- National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) - October 2025
- Islamic History Month - October 2025
- Pink Shirt Day - October 3, 2025
- Fire Prevention Week - October 5-11, 2025
- National Dental Care Day - October 10, 2025
- Child Care Worker & Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day - October 21, 2025
- World Stroke Day - October 29, 2025
- Prostate Cancer Awareness Month - September 2025
- National British Home Child Day - September 28, 2025
National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) - October 2025
National Disability Employment Awareness Month or NDEAM was first proclaimed in Canada in 2010 by the Province of Manitoba. Saskatchewan followed suit in 2011, and British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, and Nunavut also secured proclamations in the ensuing years. Since then, employment service providers, employers, and community organizations throughout Canada have brought NDEAM to life by organizing activities to engage employers, job seekers experiencing disability, and the public to promote the benefits of inclusive hiring.
NDEAM is committed to recognizing the abilities and contributions of people with disabilities within the labour force in our community. National Disability Employment Awareness Month is designated to raise awareness of the benefits and importance of inclusive hiring practices, and to support employment opportunities for people with disabilities to pursue and gain paid, meaningful employment.
Additional Information on NDEAM can be found on the Ontario Disability Employment Network (ODEN) website.
Islamic History Month - October 2025
Islamic History Month Canada (IHMC) in October aims to celebrate, inform, educate, and share with fellow Canadians the rich Muslim heritage and contributions to society: Contributions in sciences, humanities, medicine, astronomy, and other disciplines that have greatly benefited human progress. IHMC believes that through education and sharing positive stories, all Canadians can grow and connect in the best way possible.
For more information, please visit islamichistorymonth.ca
Pink Shirt Day - October 3, 2025
The Canadian Cancer Society CIBC Run for the Cure occurs annually the first Sunday in October. This year we are bringing education and awareness by having PINK SHIRT day on Friday, October 3, 2025. The City of Pickering joins the Township of Uxbridge, City of Oshawa and Town of Whitby in proclaiming Friday, October 3, 2025 as Pink Shirt Day.
As breast cancer continues to be the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Canadian women, touching the lives of so many families every day, the CIBC Run for the Cure gives families, friends and supporters the opportunity to join together to honour and celebrate their loved ones, and make a real difference.
For more information, please visit cancer.ca/en/get-involved/our-events/cibc-run-for-the-cure
Fire Prevention Week - October 5-11, 2025
Fire Prevention Week is observed on the Sunday through Saturday period in which October 9th falls, in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which began October 8th, 1871, and most of its damage occurred on October 9th.
Fire Prevention week 2025 takes place on October 5th - 11th, and fire prevention day is always on October 9th. Every year in October, we celebrate Fire Prevention Week to bring awareness to the importance of fire safety. A particular theme is chosen by the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) each year.
For more information, please visit nfpa.org
National Dental Care Day - October 10, 2025
National Dental Care Day (NDCD) is a coast-to-coast Canadian movement that celebrates dignity, compassion, and access to essential oral health services. Every October 10th, participating dentists and dental professionals volunteer their time to provide free dental care such as: cleanings, fillings, and extractions, to individuals who face barriers to care. NDCD is organized by Doing Positive in My Backyard, a recognized grassroots volunteer initiative founded by Dr. Raj Khanuja, recipient of the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship. Since 2012, over $360,000 in free dental services have been provided through this initiative. This proclamation will encourage greater civic participation, community care, and equitable health access across Ontario.
For more information, please visit nationaldentalcareday.ca
Child Care Worker & Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day - October 21, 2025
This day recognizes the commitment, skills and hard work of Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) and staff who work with young children. Each year, the day is proclaimed by the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care (OCBCC), the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), municipalities and school boards across Ontario, and is marked by hundreds of child care centres, unions, and allies.
This year’s Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day theme “Care Counts”, to centre the importance of care in early learning and child care and the pride that ECEs and child care workers feel in their work. There is no education without care. “Care Counts” also speaks to the need to value and remunerate those doing care work better.
Years of research confirms the benefits of high-quality early learning and child care for young children’s intellectual, emotional, social and physical development and later life outcomes. Child care promotes the well-being of children and responds to the needs of families and the broader community by supporting quality of life so that citizens can fully participate in and contribute to the economic and social life of their community. Trained and knowledgeable Registered Early Childhood Educators are the key to quality in early years and child care programs – in licensed child care, EarlyON programs, child life programs, and full-day kindergarten. Registered Early Childhood Educators and child care workers will be vital to the success of the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care system.
For more information, please visit: childcareontario.org and cupe.on.ca
World Stroke Day - October 29, 2025
Stroke Survivors Advocacy Group of Canada (SSAGC) is dedicated to advocating for stroke survivors and providing support to both survivors and caregivers. The goal is to ensure that stroke survivors receive the care and resources they need to live fulfilling lives. With the right support, stroke survivors can overcome the challenges they face and thrive. Join in to make a difference in the lives of stroke survivors and their families.
For more information, please visit strokesurvivorsadvocacygroup.ca
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month - September 2025
September is Prostate Cancer Awareness month, a month dedicated to raising awareness, funding research and supporting those living with prostate cancer. It is the most common type of cancer to affect Canadian men. Raising awareness for Prostate Cancer is one of the best ways to help people learn about the signs, symptoms and preventive screening. It also helps build communities and foster connections. For more information, visit prostatecanada.ca
National British Home Child Day - September 28, 2025
September 28 is National British Home Child Day in Canada, as proclaimed by the Government of Canada in 2017. From 1869 to 1948, over 100,000 children were sent to Canada as indentured labourers and domestics. These children ranged from a few months to 18 years of age. The vast majority of these children came from loving families who had fallen on hard times, which resulted in poverty, and their parents being unable to care for their children. These children went on to serve in large numbers in WW1 and WW2 as well as make many contributions to Canada.
Home Children Canada is a charity and its affiliated group British Home Children Advocacy and Research Association (BHCARA) share a common goal is to promote awareness of the Child Migration Scheme which began in the late 19th Century continuing until the 1970’s. For the large part, Canadians are completely unaware of this Migration Scheme that spanned 4 continents and lasted over 150 years. BHCARA focuses on assisting Home Children and their descendants in finding information on lost families, free of charge and safely secure and catalogue historical artifacts (trunks/medals/books).
Home Children Canada and British Home Child Advocacy & Research Advocacy (BHCARA) started two initiatives to commemorate British Home Child Day. Firstly, "Beacons of Light for British Home Children Tribute," where communities illuminate memorials, monuments, or buildings, in red, white and blue or yellow which represents Home Children Canada’s floral emblem, the sunflower, on September 28th. The second initiative is, "Porch Light - "We'll leave the light on for you - In memory of British Home Children," where individuals leave their porch light on, on September 28th or leave a sunflower on a BHC’s grave.
Pickering was home to many BHC’s whether they were initially placed there as home children on area farms or buried in local cemeteries such as in the Duffin Meadows Cemetery and the Claremont Cemetery. It is said 1 in 10 Canadians descend from a British Home Child. Premier Doug Ford and Don Cherry's grandfathers were also BHC!
For more information, visit: britishhomechildren.com and homechildrencanada.com