History

The Labour Day Classic began in 1949 and pre-dates the founding of the CFL by nine years.^{[citation needed]} The matchups have remained mostly the same throughout history, except during Montreal and Ottawa's periods of hiatus or due to scheduling conflicts.

During the early 1980s, the Montreal Concordes played the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the remaining three teams (Toronto, Ottawa and BC) rotated each year. Ottawa and BC faced each other during the late 1980s and early 1990s while the league had no team in Montreal.

Because Ottawa had no active team from 1997–2001 and 2006–2013, the Alouettes usually played the Lions during those seasons, creating a "coast-to-coast" rivalry.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, the entire 2020 CFL season was cancelled and therefore no Labour Day weekend games were played for the first time in CFL history.^[3]

Hamilton

Due to scheduling conflicts, the Tiger-Cats temporarily revived its rivalry with the current incarnation of the Alouettes in the Labour Day game for the 2011 season; the change in opponents led Hamilton to dub the game the Labour Day Classique in reference to Montreal's francophone community.^[4]^[5] Therefore in 2011, this automatically resulted in Toronto and BC facing each other.

In 2013, the Tiger-Cats' did not host a game on Labour Day for only the second time in franchise history (the first being 1995).^[6] It was also the first time that they did not host a game on that weekend. Because Ivor Wynne Stadium was demolished to make way for the new Tim Hortons Field, the team played out of Alumni Stadium in Guelph. The University of Guelph Gryphons (along with most Ontario University Athletics teams) were playing that same day, so the Tiger-Cats could not host the game. To make up for it, the Toronto at Hamilton matchup was played in the Thanksgiving Day Classic.

For the 2016 contest, to avoid any further conflicts with OUA games, the CFL moved the Toronto/Hamilton matchup to prime time Labour Day evening.^[7] That year, the OUA's McMaster Marauders football team moved its Labour Day matchup with the Toronto Varsity Blues football squad to Tim Hortons Field, creating a doubleheader with a series of concerts in-between games.^[8] This was moved back to a 1:00 pm Eastern start in 2019.^[9]

Related events

Although not directly associated with the Labour Day Classic, the week after Labour Day often has a repeat match-up of the Bombers vs Roughriders (see Banjo Bowl), Stampeders vs Elks (see Battle of Alberta), and Tiger-Cats vs Argonauts (a rivalry which began in 1873),^[10] with home field advantage now to the team that did not have it during the Labour Day weekend.

As the league has been increasing in popularity in recent years, print ads for the Labour Day Classic try to evoke the tradition of watching Canadian football on the last weekend of summer. Slogans include "Long Live the Rivalries" and "Watch the Team You Love Play the Team You Love to Hate". Some of the teams wear special third jerseys or throwback uniforms if they play at home.

Current matchups

Edmonton vs Calgary

Edmonton victories	Stampeders victories

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
1	1949	Edmonton	Stampeders	20–6
2	1950	Calgary	Edmonton	19–13
3	1951	Calgary	Edmonton	18–17
4	1952	Edmonton	Edmonton	17–10
5	1953	Edmonton	Edmonton	19–5
6	1959	Calgary	Edmonton	16–10
7	1960	Calgary	Edmonton	29–28
8	1961	Calgary	Edmonton	10–9
9	1962	Calgary	Stampeders	49–17
10	1963	Calgary	Stampeders	16–14
11	1969	Calgary	Stampeders	16–14
12	1970	Calgary	Stampeders	28–13
13	1971	Calgary	Stampeders	23–7
14	1972	Calgary	Edmonton	31–19
15	1974	Calgary	Edmonton	20–16
16	1975	Calgary	Edmonton	35–31
17	1976	Calgary	Edmonton	19–17
18	1977	Calgary	Edmonton	22–8
19	1978	Calgary	Tie	28–28
20	1979	Calgary	Edmonton	27–1
21	1980	Calgary	Edmonton	38–23
22	1982	Calgary	Stampeders	32–20
23	1983	Calgary	Stampeders	18–15
24	1984	Calgary	Edmonton	30–28
25	1985	Calgary	Edmonton	34–28
26	1986	Calgary	Edmonton	42–19
27	1987	Calgary	Stampeders	29–20
28	1988	Calgary	Edmonton	27–11
29	1989	Calgary	Edmonton	31–14
30	1990	Calgary	Edmonton	38–4
31	1991	Calgary	Stampeders	48–36

