National Day of Mourning for persons killed or injured in the workplace2026 · Date · History
The Government of Canada states that the Workers Mourning Day Act established April 28 as the official day observed every year, and current 2026 federal material continues to mark the Day of Mourning on April 28.
About National Day of Mourning for persons killed or injured in the workplace
Canada’s Day of Mourning is observed on April 28 to remember workers who have died, been injured or become ill because of work.
The Canadian Labour Congress established the April 28 observance in 1984, and Parliament later gave it federal statutory recognition through the Workers Mourning Day Act in 1991.
Why National Day of Mourning for persons killed or injured in the workplace matters
The day combines remembrance with a continuing focus on workplace health and safety.
Federal law names April 28 as the Day of Mourning for Persons Killed or Injured in the Workplace but expressly states that it is not a legal holiday or non-juridical day.
History of National Day of Mourning for persons killed or injured in the workplace
Canadian workplace-safety sources state that the Canadian Labour Congress established April 28 as the National Day of Mourning in 1984.
The date was chosen to coincide with the 70th anniversary of approval of Ontario’s first workers’ compensation legislation in 1914.
The Workers Mourning Day Act received assent on February 1, 1991 and gives April 28 nationwide statutory recognition.
CCOHS continues to coordinate national information and resources while workplaces and communities across Canada organize remembrance activities.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Canadian Labour Congress
Canadian workplace-safety sources state that the Canadian Labour Congress established/proclaimed April 28 as the National Day of Mourning in 1984.
Canadian Labour Congress
The recurring observance was established by the Canadian Labour Congress before federal statutory recognition.
First documented observance
Canadian public-sector workplace-safety sources describe April 28, 1984 as the launch/first Day of Mourning observance.
Gave April 28 nationwide statutory recognition as the Day of Mourning for Persons Killed or Injured in the Workplace while expressly providing that the day is not a legal holiday or non-juridical day.
Parliament of Canada · Workers Mourning Day Act, S.C. 1991, c. 15
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
5 fields not established in reviewed sources
Later institutional actions
Later recognition, renaming, mergers or date changes are kept separate from original establishment.
Also known as
Day of Mourning, National Day of Mourning, Day of Mourning (Canada)
How to Observe National Day of Mourning for persons killed or injured in the workplace
Use April 28 for the Canadian Day of Mourning.
Describe the 1984 labour-movement establishment separately from the 1991 federal Act.
Note that federal law recognizes the day but does not make it a legal holiday.
Keep Canadian origin history separate from later international Workers’ Memorial Day adoption.
National Day of Mourning for persons killed or injured in the workplace Facts
Canada marks the Day of Mourning on April 28.
The Canadian Labour Congress established the day in 1984.
The date is linked to the 1914 Ontario workers’ compensation law anniversary.
Parliament passed the Workers Mourning Day Act in 1991.
The federal Act expressly says the Day of Mourning is not a legal holiday.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
- Remembrance Civic Context Care.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
Canada.ca / CCOHS (opens in a new tab)
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (opens in a new tab)
Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (opens in a new tab)
Canada.ca — Workers Mourning Day Act context (opens in a new tab)
National Government
CCOHS — Day of Mourning 2026 (opens in a new tab)
National Government
Government of Canada — National Day of Mourning 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Federal Government Current Statement
Justice Laws Website — Workers Mourning Day Act (opens in a new tab)
Federal Legislation
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is National Day of Mourning for persons killed or injured in the workplace?
28 April annually The documented recurrence rule is: 28 April.
Does National Day of Mourning for persons killed or injured in the workplace fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is National Day of Mourning for persons killed or injured in the workplace an official public holiday?
Within the reviewed scope, it is identified as Canada / statutory workers’ remembrance. That status is not automatically extended to other countries or jurisdictions.
Who established or recognizes National Day of Mourning for persons killed or injured in the workplace?
The reviewed sources identify Canadian Labour Congress as the proclaiming or establishing body.
Is National Day of Mourning for persons killed or injured in the workplace international or country-specific?
This observance is specific to Canada. Its fuller verified scope is: Canada / statutory workers’ remembrance.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-09.
When is Canada’s Day of Mourning?
It is observed on April 28 each year.
When was the Canadian Day of Mourning established?
Canadian workplace-safety sources state that the Canadian Labour Congress established the observance in 1984.
Is April 28 a legal holiday in Canada?
No. The Workers Mourning Day Act recognizes the day nationwide but expressly says it is not a legal holiday or non-juridical day.
Other observances on April 28
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Stop Food Waste Day
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Workers Memorial Day
The International Labour Organization states that 28 April has been associated since 1996 with the international trade union movement’s commemoration of victims of occupational accidents an…
World Day for Safety and Health at Work
ILO observance