and belief systems and practices can be found in recent courts and tribunals. All humans have the right to "be treated with equal dignity and respect, regardless of their creed".
January
*Tamil Heritage Month
01 New Years Day
06 Guru Gobind Singh's Birthday (Sikh)
06 Epiphany (Christianity)
07 Orthodox Christmas (Christianity)
14 Orthodox New Year
14-17 Thai Pongal (Tamil)
19 Epiphany (Orthodox)
21 Lincoln Alexander Day
27 International Holocaust Remembrance Day
29 Lunar New Year (Asia)
February
*Black History Month
*Psychology Month
02 Basant Panchami / Saraswati Puja (Hinduism)
03 Imbolc (Druid)
11 Women and Girls in Science
12 Kindness Awareness Week
12-13 Tu bi-Shevat (Arbor Day) (Judaism)
14 Valentine's Day
15 National Flag of Canada Day
17 Random Act of Kindness Day
17 Family Day
22-25 Great Prayer Festival (Tibet, Buddhist)
26 Pink Shirt Day
26 Shivrati (Hinduism)
28-Mar 1 Start of Ramadan (Islam)
March
Social Work Month
Feb 28-1 Start of Ramadan (Islam)
3-Apr 29 Orthodox Lent (Great Lent)
05 Ash Wednesday (Christianity)
05-Apr 17 Lent (Christianity)
08 International Women's Day
13-15 Holi (Hinduism, Sikhism)
14 Purim (Judaism)
17 Irish Heritage Day (St. Patrick's Day)
20 Eostre (Druid)
20 Nowruz
21 World Down Syndrome Day
23 Earth Hour
26 Purple Day for Epilepsy
27 Laylat al Qadr
29-30 Eid al-Fitr (Islam)
31 International Transgender Day of Visibility
31 National Indigenous Languages Day
April
Sikh Heritage Month
Genocide Awareness Month
02 World Autism Awareness Day
09 Vimy Ridge Day
12-20 Passover/Pesach (Judaism)
13-14 Tamil and Sinhala New Year (Tamil)
14 Vaisakhi (Sikh and Hindu)
18 Good Friday (Christianity)
18 Holy Friday (Orthodox)
20 Palm Sunday (Christianity)
20 Easter (Orthodox)
20 Easter Sunday (Christianity)
20 First Day of Ridvan (Bahá’í)
21 Easter Monday (Christianity)
22 Earth Day
23-24 Yom HaShoah
23-24 Yom HaShoah/Holocaust Memorial Day
May
Asian and South Asian Heritage Month
Jewish Heritage Month
Speech, Language, and Hearing Month
05 Cinco De Mayo
05 National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQIA+ Peoples
5-6 Yom HaShoah - Holocaust Memorial Day (Judaism)
6-10 Children's Mental Health Week
12 Vesak
12-18 Tamil Genocide Education Week
17 International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, Biphobia
26-Jun 1 National Accessibility Week
27-28 Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh(Bahai)
29 Red Shirt Day (Accessibility)
June
Indigenous Histories Month
Pride Month
1-3 Shavuot (Judaism)
4-9 Day of Hajj (Islam)
6-10 Eid-al-Adha (Islam)
08 Pentecost (Christianity)
16 Juneteenth
16 Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev (Sikh)
18 Autistic Pride Day
20 Litha (Druid)
21/22 Alban Hefin (Druid)
21 National Indigenous People's Day
25-26 Islamic New Year (Islam)
29-Jul 3 Gahambar Maidyoshem (Zoroastrianism)
July
5-6 Ashura (Islam)
23 Birthday of Emperor Haile Selassie I (Rastafarian)
August
01 Emancipation Day
09 International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples
09 Raksha Bandhan (Hindu)
September
4-5 Eid-Maulad-un-Nabi (Islamic)
22 Alban Elfed (Druid)
22-24 Rosh Hashanah (Judaism)
