IT’S LABOUR DAY WEEKEND! Why it’s a big thing in the CFL, some predictions for the big weekend of CFL action, and a more serious talk.

Labour Day weekend: a celebration of the workforce, a day off work, and a day full of significant CFL action. Here’s a breakdown of what Labour Day means in Canadian society and in the CFL and everything you need to know ahead of this weekend’s action.

(Image Credit to Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)

A serious talk first: why the Argonauts are pinholing themselves for 2026 when the calendar hasn’t even flipped.

Heading into Week 13, the Toronto Argonauts sit at 3-8 and just inside the possibility that they can return to the playoffs for the fifth-consecutive season. 

While it’s clear that a 1-5 start to the season pinholed this team early, the team is doing themselves no favours when it comes to putting themselves in the best possible position to succeed in 2026. 

This comes in the form of the team’s recent announcement that three home games in 2026 would be played in other CFL stadiums due to the Argos’ home stadium - BMO Field - hosting a handful of games for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, which coincides with the first month of the CFL season. But it’s not just the games; the field crew is going to need time to ensure that the turf is properly retrofitted for CFL standards prior to the Argos’ return. The three games will be played at the Hamilton Stadium - home of the Hamilton Tiger Cats, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ Princess Auto Stadium, and the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ Mosaic Stadium.

The Argos will play most of their home games in the final half of the season, however those are going to be some very hostile “home games.” I feel bad already for the families making the drive from Toronto to Hamilton just to be booed out if the Argos lose by double digits. 

In the words of Youtuber Steven He, that is emotional damage. 

Jokes aside, this was not the best idea. While the team is taking advantage of traditional CFL markets, there were so many options that could’ve been considered that are far closer to Toronto. 

For one, the Argos have made it a habit to play home preseason games at Alumni Stadium, home of the University of Guelph’s varsity football team. Guelph so happens to be an hour-and-a-half drive from downtown Toronto, just slightly longer than the hour-and-fifteen-minute drive from Toronto to Hamilton. 

Even if the team opted not to play at Guelph, so many other options could’ve been considered. London (Ontario, not England) happens to be a somewhat-big football city; U Sports’ Western Mustangs (Western University) have been extremely successful, especially in recent years. The Mustangs’ home stadium does seat only 8,000, however this could be increased for Argonauts games. 

And if you don’t want to leave Toronto? The University of Toronto’s Varsity Blues have a stadium that could get additional seating added; the Varsity Blues are also just a streetcar ride and six subway stops north of BMO Field. 

In writing this rant, I recognize that I’m not an MLSE executive and I really have no say as to what the Argonauts do with their three home games away from BMO Field. But with the BC Lions, whose home stadium is also hosting World Cup games, considering playing their home dates within British Columbia, the Argonauts are set to lose significant home-field advantage in the early part of 2025. And considering that the Argonauts have won just once on the road thus far in 2025, the disadvantage only becomes more apparent. 

What even is Labour Day Weekend? Why is it a big thing in the CFL?

Labour Day Weekend holds significance both in sports and in society. The day marks a celebration of the achievements and the efforts of the workforce, while also serving as an opportunity to reinforce the need and legality of unions in the public sphere. 

In Canada, Labour Day falls on the first Monday of September and has been recognized as such since 1894. The day was also recognized as an official statutory holiday by Prime Minister Sir John Thompson in July of the same year, with unions encouraging the federal Parliament to debate and vote on legislation marking the day as such.

In the CFL, Labour Day weekend is where all of the big rivalry games take place. Edmonton plays Calgary in the Battle of Alberta, Toronto heads down the Queen Elizabeth Way to take on Hamilton, while the Winnipeg Blue Bombers head to Regina to play the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Sometimes, Ottawa will take on Montreal as well.

The weekend’s affairs also are seen as the unofficial kickoff to the CFL’s playoff push. By this point in the season, most, if not all, of the CFL’s nine team will have played eleven games; while some teams may already be on the cusp of securing places in the big dance or are already out of the picture, the relative distance between divisional rivals in terms of points makes Labour Day a pivotal point in the playoff battle. 

This final point is further amplified by the two rematches that take place the following week. These rematches see Edmonton host Calgary, while Saskatchewan plays Winnipeg in the annual “Banjo Bowl.” They also serve as an opportunity for teams to either regain or to further cut into advantages for playoff spots and seeding. 

This year, Labour Day has increased significance. 

While Saskatchewan leads the West Division at 8-2, Winnipeg sits just two wins back at 6-4; the two teams haven’t met thus far in the season. Two straight wins on Labour Day and in the Banjo Bowl could see Winnipeg gain the lead in the West, while two wins for the Riders would see Saskatchewan increase their lead to eight points, putting the team in a position to clinch first in the West in the following few weeks. 

