What’s open and closed in Kingston over the holidays as Christmas and New Year’s approach

Residents urged to plan ahead for medical care, garbage pickup, transit and shopping hours

Kingston residents are being encouraged to plan ahead as Christmas and New Year’s holidays bring widespread service changes across the city.

Need medical care during the holidays:
Emergency rooms often see a spike in visits over the holidays when people are unsure what services are open. Before heading to the ER, residents are encouraged to check holidayhours.ca, a free tool that lists verified holiday hours for walk-in clinics, urgent care centres, pharmacies and medical labs.

Garbage and green bin collection:

• No collection on Dec. 25 and 26; pickup will occur two days after the regular schedule
• No collection on Jan. 1; pickup will occur one day later

Kingston Transit:

• Dec. 24: Regular weekday service (customer service closed)
• Dec. 25 and Jan. 1: No service
• Dec. 26: Sunday service
• Dec. 31: Free rides all day, with late-night Route N1 running until 3 a.m.

Grocery stores:

• Most grocery stores will be closed on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1
• Many will be open with reduced hours on Dec. 24 and Dec. 26
• Hours vary by location and residents are advised to check ahead

LCBO and Beer Store:

• LCBO and Beer Store locations will be closed on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1
• Most will be open on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31, typically with early closing
• Some Beer Store locations may open on Boxing Day with limited hours

Municipal offices and facilities:

• Most city offices, libraries, recreation centres and cultural facilities will be closed or operating on reduced schedules
• Utilities Kingston offices will be closed, with emergency services available 24/7
• Residents are encouraged to check city and retailer websites for exact hours and service updates.

Story by Alyssa Brush