Early antecedents & European “thanksgiving” feasts
Long before European arrival, many Indigenous nations in what is now Canada had traditions of thanksgiving or harvest-gratitude ceremonies, involving feasting, prayer, dance, and giving thanks for survival, crops, and the caring of the land. Kings University College+2Canada’s History+2
The first widely recognized “thanksgiving” in Canadian (or pre-Canadian) history is commonly dated to 1578, when English explorer Martin Frobisher and his crew held a ceremony (including a sermon) in what is now Nunavut (Frobisher Bay) to give thanks for their safe voyage through difficult conditions in the Arctic seas. HowStuffWorks+4Wikipedia+4Canada’s History+4
In accounts, the service was religious in nature: a sermon by “Mayster Wolfall, a learned man … appointed … to be their minister,” exhorting gratitude for their “strange and miraculous deliverance.” Wikipedia+2Dickinson College+2
Their meal is typically described as salt beef, biscuits, mushy peas, etc. Canada’s History+2HowStuffWorks+2
Another early form of thanksgiving-like feasts comes from the French colonial period. In 1606 (or soon thereafter) in New France, Samuel de Champlain and settlers organized communal feasts (as part of the Ordre de Bon Temps, or Order of Good Cheer) to boost morale, encourage community, and sustain health (notably during winter) — these sometimes included Indigenous participants. Canada’s History+2TheCollector+2
Over the 17th and 18th centuries, European settlers in different regions brought their harvest festivals, thanksgiving customs, and church-based days of “thanksgiving” to colonial Canada, blending with local conditions and climate. Almanac+3Wikipedia+3Canada’s History+3
Evolution toward a formal holiday
In the early 19th century, colonial or regional governors would sometimes proclaim special days of thanksgiving (for military victories, endings of conflict, or thanksgiving for divine mercy). For example, after the War of 1812, some locales observed thanksgiving celebrations. Wikipedia+3Wikipedia+3Canada’s History+3
After Canadian Confederation (1867), the first Thanksgiving observed as a civic holiday in the Dominion of Canada came on April 5, 1872, to celebrate the recovery of the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) from serious illness. The Old Schoolhouse+4Wikipedia+4Dickinson College+4
In 1879, the Canadian government declared Thanksgiving an annual national holiday (fixing it, at times, in November) with the wording—“a day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed.” Wikipedia+5Wikipedia+5Wikipedia+5
However, the exact date varied over time: Thanksgiving in Canada was sometimes in late October, occasionally in early November or even December, and on different weekdays, as governments issued proclamations. TheCollector+4Wikipedia+4Canada’s History+4
From 1921 to 1930, Thanksgiving was combined with Armistice Day (now Remembrance Day)—i.e. the two holidays would often occur in the same week. Wikipedia+3TheCollector+3Wikipedia+3
To avoid overlapping with Remembrance Day and provide consistency, in 1957, Parliament passed a proclamation making the second Monday of October the fixed date for Thanksgiving in Canada. Wikipedia+4TheCollector+4Wikipedia+4
Key differences, meaning, and modern practice
Because Canada lies farther north and has a shorter growing season, harvests typically conclude earlier than in much of the United States. Hence, Canadian Thanksgiving is in October, whereas U.S. Thanksgiving is in November. Canada’s History+3HowStuffWorks+3TheCollector+3
Over time, Thanksgiving in Canada has become more secular and oriented to family gatherings, gratitude, and shared meals—though many still recognize its religious roots in some form. Wikipedia+2TheCollector+2
The holiday is a statutory (legal) holiday in most provinces, but in some Atlantic provinces (such as New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island) it is sometimes treated as optional rather than mandatory. Canada’s History+3HowStuffWorks+3Almanac+3
One longstanding Canadian tradition tied to Thanksgiving is the Canadian Football League (CFL) Thanksgiving Day Classic, a doubleheader of football games held on that Monday. Wikipedia+1
