The provincial government has declared Sept. 30 a provincial holiday in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

The day honours the children who never returned home from residential schools, as well as survivors, their families and communities.

The day will be treated as any other holiday for management and non-union employees in Parts I, II and III of the provincial public service. This includes central government departments and agencies, as well as the anglophone and francophone school systems. Collective agreement terms and conditions for holidays will apply to unionized employees in Parts I, II and III. This holiday will be optional for private sector businesses.

As usual, all essential services, including health care, will continue to be delivered.

The declaration of a holiday is one of the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The provincial government has either initiated or completed 27 of the 31 Calls to Action that fall under its jurisdiction.