The Thanksgiving long weekend is upon us and that means not everything will be open on Monday.
The annual holiday, traditionally celebrated with cornucopias and pumpkins, will be a day off for most Ontarians.
Canada Post locations will be closed and mail collection and delivery is cancelled for Oct. 9.
If you’re hoping to knock off some errands or just get out and do something, here’s a list of what’s open and what’s closed in Hamilton, Burlington and Niagara Region.
Hamilton
Administrative offices: Offices are closed on Monday.
ATS DARTS: Operating on holiday service hours on Monday. All subscription trips, except dialysis trips, are cancelled for Oct. 9. For more information check out the Hamilton.ca website.
Animal services: Closed on Monday. Tuesday, Oct. 10 – Open regular hours from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Mount Hope: Closed Monday.
GO Transit: Trains and buses are operating on a Sunday schedule.
Green bin, garbage and recycling: No collection on Monday. Pickup will be one day later if it falls on or after the holiday. The city says all materials must be at the curb by 7 a.m. Community recycling centres and transfer stations will be closed.
Hamilton civic museums: Dundurn National Historic Site, the Hamilton Military Museum and the Hamilton Museum of Steam and Technology will be closed on Monday.
Hamilton Farmer’s Market: Closed Monday. Open Wednesday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hamilton Public Library: All HPL branches are closed on Sunday and Monday. For information on what services are operating, visit the library’s website at hpl.ca.
HSR Bus: Buses will operate on a regular Sunday/holiday service schedule on Monday.
Licensing and Bylaw Services: Licensing and bylaw phone queue line will be closed on Monday. Service will resume on Tuesday.
Ontario Works: The program, including Special Supports, will be closed on Monday. Phone service will resume on Tuesday.
Parking and Enforcement: Officers will not enforce from Sunday until Monday at 10 p.m. when enforcement resumes.
Recreation centres: Closed on Monday. Arenas are also closed on Monday.
Tourism Hamilton visitor information centre: Closed Monday.
Burlington
Government offices: Local government such as city hall, municipal offices and facilities will be closed on Monday.
Administrative services: Services including parks, roads and forestry will be closed Monday.
Animal Shelter and Control: Closed Monday. Emergencies can be called at 905-335-7777.
Recreation centres: Some city pools, splash pads arenas and community centres will operate. Indoor pools will have varying hours. Visit burlington.ca/dropinandplay for details. Some outdoor recreation facilities will also be open, weather permitting. Visit burlington.ca/outdoorplay for more information. Tyandaga Golf Course is open.
Halton Provincial Offences Court: Closed Monday.
Free parking: Available Monday in the downtown core in municipal lots, on-street and in the parking garage. However, the Waterfront parking lots (east and west) do not provide free parking on statutory holidays. Parking exemptions must park overnight on city streets and for longer than five hours. Visit burlington.ca/parkingexemptions for more.
Burlington Transit: Buses will be running on a Sunday schedule on Monday. The downtown transit terminal will be closed. For real-time bus information and schedules, visit myride.burlingtontransit.ca
Niagara Region
Government offices: City halls and administration offices are all closed across Niagara Region on Monday.
Child care centres, public health and Provincial Offences Court: Closed Monday.
Community centres: Russell Avenue, Port Weller, Dunlop Drive and West St. Catharines older adult centres are closed on Mondays.
Garden City Golf Course: Open Monday with first tee time at 7 :30 a.m.
Happy Rolph’s Animal Farm: Open Monday from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m.
Lakeside Park Carousel: Open Monday 11 a.m. until 8 p.m
Landfill/waste and recycling drop-off depots: Closed.
Morningstar Mill: Closed.
Niagara Regional Transit for St. Catharines; Niagara Falls; Welland: Operating on a holiday schedule Monday. There is no regional service or service for Fort Erie on Oct. 9.
Parks, recreation and culture services: Administration offices are all closed on Monday. City arenas, outdoor sports fields, St. Catharines Kiwanis Aquatics Centre, St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre, and Older Adult Centres are open regular hours.
St. Catharines Kiwanis Aquatics Centre: Regular hours on Monday.
St. Catharines Museum; Welland Canals Centre: Both facilities will be open Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
St. Catharines Public Library: Closed Monday.
Shopping
Canada Post: Outlets will be closed on Monday.
Grocery stores: Major grocery stores like Fortinos, Metro, FreshCo and No Frills will be closed on Monday.
Shoppers Drug Mart: Some locations are open Monday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Hours can be seen on the Shoppers store locator map.
Malls: Most major shopping centres in Hamilton, Burlington, St. Catharines and Niagara Falls will be closed. Other outlets’ hours are as follows:
- Eastgate Square: Closed
- Lime Ridge Mall: Closed
- The Centre on Barton: Most stores will be closed.
- The Pen Centre: Closed
- Fairview Mall: Closed
- Mapleview Centre: Closed
- Burlington Centre: Closed
- Outlet Collection at Niagara Falls: Open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- CF Toronto Eaton Centre: Open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Toronto Premium Outlets in Halton Hills: Open 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Pacific Mall in Toronto: Open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
In Toronto, retailers in designated tourist areas such as Yorkville, downtown Yonge, Queen’s Quay West and the Distillery District can stay open, according to the City of Toronto bylaws.
Walmart: Most Walmarts in the GTHA will be closed but the Niagara Falls Supercentre on Oakwood Drive will be open on Oct. 9 between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Alcohol
The Beer Store: All stores across Ontario will be closed Monday.
LCBO: Stores will be closed on Monday, Oct. 9.
Where permitted by local municipalities, some LCBO Convenience Outlets may be open Monday with their regular hours of business. Information on specific store hours can be seen at LCBO.com
Wine Rack: Some 14 locations will be open on Thanksgiving Monday in Toronto and seven in Niagara Region with varying hours.
Tourist destinations
Niagara Falls: Most Niagara Falls attractions will run on Monday, including the Niagara Parks Power Station, Journey Behind the Falls, Botanical Gardens, Butterfly Conservatory and all the nature and garden parks and centres.
Hours for Niagara Falls attractions can be seen on the Niagara Parks website.
Toronto: Most Toronto attractions will be open on Monday with some on reduced hours including:
- Ripley’s Aquarium will be open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- The Toronto Zoo will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- The Art Gallery of Ontario will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- The Ontario Science Centre will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- The Royal Ontario Museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Riverdale Farm will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- High Park Zoo will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Aga Khan Museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.