Diwali 2026 in Canada, Province by Province: Dates, Lakshmi Puja and Dhanteras Muhurat

Quick answer: Diwali 2026 in Canada is on Sunday 8 November 2026, with Lakshmi Puja in the evening. In Toronto the Lakshmi Puja muhurat is 5:17 PM to 7:03 PM, in Vancouver 5:53 PM to 7:34 PM and in Calgary 6:11 PM to 7:49 PM (local time). Dhanteras is on Friday 6 November and Bhai Dooj on Tuesday 10 November. Muhurat times below are calculated for each Canadian city using the Drik Panchang method. Do not convert India's muhurat into Canadian time.

Canada has large Hindu communities from the Greater Toronto Area and Montreal to Metro Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg. Because Canada spans six time zones and, from this year, a new patchwork of clock rules, a single national Diwali time does not exist. This guide goes province by province so every family can find a timing for its own city.

Diwali 2026 dates in Canada

Dates are from Drik Panchang for Canada. Diwali landing on a Sunday is a gift for Canadian families: the main Lakshmi Puja evening falls on a weekend, while Dhanteras on Friday evening is also easier than usual to observe after work.

Important: the 2026 clock change and your Diwali times

On Sunday 1 November 2026, Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador) turned their clocks back one hour to standard time, as usual.

British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba did not. These provinces now stay on daylight time all year round. As a result, sunset on Diwali evening, and with it the Pradosh Kaal and the Lakshmi Puja window, falls about an hour later on the clock than guides prepared on the old basis would show. If a printed calendar from your temple or a relative shows Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton or Winnipeg times about an hour earlier than ours, the clock change is the likely reason.

Saskatchewan is unchanged: most of the province has never changed its clocks, so its times work exactly as before. The times below use up-to-date time zone data.

How Lakshmi Puja muhurat is chosen

Lakshmi Puja is performed on Amavasya evening during Pradosh Kaal, the period of about two and a half hours that begins at sunset. Within Pradosh Kaal, Drik Panchang marks the most auspicious portion, when a fixed (sthir) lagna, Vrishabha, is rising; this is the Lakshmi Puja muhurat in the tables. If you cannot start within that window, beginning the puja anywhere within Pradosh Kaal is widely accepted. Dhanteras puja on Friday 6 November follows the same evening principle.

Ontario

Ontario has Canada's largest Hindu population, concentrated in the Greater Toronto Area, with strong communities in Ottawa, Kitchener-Waterloo, Hamilton, London and Windsor. Ontario returned to Eastern Standard Time on 1 November.

For other GTA suburbs such as Markham, Scarborough or Vaughan, the Toronto times are a close guide. Elsewhere in Ontario, use a panchang set for your own city.

Quebec

Quebec's Hindu community is centred on Greater Montreal, with families in Quebec City, Gatineau and Laval. Quebec returned to Eastern Standard Time on 1 November.

British Columbia

Metro Vancouver, especially Surrey, Burnaby and Richmond, has a large South Asian population, and there are communities on Vancouver Island and in the Okanagan. British Columbia now stays on daylight time all year, so these evening times are later on the clock than older guides show.

Alberta

Calgary and Edmonton both have large and growing Hindu communities. Alberta also stays on daylight time all year from 2026, so Diwali evening falls later on the clock.

Manitoba

Winnipeg is home to most of Manitoba's Hindu families. Manitoba now stays on daylight time all year, like British Columbia and Alberta.

Saskatchewan

Regina and Saskatoon have growing communities of students and new immigrants. Saskatchewan does not change its clocks, so nothing is different this year.

Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island

The Maritime provinces returned to Atlantic Standard Time on 1 November.

Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland keeps its own half-hour time zone and returned to Newfoundland Standard Time on 1 November.

Families in the territories or in towns not listed here should use a panchang calculated for their exact location.

Celebrating Diwali in Canada: practical tips

• Temples and community programmes: Hindu temples and community associations in the GTA, Montreal, Metro Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and other cities hold Diwali programmes such as Lakshmi Puja, aarti and cultural evenings. Dates and timings are set by each organisation, often on the nearest weekend, so check their calendars.
• Fireworks: municipal fireworks bylaws vary across Canada, from permitted days to permits and outright bans. Check your city's rules before buying anything, and never set off fireworks near buildings or dry vegetation.
• Diyas indoors: November evenings are cold and often windy, so many families keep diyas indoors. Place them on non-flammable trays away from curtains, and use LED diyas in apartments or wherever open flames are not allowed.
• Bhai Dooj on a Tuesday: if siblings live in different cities, a video call with tilak and aarti keeps the bond alive; a weekend family meal can follow.

Navratri and Dussehra were celebrated across Canada in October; see our Dussehra 2026 Canada province-by-province guide for those observances.

Frequently asked questions

When is Diwali 2026 in Canada?

Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) is on Sunday 8 November 2026 across Canada, according to Drik Panchang. Dhanteras is on Friday 6 November, Naraka Chaturdashi on Saturday 7 November, Govardhan Puja on Monday 9 November and Bhai Dooj on Tuesday 10 November 2026.

What is the Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Toronto for Diwali 2026?

5:17 PM to 7:03 PM local time on Sunday 8 November 2026 in Toronto, according to Drik Panchang. Brampton and Mississauga are 5:18 PM to 7:04 PM.

Why are Vancouver and Calgary Diwali times later than in older guides?

Since 2026, British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba stay on daylight time all year, so they did not turn their clocks back on 1 November 2026. Sunset, and therefore the Pradosh and Lakshmi Puja windows, fall about an hour later on the clock than guides calculated on the old standard-time basis. The times on this page already reflect this.

Can I use India's Diwali muhurat in Canada?

No. Lakshmi Puja is tied to Pradosh Kaal, which starts at local sunset, so the muhurat must be calculated for your own city. Converting India's time into Canadian time gives a meaningless window, often in the middle of the night or morning.

Diwali falls on a Sunday this year. Will temples celebrate on the day?

Because 8 November 2026 is a Sunday, many families and temples will be able to celebrate on Diwali itself. Each temple and community association sets its own programme, so check their calendars for Lakshmi Puja, aarti and any cultural events.

Are fireworks allowed on Diwali in Canada?

Rules on consumer fireworks are set by municipalities and they vary widely: some cities restrict the days fireworks may be used, some require permits and some ban them. Check your own city's fireworks bylaw before buying or lighting anything.

Editor's note

Editor's note (5 October 2026): This page has been restored at its original address after the earlier version was lost. Festival dates are from Drik Panchang for Canada. The Toronto times are Drik Panchang's own; the other cities are calculated with the Drik Panchang method from local sunrise and sunset and are expected to be within about a minute. Times use current time zone data (tz database 2026.5), which reflects British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba staying on daylight time year-round. We have not listed individual temple events, venues or fireworks rules; please check your temple, community association and municipality.

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