By Staff
September 25th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The City of Burlington will observe the September 30th National Day for Truth and Reconciliation holiday on Friday, Sept. 29. To mark the importance of the day, City administration buildings will be closed.
Photograph taken at a Truth and Reconciliation event.
September 30th is also recognized as Orange Shirt Day, an Indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day inspired by the story of Indian Residential School Survivor Phyllis Webstad.
As part of Orange Shirt Day, residents can come to Spencer Smith Park (1400 Lakeshore Rd) where local indigenous people will commemorate the day, starting at 12:45 p.m., from the pavilion at the east end of the park. Additional details can be found on the city’s online events calendar at burlington.ca/calendar. Participants are encouraged to wear orange shirts and moccasins if they have them.
We encourage residents to visit the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation website for educational materials and resources.
| City Service | Holiday Closure Information |
| Animal Services | The Animal Shelter at 2424 Industrial St. will be closed to appointments on Friday, Sept. 29. To report an animal control related emergency on a holiday, please call 905-335-7777. |
| Burlington Transit | Burlington Transit will operate on a regular weekday schedule on Friday, Sept. 29. For real-time bus information and schedules, visit myride.burlingtontransit.ca.
The Downtown Transit Terminal, at 430 John St., and Specialized Dispatch will be open on Friday, Sept. 29. |
| City Hall | Service Burlington and the Building, Renovating and Licensing counter on the main floor of City Hall at 426 Brant St., will be closed to all appointments and walk-in service on Friday, Sept. 29.
Many service payments are available online at burlington.ca/onlineservices For online development services: |
| Halton Court Services – Provincial Offences Office | Court administration counter services at 4085 Palladium Way will be closed on Friday, Sept. 29.
Except for the holiday closure, telephone payments are available at 905-637-1274, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. All in-person services are available from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. Many services are also available by email at burlingtoncourt@burlington.ca or online at Halton Court Services. Payment of Provincial Offences fines is available 24/7 at www.paytickets.ca. |
| Parking | Paid parking will be in effect on Friday, Sept. 29.
Free parking is available downtown, on the street, in municipal lots and in the parking garage (414 Locust St.) on weekends and after 6 p.m., Monday to Friday. NOTE:
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| Recreation Programs and Facilities | Recreation facilities are open for registered and drop-in programs and rentals on Friday, Sept. 29, and on the holiday, Saturday, Sept. 30. Drop-in recreation program schedules are available at burlington.ca/dropinandplay.
Customer Service Customer service is also available:
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| Roads, Parks and Forestry | The administrative office will be closed on Friday, Sept. 29. Essential services will be provided as required. |
Why this holiday? In June 2021, the federal government passed legislation proclaiming Sept. 30 a public holiday. The holiday is one of 94 calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and is intended to honour and commemorate Indian Residential School survivors and those children that did not make it home.
In September 2021, Burlington City Council unanimously supported Sept. 30 as a paid holiday for employees at the City of Burlington, including the closure of City Hall and other non-essential city services.
Links and Resources
- Learn more about Orange Shirt Day and how you can contribute: www.orangeshirtday.org.
- Hear Survivor stories and read the Calls to Action at National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.
This is a National Statutory Holiday not a Provincial Statutory holiday in most Provinces including Ontario. Can someone suggest what the cost of this gift by Council in 2021 to certain administrative staff is to the tax payers? I would think a large majority of the under class of working citizens in the province (excluding civil servants) do not have this “nice to have” benefit.