Bill 65, Remembrance Day Observance Act, 2025

Summary#

This Ontario bill changes how Remembrance Day is marked in schools and workplaces. It requires all schools to hold a live Remembrance Day service and directs the Ministry of Education to create lessons about its purpose and importance. It also pauses most workplace operations from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on November 11, unless the government creates exceptions. The law would start on June 1, 2026.

• All schools must hold a dedicated Remembrance Day service on November 11 (or the Friday before if Nov. 11 is on a weekend).
• The service must be live, not just a prerecorded video, and can include a trip to a cenotaph, a wreath laying, guest speakers, or music.
• The Ministry of Education must develop new elementary and secondary curriculum on Remembrance Day, including both historic and modern conflicts, after consulting educators and their unions.
• Workplaces must not operate from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on November 11, unless they are later named as exceptions by regulation.
• Takes effect June 1, 2026.

What it means for you#

• Students and parents

  • Students will attend a live Remembrance Day service at school. If November 11 is on a Saturday or Sunday, the service will be on the Friday before.
  • Schools may organize trips to a cenotaph, invite speakers, or hold music tributes. Expect permission forms if there is a trip.
  • Lessons about Remembrance Day will be added or updated in the curriculum, covering past and recent military conflicts.

• Teachers and schools

  • You must plan and hold a live service; a video alone will not count.
  • Options include assemblies, guest speakers, music, a wreath laying, or a cenotaph visit.
  • New teaching content will be developed by the Ministry. Educators and unions will be consulted.
  • Plan for logistics, supervision, and accessibility for any events or trips.

• Workers

  • On November 11, your workplace may have to stop operations from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Some workplaces might be exempt, but the list will come later by regulation.
  • The bill does not set pay rules for those hours. Check with your employer about scheduling, pay, and breaks.

• Employers

  • You must pause operations from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on November 11 unless your workplace is exempted by future regulations.
  • Plan for staffing, customer notices, deliveries, and rescheduling around the four-hour pause.
  • Watch for government regulations that will define any exceptions.

• Veterans and community groups

  • More students will attend ceremonies, and the morning workplace pause may increase public participation at 11 a.m. services.

• Public services

  • Whether services like hospitals or transit are exempt will depend on future regulations not yet published.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

• The Ministry of Education will have costs to develop new curriculum and support implementation.
• Schools may face small costs and staff time to plan live services and possible field trips.
• Employers may face lost revenue or scheduling costs from a four-hour pause, depending on any exemptions.

Proponents' View#

• Ensures all students learn the purpose and importance of Remembrance Day in a consistent, meaningful way.
• Live school services create real engagement, not just passive viewing.
• A morning pause lets workers and families attend 11 a.m. ceremonies and reflect.
• Including both historical and modern conflicts keeps lessons relevant for students today.
• Consulting educators and unions should make the curriculum practical in classrooms.

Opponents' View#

• Four-hour closures could hurt small businesses and disrupt supply chains and services.
• Hourly workers may lose pay or face scheduling uncertainty if their workplace pauses.
• Schools take on extra planning and supervision duties, including possible trip costs and logistics.
• Lack of clarity on exemptions could create confusion for essential services and 24/7 operations.
• Some may see mandated closures as government overreach instead of allowing voluntary observance.