Diwali 2026 in Canada: Sunday, November 8

The five days of Diwali 2026

Diwali is a five-day festival in the Hindu month of Kartik (Ashvin in some regional calendars). Its dates follow the lunar calendar, so they move every year on the Gregorian calendar, landing between mid-October and mid-November. These are the 2026 dates for Canada according to Drik Panchang, the calendar most Hindu temples and families in North America consult:

When people ask "when is Diwali?", they mean the third day, Lakshmi Puja, the night of the new moon (Amavasya). That is the evening of prayers, lamps and fireworks, and the date most temples and community organizations use for their main celebration.

Why the date is the same across Canada this year

Hindu festival dates are tied to the tithi, a lunar day that starts and ends at a precise moment, not at midnight. Lakshmi Puja is held on the evening when the Amavasya tithi is in progress after sunset. Because that moment is the same everywhere on Earth, the local calendar date can differ between India and North America, and occasionally between cities.

In 2026 there is no ambiguity in Canada. Using Drik Panchang's timings, the new-moon tithi starts in the early hours of November 8 on Eastern time (late on November 7 in British Columbia) and ends after midnight on November 9 in every Canadian time zone. The whole evening of Sunday, November 8 falls inside it, from Halifax to Vancouver. India also marks Lakshmi Puja on November 8, 2026.

Temples publish their own muhurat (the most auspicious window for the puja) for their city. If timing matters to your family, use your temple's calendar or Drik Panchang set to your own city.

Sunset on Diwali night, by city

Lakshmi Puja is performed during Pradosh Kaal, the period that begins at sunset. On Sun, Nov 8, 2026, after the November 1 clock change in Eastern Canada (and with the West staying on its summer clocks), sunset falls at about:

Times are calculated from the sun's position and are accurate to within a couple of minutes. One effect of the 2026 time changes: BC, Alberta and Manitoba no longer fall back, so Diwali evening starts about an hour later on the clock in Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Vancouver than it would have in past years, while Toronto, Montreal and Halifax see the familiar early dusk.

Diwali dates in coming years

The 2027 and 2028 dates are Drik Panchang's calculations for North America. In 2027 India marks Lakshmi Puja one day later, on Fri, Oct 29, 2027, because of where the new-moon tithi falls relative to sunset there, so expect to see both dates online. Temples in Canada normally confirm their dates over the summer before the festival; we update this page when they do.

Is Diwali a day off in Canada?

No. Diwali is not a statutory or public holiday under federal law or in any province or territory, so employers do not have to close or pay holiday pay, and schools and government offices are open. In 2026 the main night falls on a Sunday, which makes evening temple visits and family gatherings easier for most people; Dhanteras (Friday) and Bhai Dooj (Tuesday) are working days.

• At work: human rights law in every province and territory protects against discrimination based on religion or creed. Employees who want time off usually ask for a vacation day, a lieu day or a shift swap; how a request is handled depends on your workplace and the human rights rules in your province.
• At school: many school boards list Diwali in their calendars of religious observances and ask teachers to avoid scheduling tests that day. Check your board's observance calendar and let the school know in advance if your child will be absent.
• Recognition: Ontario's Hindu Heritage Month Act, 2016 proclaims November as Hindu Heritage Month, and its preamble names Diwali as the community's biggest festival. In October 2022 the House of Commons unanimously adopted a motion designating November as Hindu Heritage Month across Canada.

How Diwali is celebrated in Canada

Close to 830,000 people in Canada reported Hinduism in the 2021 Census, about 2.3% of the population, with the largest communities in the Greater Toronto Area (Brampton, Mississauga, Markham, Scarborough), Metro Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa. Diwali is also important to many of Canada's 771,790 Sikhs, who mark Bandi Chhor Divas at the same time, and to Jain and some Buddhist families.

• Lights: clay oil lamps (diyas), candles and strings of lights on balconies and front steps, often kept up for the whole week.
• Rangoli: coloured powder or flower designs at the entrance, made on the days before Lakshmi Puja.
• Sweets and gifts: boxes of mithai exchanged with family, neighbours and colleagues; South Asian sweet shops in the GTA and Surrey take orders weeks ahead.
• Temples and community events: evening puja, cultural shows and fireworks. Large mandirs often run several sessions over the weekend before and after the main night.
• Public celebrations: city halls, malls and community centres host Diwali events through late October and November, often with dance, music and food stalls that are open to everyone.

Fireworks and lamps: practical tips

• Fireworks rules are municipal. Some cities ban consumer fireworks entirely, others allow them only on named days (Diwali is one of them in some cities). Rules have changed in several GTA municipalities recently, so check your city's fireworks by-law before you buy, and follow any fire ban.
• Diyas indoors: keep open flames away from curtains, rangoli powder, children and pets, and never leave them unattended. Battery LED diyas are a common alternative in apartments and condos, where open flames may be against the building rules.
• Smoke alarms: incense and many lamps can set off alarms; don't disable them, open a window instead.
• November weather: outdoor lights and rangoli need to survive rain, wind or early snow. Many families do rangoli indoors or on a board they can bring inside.