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York Region District School Board

Significant Faith Days

York Region is rich in culture and diverse in religious beliefs and practices based on faith.

The dates listed below are some faith holidays of particular significance to members of the major faith communities in our Board. We are committed to affirm and value equally the faith diversity in our schools, therefore, events such as field trips, school concerts, conferences, meetings, workshops, other professional events, co-curricular activities, and exams/tests will not be scheduled on these dates::

    DateFaith Day / CelebrationFaith
    October 3 - 4, 2024Rosh Hashanah **Judaism
    October 12, 2024Yom Kippur **Judaism
    November 1, 2024DiwaliHinduism
    December 25, 2024ChristmasChristianity (Western)
    January 7, 2025ChristmasChristianity (Eastern)
    January 29, 2025Lunar New YearBuddhism
    March 31, 2025Eid-ul-Fitr* **Islam
    April 13, 2025Pesach/Passover **Judaism
    April 14, 2025VaisakhiSikhism
    April 18, 2025Good Friday Christianity (Western)
    April 18, 2025Holy FridayChristianity (Eastern)
    April 20, 2025RidvanBaha’i
    June 6, 2025Eid-ul-Adha * **Islam

    * Dates are subject to the sighting of the moon and may vary for different members of the Islamic faith

    ** All Jewish and Islamic Holy Days commence on the preceding evening at sunset.

    Exceptions are sometimes made in the case of extended field trips. These exceptions are made with Superintendent approval and take into consideration the impact to students participating, the availability of learning opportunities and their educational value.

    Please note that in addition to the above-listed dates, YRDSB will take reasonable steps to accommodate students and staff members of a faith group for whom the Board’s and the school’s operations or requirements create undue hardship and interfere with their ability to exercise their religious beliefs and practices.

    These dates may include, but are not limited to the following:

    DateFaith Day/CelebrationFaith
    June 21, 2024National Indigenous Peoples Day 
    July 17, 2024Ashura* **Islam
    October 17-23, 2024Sukkot**Judaism
    October 24-25, 2024Shmini Atzeret/Simchat Torah**Judaism
    November 1, 2024All Saints’ DayChristianity (Western)
    November 15, 2024Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev JiSikhism
    January 5, 2025Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh JiSikhism
    March 1, 2025-March 30, 2025Ramadan* **Islam
    March 5, 2025Ash WednesdayChristianity (Western)
    March 14, 2025Purim **Judaism
    March 14, 2025HoliHinduism
    March 20, 2025Naw-RuzBaha’i
    March 21, 2025Nowruz (Ismaili) * **Islam
    March 21, 2025Nowruz (New Year’s Day)Zoroastrianism
    April 13-April 20, 2025Pesach/Passover ** ***Judaism
    April 21-May 2, 2025RidvanBaha’i
    May 12, 2025WesakBuddhism
    June 2 - 3, 2025Shavuot **Judaism
    June 21, 2025National Indigenous Peoples DayIndigenous

    * Dates are subject to the sighting of the moon each month and may vary for different members of the Islamic faith

    ** All Jewish and Islamic Holy Days commence on the preceding evening at sunset.

    *** The first two days and last two days of Passover are observed as full Holy Days

    YRDSB Diamond Days

    DateFaith DayFaith
    September 23-24, 2025Rosh Hashanah 2Judaism
    October 2, 2025Yom Kippur 2Judaism
    October 20, 2025DiwaliHinduism, Jainism, Sikhism
    December 25, 2025ChristmasChristianity (Western)
    January 7, 2026ChristmasChristianity (Eastern)
    February 17, 2026Lunar New YearBuddhism
    March 20, 2026Eid-ul-Fitr 1 2Islam
    April 2, 2026Pesach/Passover 2Judaism
    April 3, 2026Good FridayChristianity (Western)
    April 10, 2026Holy FridayChristianity (Eastern)
    April 14, 2026VaisakhiHinduism, Sikhism
    April 21, 2026RidvanBaha’i
    May 27, 2026Eid-ul-Adha 1 2Islam

     

    Please note that in addition to the above listed dates, all staff are encouraged to take reasonable steps to accommodate students, families and staff members of a faith group who state that the Board’s school and workplace operations or requirements create undue hardship and interfere with their ability to exercise their religious beliefs and practices.

     

    These dates may include, but are not limited to the following:

    DateFaith Day / Celebration Faith
    July 6, 2025Ashura 1 2Islam
    October 7-13, 2025Sukkot 2Judaism
    October 14-15, 2025Shmini Atzeret/Simchat Torah2Judaism
    November 1, 2025All Saints’ DayChristianity (Western)
    November 5, 2025Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev JiSikhism
    January 5, 2026Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh JiSikhism
    February 18, 2026Ash WednesdayChristianity (Western)

    February 19-March 20,

    2026

    		Ramadan 1 2Islam
    March 3, 2026Purim 2Judaism
    March 3, 2026HoliHinduism
    March 21, 2026Naw-RuzBaha’i
    March 21, 2026Nowruz (Ismaili) 1 2Islam
    March 21, 2026Nowruz (New Year’sDay)Zoroastrianism
    April 2-April 9, 2026Pesach/Passover2 3Judaism
    April 21-May 2, 2026RidvanBaha’i
    May 22-May 23, 2026Shavuot 2Judaism
    May 31, 2026WesakBuddhism
    June 21, 2026National Indigenous Peoples DayIndigenous

     

