Canada: Public holiday on Sept. 19 as part of mourning period for Queen Elizabeth II /update 1

Event

The Canadian government has declared Sept. 19 a federal holiday to mark the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, Canada's late head of state, as part of 10 days of public mourning; further closures are mandated by provincial and territorial governments. Federal government offices will be closed. The following measures have been announced in individual provinces for Sept. 19:

• British Colombia: Government workers will have the day off. All schools will be closed. Individual businesses may close at their discretion.

• Manitoba: Non-essential government offices will be closed.

• New Brunswick: A statutory holiday has been declared, with government offices and schools closed.

• Newfoundland and Labrador: A provincial holiday has been declared. Government offices and schools will be closed; businesses may remain open if they choose.

• Nova Scotia: A provincial holiday has been declared, with government offices and schools closed; health care services will be available.

• Ontario: A minute's silence across the province will occur 13:00.

• Prince Edward Island: A statutory holiday has been declared, with all but essential businesses closed. Public schools will be closed.

A number of public ceremonies will be held across the country to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II, particularly in Ottawa and provincial capitals. Many cities have opened sites to pay tribute to the late queen that have reported long queues. Some currently announced events on Sept. 19 include:

• Charlottetown, PEI, 14:00: Provincial memorial service at St. Peter's Cathedral Church

• Edmonton, Alberta, 10:00-11:00: Provincial memorial service at the Alberta Legislature.

• Halifax, N.S., 14:00: Provincial memorial service at Cathedral Church of All Saints.

• Ottawa, Ont. 10:10-11:00: Military parade from Cartier Square Drill Hall to Christ Church Cathedral. Crowds of tens of thousands and road closures are expected.

• Ottawa, Ont., 11:00: National memorial at Christ Church Cathedral, for invitees only.

• Regina, Sask., 19:00: Provincial memorial service at St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral.

• Victoria, B.C., 10:15: Procession from Legislative Assembly of British Columbia to Christ Church Cathedral followed by commemoration service.

• Winnipeg, Man., 19:00: Provincial memorial service at St. John's Anglican Cathedral.

Crowds of thousands are likely at events on Sept. 19, particularly in Ottawa. Heightened security at memorial events is almost certain. Business closures and interruptions to nonessential government services are likely Sept. 19 depending on the location. Business disruptions due to school closures on Sept. 19 are likely in some provinces. Localized transit disruptions from memorial events or spontaneous demonstrations are possible.

Advice

Plan accordingly for business and transport disruptions. Verify appointments with government services through Sept. 19, as cancellations or reduced hours are possible.