Today the BC government announced that in 2019, Family Day will move from the second to the third Monday in February. As noted in our press release, reproduced below, the BC Green Caucus wholeheartedly supports this change. In fact, I introduced a Private Member’s Bill in 2017 to  do just this. We are thrilled that the BC NDP have supported this BC Green initiative.

The purpose of Family Day is to highlight the importance of family and to bring families together. This isn’t happening in B.C., with us observing family day a week earlier than all other provinces. Families spread out beyond B.C. aren’t able to be together. Federal employees and many who work in business are forced to work on Family Day since it is a business day everywhere else.  In addition, Family Day in the rest of Canada coincides with President’s Day in the United States (a Federal holiday).

Media Release

Weaver welcomes move to align Family Day with other jurisdictions
For immediate release
February 9, 2018

VICTORIA, B.C. – Andrew Weaver, leader of the B.C. Green Party, welcomed the announcement that Family Day will be moved to the third Monday in February beginning in 2019. Weaver spearheaded this change, introducing a Private Member’s Bill on this issue in 2017.

“This change honours the spirit of Family Day by putting families first and aligning B.C. with the rest of North America,” said Weaver.

“The purpose of Family Day is to highlight the importance of family and to bring families together. The previous B.C. Liberal government’s choice of Family Day prevented this from happening in our province. Families spread out beyond B.C. aren’t able to be together. Federal employees and many who work in business are forced to work on Family Day since it is a business day everywhere else. I am heartened to know that families across B.C. will no longer face these barriers beginning in 2019.”

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Media contact
Jillian Oliver, Press Secretary
+1 778-650-0597 | jillian.oliver@leg.bc.ca