22-Oct1 Navaratri
25 Franco Ontarian Day
28-Oct 2 Durga Puja (Hinduism)
30 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
30 Orange Shirt Day
October
Islamic History Month Hispanic Heritage Month
Neurodivergent Acceptance Month
Autism Awareness Month
Disabilities Awareness Month
Dyslexia Awareness Month
Learning Disabilities Awareness Month
Women's History Month
2SLGBTQIA+ History Month
Sept 22-1 Navaratri
Sept 28-2 Durga Puja (Hinduism)
1-2 Yom Kippur (Judaism)
02 Dussehra (Hinduism)
02 Mehragan - Zarathushti (Zoroastrianism)
05 Bodhidharma Memorial (Buddhism)
05 World Communion Sunday (Christianity)
06 Mid-Autumn Festival
6-13 Sukkot (Judaism)
07 Pavarana Day (Buddhism)
7-Nov 5 Kathina (Buddhism)
08 Atmasiddhi Rachna Divas (Jainism)
10 Karwa Chauth (Hinduism)
10 World Mental Health Day
12-16 Ghambar Ayathrem - Zarathushti (Zoroastrianism)
13 Eve of Shmini Atzeret (Judaism)
13 Nichiren Shonin Memorial (Buddhism)
15 Shmini Atzeret (Judaism)
15 Simhat Torah (Judaism)
15 IIm (Bahá’í Faith)
20 Diwali (Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism)
20 Bandhi Chhor Divas (Sikhism)
20 Installation of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (Sikhism)
21 Mahavira Nirvana (Jainism)
22 Vikram New Year (2082) (Hinduism)
22 Jain New Year and Day of Enlightenment (Jainism)
22 Birth of The Báb (Bahá’í Faith)
23 Birth of Bahá'u'lláh (Bahá’í Faith)
25 Ontario Dress Purple Day (Children's Aid)
26 Jnana Panchmi (Jainism)
31 Samhain (Druid)
November
Hindu Heritage Month
01 All Saints Day (Christianity) 0
2 Dia de los Muertos (Mexico)
2-8 Treaties Recognition Week
03 Qudrat (Bahá’í Faith)
05 Dev Diwali (Jainism)
05 Birth Date of Guru Nanak Dev Ji (Sikhism)
05 Birth Date of Shrimad Rajchandra (Jainism)
07 International Inuit Day
4-10 Holocaust Education Week
08 Indigenous Veterans Day
11 Remembrance Day
13-19 Transgender Awareness Week
15 Guru Nanak Jayanti (Sikh)
16 Louis Riel Day
19-25 Anti-Bullying Awareness & Prevention Week
20 Transgender Day of Remembrance
22 Qawl (Bahá’í Faith)
24 Tiantai/Tendai Memorial (Buddhism)
24 Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji (Sikhism)
25 International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women (White Ribbon Day)
25 Day of the Covenant (Bahai)
27 Ascension of Abdu’l-Bahá’í (Bahai)
30 Advent begins (Christianity)
December
01 Maunajiyaras (Day of Fasting with Vow of Silence) (Jainism)
02 International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
04 Sanghamitta Day (Buddhism)
06 National Day of Remembrance and Actions on Violence Against Women
08 Bodhi / Rōhatsu (Awakening) Day (Buddhism)
11 Masá'il (Bahá’í Faith)
13 Birth Date of the Aga Khan (Islam)
14 Eve of Ḥanukkah (Judaism)
15 First day of Ḥanukkah (Judaism)
16 Las Posadas (Latin America)
21 Yaida (Persian Festival for Winter Solstice)
21 Alban Arthan (Druid)
21 Tohji-Taisai (Shinto)
21 Yule (Druid)
22 Last Day of Hanukkah (Judaism)
25 Christmas Day (Christianity)
26 Death Anniversary of Zarathustra - Zarathushti (Zoroastrianism)
26-Jan 1 Kwanzaa
30 Sharaf (Bahá’í Faith)
30 Fast of Tevet 10 (Judaism)
31 Ghambar Maidyarem begins - Zarathushti (Zoroastrianism)