By insauga Staff | Published October 12, 2025
As Ontario prepares to celebrate Thanksgiving on Monday, October 13, here’s a comprehensive look at what will be open and closed across Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Hamilton, Halton, Durham, Niagara and beyond.
Thanksgiving has been a national holiday since 1879, typically falling on the second Monday in October. While many services and businesses close, some essential and tourist-focused locations remain open.
🛍 Retail & Grocery
- Open:
- Select Rabba, T&T, Whole Foods (Square One), Summerhill Market, Wellington Market, Eataly, and Pacific Mall.
- Square One in Mississauga and Eaton Centre in Toronto will remain open.
- Many Shoppers Drug Mart locations, convenience stores, gas stations, cafés, restaurants, and bars that usually operate on Mondays (best to call ahead).
- Closed:
- Most major grocery chains (e.g., Loblaws, Metro, No Frills)
- LCBO and Beer Store locations across the province
- Canada Post (no mail pickup or delivery)
- Major malls like Sherway Gardens, Yorkdale, Scarborough Town Centre, Erin Mills Town Centre, and Niagara’s Pen Centre.
🏛 Government, Banks & Community Services
- All non-emergency federal, provincial, and municipal offices (including City Halls) will be closed.
- Banks are closed.
- Libraries, community centres, and most recreation facilities will be closed.
- 311 services will not be available in most cities.
- Post offices will not operate.
🚆 Transit & Waste Collection
- GO Transit will run on a Saturday schedule.
- Local transit agencies will generally run on Sunday or holiday schedules:
- MiWay (Mississauga): Sunday schedule
- Brampton Transit: Sunday schedule
- Oakville Transit: Holiday schedule
- Burlington Transit: Sunday schedule
- Milton Transit: No service
- TTC (Toronto): Holiday service
- Waste collection:
- Most cities will not have changes to collection schedules, though some (e.g., Hamilton, Durham) will shift collection by one day.
- Community Recycling Centres and Landfills will generally be closed.
🌳 Attractions & Entertainment
Many tourist attractions remain open, especially in Toronto and Niagara Falls, including:
- Ripley’s Aquarium, CN Tower, ROM, AGO, Toronto Zoo, Casa Loma, Hockey Hall of Fame, and Allen Gardens.
- Niagara Falls attractions (Clifton Hill, Journey Behind the Falls, Niagara City Cruises, etc.) will be open.
- Conservation areas and parks such as Crawford Lake, Hilton Falls, Dundas Valley, Christie Lake, Spencer Gorge, and Queen Victoria Park are open.
- Cineplex and Landmark Cinemas across Ontario will operate as usual.
📝 City Highlights
- Mississauga: Square One open; government offices, major malls closed.
- Brampton: Bramalea City Centre open; Shoppers World and libraries closed.
- Halton: Conservation parks and Toronto Premium Outlets open; community centres and malls closed.
- Hamilton: Parks and trails open; major malls, libraries, and museums closed.
- Durham: Casinos, zoos, and some arenas open; malls and LCBO closed.
- Niagara: Tourist attractions open; malls, government offices, and LCBO closed.
- Toronto: Major tourist sites and some grocery stores open; City Hall, most malls, and libraries closed.
🦃 Summary
Expect most government services, banks, and major retailers to be closed, while tourist attractions, select grocery stores, restaurants, and essential services remain open. Transit will operate on reduced schedules, and some waste collection schedules may shift.