With the Canada Day holiday on a Saturday, a number of retailers and services will be closed on July 1.
A number of services and shops will also not be operating in Hamilton, Burlington and Niagara Region on July 3 in lieu of Canada Day falling on a Saturday.
Despite a number of Ontario municipalities cancelling fireworks amid wildfires and poor air quality issues recently, a number of cities, including Hamilton, will go ahead with their displays.
The City of Hamilton will hold its free family-friendly event with children’s recreation and arts activities at Bayfront Park from 1 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 Tiger-Cats, Forge FC, Toronto Rock and Hamilton Cardinals.
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 8:50 a.m.
Niagara Falls has moved away from its traditional Canada Day Parade and moved festivities to Fireman’s Park with an 11 a.m. start on Dorchester Road.
The event includes music at the Ampitheatre Stage, kids zone and activity booths.
St. Catharines Canada Day will be on Port Dalhousie’s waterfront Saturday which will host live music, a kids’ zone and fireworks. Events run from 12:30 p.m. through until 9:30 p.m.
Here’s a list of some common businesses and services that will be open and closed on Saturday or Monday:
Hamilton
Administrative offices: Offices are closed on Monday.
Licensing and Bylaw Services: Licensing and bylaw phone queue line will be closed on Monday. Service will resume on Tuesday.
Parking and Enforcement: Officers will not be enforcing from Sunday until Monday 10 p.m. when enforcement resumes.
Green bin, garbage and recycling: No collection on Saturday. Community recycling centres and transfer stations will be closed Saturday but open Monday.
HSR Bus: Buses will operate on regular Sunday/holiday service schedule Saturday. Monday will see regular service.
GO Transit: Trains and buses are operating on regular schedules Saturday and Monday.
ATS DARTS: Operating on holiday service hours Monday. All subscription trips, with the exception of dialysis trips, are cancelled for July 3. For more information check out the city’s website.
Ontario Works: The program, including the Special Supports, will be closed Monday. Phone service will resume on Tuesday.
Recreation centres: Closed on Saturday but open Monday.
Hamilton civic museums: Dundurn National Historic Site, the Hamilton Military Museum and the Hamilton Museum of Steam and Technology will be closed on Monday.
Tourism Hamilton visitor information centre: Closed Monday.
Hamilton Public Library: All HPL branches are closed Saturday and Sunday. For information on what services are operating, visit the library’s website at hpl.ca.
Social services: All Ontario Works offices, special supports, and the Housing Services office will be closed on Monday.
Senior centres: These will either be closed or run on a modified (four hour) schedule.
Arenas: Closed on Saturday but open Monday.
Animal services: Closed on Saturday and Monday.
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Mount Hope: Closed. Weekly hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday to Sunday.
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 in to 1-888-264-3135.
Recreation centres: Some city pools, splash pads, arenas and community centres will be operating. Indoor pools are not open for drop-in swimming July 1 and 2. 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 Saturday and 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 are required to park overnight on city streets and for longer than five hours. Visit burlington.ca/parkingexemptions for more.
Burlington Transit: Transit will have extended service on most routes until 11 p.m. Canada Day. The Downtown Transit Terminal will also be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. There are some detours on July 1. Changes can be viewed on Burlington Transit’s website.
Niagara Region
Government offices: City halls, the Enterprise Centre and administration offices are all closed on Monday. Some offices, like St. Catharines, will reopen on Tuesday.
Child care centres, public health and Provincial Offences Court: Closed Monday.
Parks, recreation and culture services: Administration offices are all closed on Monday.
Landfill / waste and recycling drop-off depots: Niagara Road is closed. Bridge Street, Humberstone, Thorold Yard are open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Community centres: All older adult centres and arenas will either be closed or have reduced hours on Monday.
St. Catharines Museum; Welland Canals Centre: Both facilities will be open Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Niagara Regional Transit for St. Catharines; Niagara Falls; Welland: All services will operate on a holiday schedule for Saturday.
Shopping
Canada Post: Outlets will be closed Monday.
Grocery stores: Major grocery stores like Fortinos, Metro, FreshCo and No Frills will be closed on Saturday and may be operating with reduced hours on Monday.
Shoppers Drug Mart: Some locations will be closed on Saturday, but not all. 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 on Saturday but will have regular hours Monday.
However, there are exceptions for shopping centres designated by the province as tourist attractions including retailers in Yorkville, downtown Yonge, Queen’s Quay West, the Distillery District and in Niagara Falls.
Closed on Saturday:
- Eastgate Square
- Lime Ridge Mall
- The Centre on Barton
- The Pen Centre
- Fairview Mall
- Mapleview Centre
- Burlington Centre
Open on Saturday:
- Outlet Collection at Niagara 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Vaughan Mills shopping mall will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Square One will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- CF Eaton Centre will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Toronto Premium Outlets will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- The Upper Canada Mall will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Walmart: Most Walmarts in the GTHA will be closed but the Niagara Falls Supercentre on Oakwood Drive will be open on Monday between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.
Alcohol
The Beer Store: Just over 100 stores across Ontario will be open Saturday, July 1st including:
Hamilton
- Parkdale Avenue North (at Barton Street) 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Barton Street East (at Ottawa Street North) 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Fennell Avenue East (at Upper Gage) 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Eastgate Square (Centennial Parkway North & Queenston Road) 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Barton Street East (at Ferguson Avenue) 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Upper James Street (at Stone Church Road) 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Brantford
- Murray Street (at Grey) 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- King George Road (at Royal Oak Drive) 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Market Street South (at Icomm Drive) 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Burlington
- Guelph Line (at Upper Middle Road) 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- New Street (at Appleby Line) 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
LCBO:
- Friday, June 30: Most LCBO stores are open with regular store hours with select stores open for extended hours
- Saturday, July 1: LCBO stores are closed. Where permitted by local municipalities, some LCBO Convenience Outlets might be open with regular hours of business
- Sunday, July 2: LCBO stores are open with regular store hours
- Monday, July 3: LCBO stores are open with regular store hours
- More information can be seen at LCBO.com
Tourist destinations
Niagara Falls: Most Niagara Falls attractions will be running on Saturday and Monday, including the Niagara Parks Power Station, Journey Behind the Falls, Botanical Gardens, Butterfly Conservatory and all the nature and garden parks and centres.
More details on Canada Day weekend hours for Niagara Falls attractions can be seen on the Niagara Parks website.
Toronto: Most Toronto attractions will be open on Saturday and Monday with some on reduced hours both days including:
- Ripley’s Aquarium will be open from 9 a.m. t0 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.