Friday will be a day off for most Ontarians as the province celebrates Canada Day.
A number of municipalities are sanctioning celebrations following two years of scaled-down festivities because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The City of Hamilton will hold its free family-friendly event with children’s recreation and arts activities at Bayfront Park from 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., capped off with fireworks.
The event will see a food truck rally and sports zone with local teams in attendance, including the Bulldogs, Forge FC, Toronto Rock and Honey Badgers.
Spencer Smith Park will be the site of this year’s celebrations in Burlington with a focus on evening entertainment and marketplace vendors leading into a 10 p.m. fireworks display over the lake.
The city will also feature a Canada Day Run beginning at 9 a.m.
In Niagara Falls, the traditional Canada Day Parade returns with an 11 a.m. start at Victoria Avenue and Armoury Street.
The increase in activity on Canada Day is also tempered by a list of services and shops that will not be operating in Hamilton, Burlington and Niagara Region on July 1.
Here’s a list of some common businesses and services that will be open and closed on Canada Day:
Hamilton
Administrative offices: Offices are closed on Friday.
Licensing and bylaw services: Licensing and bylaw phone queue line will be closed on Friday. Service will resume on Monday.
Green bin, garbage and recycling: No collection on Friday. 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.
HSR Bus: Buses will operate on regular Sunday/holiday service on Friday.
GO Transit: Trains and buses are operating on a Saturday schedule.
ATS DARTS: The City of Hamilton recently ordered its third-party provider of accessible transit to remove about a third of its vehicle fleet from service. For more information on rides check out the city’s website.
Ontario Works: The program, including the Special Supports, will be closed. Phone service will resume on Monday.
Recreation centres: Closed on July 1.
Hamilton civic museums: Dundurn National Historic Site, the Hamilton Military Museum and the Hamilton Museum of Steam and Technology will be open on July 1.
Tourism Hamilton visitor information centre: Closed Friday and Sunday.
Hamilton Public Library: All HPL branches are closed. For information on what services are operating, visit the library’s website at hpl.ca.
Social services: Housing services, as well as the Career Development Centre and Special Supports, will be closed on Canada Day.
Senior centres: These will either be closed or run on a modified (four-hour) schedule.
Arenas: Either closed or on a modified schedule.
Animal services: Closed on Friday.
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Mount Hope: Closed. Weekly hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday to Sunday.
Burlington
Government offices: Government locations such as city hall, municipal offices and facilities will be closed Friday.
Administrative services: Services including parks, roads and forestry will be closed on Canada Day.
Animal Shelter and Control: Closed Friday. Emergencies can be called in to 905-335-3030.
Recreation centres: Indoor drop-in activities such as swimming and gym times are on a reduced schedule over the Canada Day long weekend. Visit burlington.ca/outdoorplay for more information. The city’s nine splash pads will be opening Saturday, July 1.
Halton Provincial Offences Court: Closed on Friday.
Free parking: Available Friday 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. Paid parking, on weekends only, begins at Beachway Park. Reservations are required for Lowville Park.
Burlington Transit: Transit will operate a holiday schedule Friday. The downtown transit terminal, specialized dispatch and the administration office will be closed.
Niagara Region
Government offices: City halls, the Enterprise Centre and administration offices are all closed on Canada Day.
Parks, recreation and culture services: Administration offices are all closed on July 1.
- Open on Friday: Lakeside Park Carousel, Happy Rolph’s Animal Farm, splash pads, Morningstar Mill, Garden City Golf Course, and the Seymour-Hannah Sports and Entertainment Centre
- Closed on Friday: St. Catharines Kiwanis Aquatics Centre, arenas, Russell Avenue and Port Weller Community Centres, Dunlop Drive, Port Dalhousie and West St. Catharines older adult centres, Victoria Lawn Cemetery administration office, FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre and Meridian Centre box offices
St. Catharines Museum; Welland Canals Centre: Both facilities will be open Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
St. Catharines Transit; Niagara Falls Transit: Both services will operate on a holiday schedule for Canada Day.
Welland Transit: No daytime or evening service Friday.
Shopping
Canada Post: No collection or delivery of mail on July 1. However, some post offices operated by the private sector may be open.
Grocery stores: Major grocery stores like Fortinos, Metro, FreshCo and No Frills will be closed on Friday.
Shoppers Drug Mart: Many locations will be open on July 1, but not all. Canada Day 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 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- CF Toronto Eaton Centre: Open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Toronto Premium Outlets in Halton Hills: Open from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Pacific Mall in Toronto: Open from 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 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 July 1 between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.
Alcohol
The Beer Store: Some Beer Stores will be open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Canada Day. They include:
Hamilton
- Parkdale Avenue North (at Barton Street)
- Barton Street East (at Ottawa Street North)
- Fennell Avenue East (at Upper Gage)
- Eastgate Square
- Barton Street East (at Ferguson Avenue)
- Upper James Street (at Stone Chruch Road)
Brantford
- Murray Street (at Grey)
- King George Road (at Royal Oak Drive)
- Market Street South (at Icomm Drive)
Burlington
- Guelph Line (at Upper Middle Road)
- New Street (at Appleby Line)
LCBO: Stores will be closed.
Tourist destinations
Niagara Falls: Most Niagara Falls attractions will be running on the holiday Friday, including the Whirlpool Aero Car, Journey Behind the Falls, Botanical Gardens, Butterfly Conservatory and all the nature and garden parks and centres.
However, some heritage sites like the McKenzie Printery and McFarland House will be closed. Also, some dining spots like the Whirlpool Restaurant and Legends On The Niagara will be closed.
Toronto: Most Toronto attractions will be open on July 1 including:
- Ripley’s Aquarium (9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets needed).
- Toronto Zoo (9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tickets needed).
- Art Gallery of Ontario (generally closed on Fridays but open for Canada Day starting at 10:30 a.m. Tickets needed).
- Ontario Science Centre (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets required).
- Royal Ontario Museum (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets required).
- Evergreen Brickworks, Riverdale Farm, High Park Zoo.