The First Day of Fall 2025 in Canada : Your Guide

Of all the seasons, I have to admit that fall holds a special place in my heart. There’s a certain magic in the air when it arrives. It’s not just one thing, but a collection of sensory moments: the first time you see your breath on a chilly morning, the satisfying crunch of amber leaves under your boots, the way the sunlight slants low and golden through the trees. It’s the season of cozy sweaters, warm mugs of cider, and the comforting scent of pumpkin pie spice that seems to emanate from every café.

While for many of us, fall feels like it begins with back-to-school season or the moment we swap our iced coffees for hot lattes, there is an official, astronomical starting point. It’s a precise moment dictated not by our calendars or feelings, but by the Earth’s own celestial dance.

So, let’s pull on our favourite flannel, get comfortable, and dive into everything you need to know about the official start of the fall 2025 season in Canada, from the science behind it all to when you’ll get that glorious extra hour of sleep.

Mark Your Calendars: The Official Start of Fall 2025

Let’s get straight to the most pressing question. The official first day of fall in Canada for 2025 will be on Monday, September 22, 2025.

But it’s not just the day that’s specific; it’s the exact moment. The season will begin at the autumnal equinox, which occurs at 8:19 AM Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). For my friends across the country, that means you can officially welcome the season at:

• 5:19 AM PDT in British Columbia
• 6:19 AM MDT in Alberta
• 7:19 AM CDT in Manitoba
• 9:19 AM ADT in the Maritimes
• 9:49 AM NDT in Newfoundland

So, while you might be sipping your morning coffee or just waking up, the Earth will cross a significant milestone in its orbit, officially tipping the Northern Hemisphere into the autumn season.

Who Decides? The Celestial Clockwork of the Autumnal Equinox

You might be wondering, who actually gets to decide when fall begins? A secret council of meteorologists? The government? The truth is far more cosmic. The start of the seasons is determined by the tilt of the Earth’s axis and its journey around the sun.

Imagine our planet is a spinning top tilted on its side by about 23.5 degrees. As we orbit the sun over 365 days, this tilt means that for half the year, the Northern Hemisphere is angled more towards the sun (giving us spring and summer), and for the other half, it’s angled away (giving us fall and winter).

The equinoxes—vernal (spring) and autumnal (fall)—are the two precise moments in the year when this tilt is neither pointing towards nor away from the sun. Instead, the sun’s rays shine directly on the equator. The word “equinox” itself comes from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night). On the equinox, day and night are almost exactly equal in length, about 12 hours each, all over the world.

So, it’s not a person or a committee that decides the first day of fall; it’s the beautiful, predictable physics of our solar system. It’s a moment of balance before the days begin to grow noticeably shorter and the nights longer, leading us toward winter.

How Long Do We Get to Enjoy the Cozy Season?

Once it officially arrives, how long does this glorious season of fall last? Astronomically speaking, fall will grace us with its presence from the autumnal equinox on September 22, 2025, right up until the winter solstice.

For 2025, the winter solstice will occur on Sunday, December 21, 2025. This is the point when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted furthest away from the sun, giving us our shortest day and longest night of the year.

This means we get approximately 89 days of autumn to enjoy the fall colours, visit pumpkin patches, and get our fill of cozy activities before the crisp air gives way to the deep chill of winter.

A Rose by Any Other Name: Is it Fall or Autumn?

Have you ever paused and wondered if you should be saying “fall” or “autumn”? It’s a common question, and the simple answer is: you can use whichever you prefer! Both words refer to the same season and are correct.

Their difference is mostly a matter of history and geography.

• Autumn is the older of the two words, entering the English language from the Latin word autumnus. It became common around the 14th century and is still the preferred term in British English.
• Fall emerged a couple of hundred years later, around the 16th century, as a poetic shortening of the phrase “the fall of the leaf.” Its simple, descriptive nature made it incredibly popular in North America, and it has since become the dominant term in both Canadian and American English.

So, whether you’re an “autumn” person or a “fall” fanatic, you’re talking about the same wonderful season. I tend to use them interchangeably, depending on whether I’m feeling more poetic or more casual.

Don’t Forget to Fall Back: Setting Your Clocks

One of the most anticipated events of the fall season, besides the changing leaves, is the end of Daylight Saving Time. This is when we “fall back” and gain that beloved extra hour of sleep.

In 2025, Daylight Saving Time will end on Sunday, November 2, 2025.

The official change happens at 2:00 AM local time, at which point the clocks turn back to 1:00 AM. For most of us, the easiest way to handle this is to simply set any manual clocks (like on your oven or in your car) back one hour before you head to bed on Saturday, November 1st. Your smartphone and other connected devices should update automatically.

It’s important to remember that not all of Canada observes Daylight Saving Time. Most of Saskatchewan, along with some pockets in British Columbia, Quebec, and Nunavut, keep their clocks the same year-round. For everyone else, however, get ready to enjoy a little extra rest!

Sweaters, Stuffing, and Gratitude: Canadian Thanksgiving 2025

Of course, no discussion of fall in Canada would be complete without mentioning Thanksgiving. Our version of the holiday is a true celebration of the fall harvest, taking place when the colours are at their most vibrant peak.

Unlike our neighbours to the south, Canadian Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October.

In 2025, Canadian Thanksgiving will fall on Monday, October 13, 2025.

This gives us the perfect long weekend to gather with family and friends, enjoy a hearty turkey dinner, and take a stroll to admire the breathtaking foliage before the leaves have all fallen. It’s a holiday that feels perfectly placed within the season it celebrates—a moment to pause and give thanks for the bounty of the harvest and the beauty of the world around us.

From its precise astronomical start to that final, welcome chime of the clocks falling back, fall is a season rich with tradition, science, and simple beauty. So as fall 2025 approaches, I hope you’re ready to embrace it all.