In Alberta, key seeding is on the line. The Edmonton Elks sit just two points back of BC with a game in hand (BC does hold the tiebreaker) for the final playoff spot and four back of Winnipeg for an automatic berth via the top-three spots in the division. While a split with the Stampeders may not hurt their chances much considering that the Lions are on a bye, two wins could see Edmonton back into the top-three race. As for Calgary, who sits just two points back on Saskatchewan for first in the West and with the head-to-head tiebreaker secured, two wins could put the Stampeders on course to lock up a playoff return, while two losses could see Calgary dragged into a fight for survival. 

And in southwestern Ontario, the fate of the East Division lies on the happenings of September 1st. The Toronto Argonauts lost their first matchup with Hamilton earlier in the season; another loss would hand the head-to-head tiebreaker to the Tiger-Cats with one matchup still to play. In addition, despite the slow start, Toronto sits just six points behind Hamilton for the East Division lead and four back of Montreal for second and a home semifinal. 

While things are still close for Toronto, like last week, the Argonauts’ playoff hopes rely on a win on Labour Day. A win for Toronto would see the gap to Hamilton reduced to four points and a rubber-match at BMO Field on October 4th guaranteed should the Argonauts find another two points on the Tiger-Cats; a win for Hamilton would restore some of the team’s lost momentum while condemning Toronto to a battle with Montreal for second. 

Some predictions for the big weekend:

Saskatchewan Roughriders (8-2) vs Winnipeg Blue Bombers (6-4):

If I was a Saskatchewan fan, I’d be quite worried about this weekend. 

While the Riders’ two losses so far this year have come against the Calgary Stampeders, both of them were blowouts; the most recent being a 32-15 decision at McMahon Stadium. 

And while Winnipeg sits at 6-4, they’re winners of two straight games and running back Brady Oliveira is quickly starting to look like himself again; the North Dakota product rushed for 137 yards and a touchdown last week against the Alouettes. He’ll look to play the role of the gamechanger in this matchup, one that could be pivotal as the final push for the playoffs kicks off. 

Calgary got themselves back into the divisional race last week. Now it’s Winnipeg’s turn. Winnipeg will ride their momentum to a third-straight win, buoyed by another strong performance by Brady Oliveira.

The pick: Blue Bombers 27, Roughriders 17

Toronto Argonauts (3-8) vs Hamilton Tiger-Cats (6-4):

With his team’s playoff hopes essentially in the ICU, Nick Arbuckle needed to deliver. 

And deliver, he did.

The Argonauts quarterback would end up throwing for 430 yards and three touchdowns in what was a 52-34 win over the BC Lions; the matchup also served as Toronto’s annual CNE game. 

That said, a big win is great. But it’s Labour Day Weekend, and the Argonauts have to deliver once again when they head just outside of the Greater Toronto Area to take on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, who still lead the East Division despite losing two straight games. 

The last time Hamilton and Toronto played saw 89 points scored, over 650 passing yards tallied, hearts driven through the rollercoaster of a game, and a winner for Save On Foods’ Million Dollar Touchdown to Win contest.

Talk about Money in the Bank.

This rematch should be more of the same considering that both Arbuckle and Tiger-Cats quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell are at the top of their games. Receivers like the Argonauts’ Dejon Brissett and Hamilton’s Kenny Lawler should also feature in this fixture, while defenders like Wynton McManis and Stavros Katsantonis will be lurking to secure big plays for their teams. 

While Hamilton will be entering this game with the better record, Toronto will be entering with a little more momentum. I think that the Argonauts, led by a competitive offence, will finally crack Bo Levi Mitchell and get back into the divisional race. 

The pick: Argonauts 31, Tiger-Cats 26

Edmonton Elks (4-6) vs Calgary Stampeders (7-3):

The Edmonton Elks are back!

Breaking news everyone! What’s that you say? The Edmonton Elks are officially back! 

After going 1-6 in their first seven games, Cody Fajardo and Co. have completely flipped the script from where they stood heading into their second bye week. 

However, their Labour Day matchup, the first of two straight games against the Calgary Stampeders, is arguably their toughest test yet. 

While Calgary has lost two of their last four, they recently completed a season sweep of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before once again dominating the Saskatchewan Roughriders. 

If Edmonton is to beat the Stampeders in the first of three regular-season matchups, not only do the Elks have to run the ball, but they also have to be very careful when calling passing plays. Considering how good this Calgary defence has been this year, any mistake on the part of the Elks offence could easily shift the landscape of the game.

Calgary will enter Labour Day with the stronger roster, however, Edmonton enters with momentum. In addition, Edmonton is on a four game winning streak in matchups against the Calgary Stampeders. 

I’m going to ride the hot hand and back Edmonton to earn their fourth-straight win ahead of the rematch next week at Commonwealth Stadium. 

The pick: Elks 27, Stampeders 23

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Article written by Noah Guttman