Ottawa's Thanksgiving plans are easier to make with a short list of what is open and what is shut, because Canadian Thanksgiving in 2026 falls on Monday, October 12. If you are cooking a big dinner, heading out for a walk or just need to pick up a forgotten ingredient, here is what 613today lists for the holiday.
Closed on Thanksgiving
Three of the city's big shopping malls are listed as closed: Bayshore, Place d'Orléans and St. Laurent. If you were planning to browse at any of those on Monday, move the trip to another day.
All Ottawa Public Library branches are also listed as closed. That matters if you have books or other items due back around the holiday, or if you were counting on a branch as a quiet place to spend part of the day. The list does not say anything about return slots or online services, so check the library's own channels if that affects you.
LCBO stores are listed as closed too. If a bottle of wine is part of your dinner, pick it up before the holiday rather than on the day.
Open on Thanksgiving
If you still want to shop, two options are listed as open: the Rideau Centre and the Tanger Outlets. The listing says hours vary, and it does not give the hours themselves. Check each location's own website or phone line before you leave home so you do not arrive to a locked door.
For groceries, the list names a handful of select stores that are open: Whole Foods at Lansdowne, Farm Boy at the Rideau Centre, Loblaws on Isabella St. and Metro on Rideau St. The word "select" matters here. The list does not claim that every location of these chains is open, and it does not cover other grocery stores, so confirm before you head out for a missing can of cranberry sauce.
Getting around
OC Transpo is listed as running on a Sunday schedule on Thanksgiving. If you rely on the bus or train, plan your day around Sunday service rather than a regular weekday timetable. Sunday service is not the same as weekday service, so check your route in advance if you need to arrive somewhere at a specific time.
A quick checklist
- Do your LCBO run before Monday.
- Pick up any groceries you can in advance, and treat the open grocery stores as a backup.
- Check hours at the Rideau Centre or Tanger Outlets before heading there.
- Expect OC Transpo to run on its Sunday schedule.
- Do not plan a mall trip to Bayshore, Place d'Orléans or St. Laurent, or a visit to a library branch.
What is not known yet
The source list is short, and it leaves some gaps. It does not give opening hours for the Rideau Centre or Tanger Outlets, and it does not name every grocery store or business in the city. Restaurants, pharmacies, gas stations and other services are not covered. If something you need is not on the list, call ahead or check the business's website or social media.
That is the picture for Thanksgiving Monday in Ottawa: most of the big retail and public services close, a few shopping and grocery options stay open, and the buses run on a Sunday schedule.
Sources: 613today