    1 Dates are subject to the sighting of the moon each month and may vary for different members of the Islamic faith

    2 All Jewish and Islamic Holy Days commence on the preceding evening at sunset.

    3 The first two days and last two days of Passover are observed as full Holy Days

     

DateFaith Day / CelebrationFaith
October 3 - 4, 2024Rosh Hashanah **Judaism
October 12, 2024Yom Kippur **Judaism
November 1, 2024DiwaliHinduism
December 25, 2024ChristmasChristianity (Western)
January 7, 2025ChristmasChristianity (Eastern)
January 29, 2025Lunar New YearBuddhism
March 31, 2025Eid-ul-Fitr* **Islam
April 13, 2025Pesach/Passover **Judaism
April 14, 2025VaisakhiSikhism
April 18, 2025Good Friday Christianity (Western)
April 18, 2025Holy FridayChristianity (Eastern)
April 20, 2025RidvanBaha’i
June 6, 2025Eid-ul-Adha * **Islam

* Dates are subject to the sighting of the moon and may vary for different members of the Islamic faith

** All Jewish and Islamic Holy Days commence on the preceding evening at sunset.

Exceptions are sometimes made in the case of extended field trips. These exceptions are made with Superintendent approval and take into consideration the impact to students participating, the availability of learning opportunities and their educational value.

Please note that in addition to the above-listed dates, YRDSB will take reasonable steps to accommodate students and staff members of a faith group for whom the Board’s and the school’s operations or requirements create undue hardship and interfere with their ability to exercise their religious beliefs and practices.

These dates may include, but are not limited to the following:

DateFaith Day/CelebrationFaith
June 21, 2024National Indigenous Peoples Day 
July 17, 2024Ashura* **Islam
October 17-23, 2024Sukkot**Judaism
October 24-25, 2024Shmini Atzeret/Simchat Torah**Judaism
November 1, 2024All Saints’ DayChristianity (Western)
November 15, 2024Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev JiSikhism
January 5, 2025Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh JiSikhism
March 1, 2025-March 30, 2025Ramadan* **Islam
March 5, 2025Ash WednesdayChristianity (Western)
March 14, 2025Purim **Judaism
March 14, 2025HoliHinduism
March 20, 2025Naw-RuzBaha’i
March 21, 2025Nowruz (Ismaili) * **Islam
March 21, 2025Nowruz (New Year’s Day)Zoroastrianism
April 13-April 20, 2025Pesach/Passover ** ***Judaism
April 21-May 2, 2025RidvanBaha’i
May 12, 2025WesakBuddhism
June 2 - 3, 2025Shavuot **Judaism
June 21, 2025National Indigenous Peoples DayIndigenous

* Dates are subject to the sighting of the moon each month and may vary for different members of the Islamic faith

** All Jewish and Islamic Holy Days commence on the preceding evening at sunset.

*** The first two days and last two days of Passover are observed as full Holy Days

YRDSB Diamond Days

DateFaith DayFaith
September 23-24, 2025Rosh Hashanah 2Judaism
October 2, 2025Yom Kippur 2Judaism
October 20, 2025DiwaliHinduism, Jainism, Sikhism
December 25, 2025ChristmasChristianity (Western)
January 7, 2026ChristmasChristianity (Eastern)
February 17, 2026Lunar New YearBuddhism
March 20, 2026Eid-ul-Fitr 1 2Islam
April 2, 2026Pesach/Passover 2Judaism
April 3, 2026Good FridayChristianity (Western)
April 10, 2026Holy FridayChristianity (Eastern)
April 14, 2026VaisakhiHinduism, Sikhism
April 21, 2026RidvanBaha’i
May 27, 2026Eid-ul-Adha 1 2Islam

 

Please note that in addition to the above listed dates, all staff are encouraged to take reasonable steps to accommodate students, families and staff members of a faith group who state that the Board’s school and workplace operations or requirements create undue hardship and interfere with their ability to exercise their religious beliefs and practices.

 

These dates may include, but are not limited to the following:

DateFaith Day / Celebration Faith
July 6, 2025Ashura 1 2Islam
October 7-13, 2025Sukkot 2Judaism
October 14-15, 2025Shmini Atzeret/Simchat Torah2Judaism
November 1, 2025All Saints’ DayChristianity (Western)
November 5, 2025Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev JiSikhism
January 5, 2026Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh JiSikhism
February 18, 2026Ash WednesdayChristianity (Western)

February 19-March 20,

2026

Ramadan 1 2Islam
March 3, 2026Purim 2Judaism
March 3, 2026HoliHinduism
March 21, 2026Naw-RuzBaha’i
March 21, 2026Nowruz (Ismaili) 1 2Islam
March 21, 2026Nowruz (New Year’sDay)Zoroastrianism
April 2-April 9, 2026Pesach/Passover2 3Judaism
April 21-May 2, 2026RidvanBaha’i
May 22-May 23, 2026Shavuot 2Judaism
May 31, 2026WesakBuddhism
June 21, 2026National Indigenous Peoples DayIndigenous

 

1 Dates are subject to the sighting of the moon each month and may vary for different members of the Islamic faith

2 All Jewish and Islamic Holy Days commence on the preceding evening at sunset.

3 The first two days and last two days of Passover are observed as full Holy Days

 

The Board also advocates the recognition of “Days of Significance” as outlined in the Multifaith Calendar and recommends that individual schools and workplaces, in consultation with their School Councils, develop appropriate ways of recognizing and celebrating such days.


This list does not represent all observances practiced by YRDSB diverse-faith community.

For additional information

Please contact your school’s Principal or Superintendent or iscs@yrdsb.ca.