Get inspired by these key dates and seasonal tips for your 2023 SMS marketing strategies.
80% of Canadian consumers are interested in getting texts from brands, and almost half of them want to hear from you multiple times per week. Meet this demand with timely SMS marketing strategies that boost both revenue and brand loyalty.
Check out Canada’s top seasonal touchpoints and monthly tips to help you create memorable brand experiences.
Once you’re ready to dig in and start scheduling your campaigns, use our SMS Planning Calendar Template. It’s got everything you need to track marketing moments, which audiences you’re engaging, and campaign status.
In a rush? Bookmark this post to reference throughout the year, and download the full 2023 Canada calendar. You can also download calendars for the US, UK, and Australia.
January 2023 Holidays
SMS tip of the month: Inspire your subscribers to step confidently into the new year with a seasonal lookbook. Share an eye-catching GIF as a sneak peek into the featured products. Keep the celebrations going all month long with a lucky dollar-off discount code to welcome the Year of the Rabbit.
- January 1: New Year’s Day
- January 11: International Thank You Day
- January 22: Lunar New Year
- January 24: International Day of Education
- January 26: International Customs Day
February 2023 Holidays
SMS tip of the month: Win over the hearts (and wallets) of your subscribers this February with stand-out incentives. Leading up to Valentine’s Day, delight last-minute shoppers with free 2-day shipping and “gifts of experience” recommendations.
- Black History Month
- February 2: World Wetlands Day
- February 14: Valentine’s Day
- February 14: National Have a Heart Day
- February 15: National Flag of Canada Day
- February 20: Islander Day
- February 20: Louis Riel Day
- February 22: Pink Shirt Day
- February 24: Heritage Day Yukon
- February 25: Curling Day
March 2023 Holidays
SMS tip of the month: Spring is in the air…and so is customer engagement! Motivate your subscribers to start their spring cleaning with tips and product recommendations to create a soothing space. Sharing this educational content can help diversify your SMS channel while boosting product discovery.
- March 3: National Bacon Day
- March 7: Alexander Graham Bell Day
- March 8: International Women’s Day
- March 13: Commonwealth Day
- March 17: St. Patrick’s Day
- March 20: First Day of Spring
- March 21: World Poetry Day
- March 22: World Water Day
April 2023 Holidays
SMS tip of the month: Grow brand loyalty with engaging SMS experiences around April’s national holidays. Use Attentive’s Two-Way JourneysTM to recommend a product based on each subscriber’s favorite book or Canadian film. This playful conversational experience is a great way to infuse your brand voice and strengthen your customer community.
- April 1: April Fool’s Day
- April 7: World Health Day
- April 9: Easter
- April 19: National Canadian Film Day
- April 22: Earth Day
- April 23: Saint George's Day
- April 23: National Book Day
May 2023 Holidays
SMS tip of the month: May is all about health—from mental health awareness to celebrating healthcare heroes. Help your subscribers take some time to focus on themselves, with self-care tips and health product recommendations.
- May 1-7: Mental Health Week
- May 1: National Physicians Day
- May 12: International Nurses Day
- May 14: Mother's Day
- May 18: National Caesar Day
- May 22: Victoria Day
- May 22: Canadian Immigrants Day
June 2023 Holidays
SMS tip of the month: Help your subscribers celebrate the dads in their lives this month with personalized text messages. Leading up to Father’s Day, ask your subscribers who they’re looking to get a gift for, or how they’re planning to celebrate. Then, with Attentive’s Two-Way Journeys, you can instantly reply with a personalized recommendation based on their preferences.
- Pride Month
- June 1: World Milk Day
- June 7: Global Running Day
- June 8: World Ocean Day
- June 18: Father’s Day
- June 21: Summer Solstice
- June 21: National Indigenous Peoples Day
- June 24: Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day
- June 26: June Holiday
July 2023 Holidays
SMS tip of the month: Tap into July festivities—between Canada Day parades and barbeques—with an SMS-exclusive promotion, like a flash sale or free gift. This exclusive strategy treats your subscribers like VIPs, and helps strengthen your relationships with your most valuable audience.
- July 1: Canada Day
- July 7: World Chocolate Day
- July 9: Nunavut Day
- July 15: Canada Parks Day
- July 17: World Emoji Day
- July 24: International Self-Care Day
- July 30: International Day of Friendship
August 2023 Holidays
SMS tip of the month: Weeks before the start of the school year, shoppers are gearing up with school supplies, clothes, and college dorm decor. Kickstart your seasonal strategies by offering SMS subscribers early access to your back-to-school deals.
- August 1: National Night Out
- August 2: Regatta Day
- August 5: International Beer Day
- August 7: Civic Holiday
- August 8: International Cat Day
- August 15: National Acadian Day
- August 19: World Photography Day
- August 21: Yukon Discovery Day
- August 26: International Dog Day
September 2023 Holidays
SMS tip of the month: As summer winds down, your customers will likely be taking advantage of the long weekend that comes with Labour Day. Catch up with your subscribers by asking them about their weekend plans with Two-Way Journeys. Based on the subscriber’s response, you can instantly recommend the perfect item—like a “party pack” or outfit recommendation.
- September 4: Labour Day
- September 5: International Day of Charity
- September 10: Grandparents’ Day
- September 19: Talk Like a Pirate Day
- September 21: International Day of Peace
- September 23: First Day of Autumn
- September 27: National No Excuses Day
- September 29: World Heart Day
- September 29: National Coffee Day
- September 30: Truth & Reconciliation Day
October 2023 Holidays
SMS tip of the month: Throughout Women’s History Month, give your subscribers a behind-the-scenes look into your brand by spotlighting the strong women behind it and their stories. These unique touchpoints can help grow brand awareness and connect with subscribers on shared values.
- Women’s History Month
- October 1: National Seniors Day
- October 5: World Teachers’ Day
- October 6: World Smile Day
- October 9: Thanksgiving
- October 10: World Mental Health Day
- October 18: Persons Day
- October 18: Health Care Aide Day
- October 31: Halloween
November 2023 Holidays
SMS tip of the month: The holiday shopping season is here! Stay on top of all Cyber Week holidays by scheduling your campaigns ahead of time. With Attentive Concierge, you can ease your subscribers’ holiday shopping worries—and avoid the stream of customer service tickets. Remind shoppers they can always reach out via text for product recommendations and 1:1 support.
- November 1: Random Acts of Kindness Day
- November 11: Singles’ Day
- November 11: Remembrance Day
- November 18: Housing Day
- November 21: National Red Mitten Day
- November 24: Black Friday
- November 27: Cyber Monday
- November 28: Giving Tuesday
December 2023 Holidays
SMS tip of the month: The winter holiday season is a great opportunity to grow your SMS channel. Customize your SMS sign-up units with a Preference Collection form, asking users who they’re shopping for. Welcome new subscribers with a gift guide based on their response. You can save this zero-party data as custom attributes in subscriber profiles, so you can continue to deliver personalized experiences in the new year.
- December 3: International Day of Persons With Disabilities
- December 5: International Volunteers Day
- December 11: Green Monday
- December 14: Free Shipping Day
- December 17: Canadian Maple Syrup Day
- December 21: First Day of Winter
- December 23: Super Saturday
- December 26: Boxing Day
- December 31: New Year’s Eve
Want more SMS inspiration for Canada’s key dates and holidays? Browse hundreds of text messaging campaigns sent by our customers in our SMS gallery, Texts We Love.