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
32	1992	Calgary	Edmonton	34–21
33	1993	Calgary	Stampeders	33–13
34	1994	Calgary	Stampeders	48–13
35	1995	Calgary	Stampeders	51–26
36	1996	Calgary	Stampeders	31–13
37	1997	Calgary	Stampeders	27–14
38	1998	Calgary	Stampeders	26–8
39	1999	Calgary	Edmonton	33–30
40	2000	Calgary	Edmonton	30–18
41	2001	Calgary	Edmonton	33–32
42	2002	Calgary	Edmonton	28–20
43	2003	Calgary	Stampeders	28–22
44	2004	Calgary	Edmonton	25–7
45	2005	Calgary	Edmonton	25–23
46	2006	Calgary	Stampeders	44–23
47	2007	Calgary	Stampeders	35–24
48	2008	Calgary	Edmonton	37–16
49	2009	Calgary	Stampeders	32–8
50	2010	Calgary	Stampeders	52–5
51	2011	Calgary	Edmonton	35–7
52	2012	Calgary	Stampeders	31–30
53	2013	Calgary	Stampeders	37–34
54	2014	Calgary	Stampeders	28–13
55	2015	Calgary	Stampeders	16–7
56	2016	Calgary	Stampeders	45–24
57	2017	Calgary	Stampeders	39–18
58	2018	Calgary	Stampeders	23–20
59	2019	Calgary	Stampeders	25–9
60	2021	Calgary	Edmonton	32–20
61	2022	Calgary	Stampeders	26–18
Series: Tied 30–30–1

Longest Winning Streak (Edmonton): 7 (1950–1961)
Longest Winning Streak (Stampeders): 8 (2012–2019)

Did not play in the following years: 1954–1958, 1964–1968, 1973, 1981, 2020

Winnipeg vs Saskatchewan

In the week following the Winnipeg vs Saskatchewan Labour Day Classic matchup, the two teams rematch annually in the Banjo Bowl.

Blue Bombers victories	Roughriders victories

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
1	1949	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	20–9
2	1950	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	17–2
3	1951	Saskatchewan	Blue Bombers	24–22
4	1952	Saskatchewan	Blue Bombers	16–8
5	1953	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	23–19
6	1954	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	18–14
7	1961	Saskatchewan	Blue Bombers	17–11
8	1962	Saskatchewan	Blue Bombers	30–7
9	1963	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	15–9
10	1970	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	30–11
11	1972	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	32–21
12	1974	Saskatchewan	Blue Bombers	20–18
13	1975	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	27–23
14	1977	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	26–18
15	1978	Saskatchewan	Blue Bombers	31–29
16	1979	Saskatchewan	Blue Bombers	28–11
17	1980	Saskatchewan	Blue Bombers	32–29
18	1982	Saskatchewan	Blue Bombers	36–35
19	1983	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	32–30
20	1984	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	30–25
21	1985	Saskatchewan	Blue Bombers	18–10
22	1986	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	34–30
23	1987	Saskatchewan	Blue Bombers	29–25
24	1988	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	29–19
25	1989	Saskatchewan	Blue Bombers	28–20
26	1990	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	55–11
27	1991	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	56–23
28	1992	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	32–20
29	1993	Saskatchewan	Blue Bombers	25–24

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
30	1994	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	42–31
31	1995	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	56–4
32	1996	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	41–23
33	1997	Saskatchewan	Blue Bombers	43–12
34	1998	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	32–18
35	1999	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	42–17
36	2000	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	38–29
37	2001	Saskatchewan	Blue Bombers	20–18
38	2002	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	33–19
39	2003	Saskatchewan	Blue Bombers	36–18
40	2004	Saskatchewan	Blue Bombers	17–4
41	2005	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	45–26
42	2006	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	39–12
43	2007	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	31–26
44	2008	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	19–6
45	2009	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	29–14
46	2010	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	27–23
47	2011	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	27–7
48	2012	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	52–0
49	2013	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	48–25
50	2014	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	35–30
51	2015	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	37–19
52	2016	Saskatchewan	Blue Bombers	28–25
53	2017	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	38–24
54	2018	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	31–23
55	2019	Saskatchewan	Roughriders	19–17
56	2021	Saskatchewan	Blue Bombers	23–8
57	2022	Saskatchewan	Blue Bombers	20–18
Series: Roughriders leads 37–20

Longest winning streak (Roughriders): 11 (2005–2015)
Longest winning streak (Blue Bombers): 4 (1978–1982)

Did not play the following years: 1955–1960, 1964–1969, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1981, 2020

Toronto vs Hamilton

The Toronto—Hamilton Classic is one of the components of the Harold Ballard Trophy, an award given to the winner of the season series between the Tiger-Cats and Argonauts. The trophy is named after Harold Ballard, who owned the Tiger-Cats for much of the 1980s and owned Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment for most of that time. A trophy has been awarded to the winner of the series since 1979.^[11]

The Toronto—Hamilton contest is officially known as Football Day in Hamilton and has its own presenting sponsor, WeatherTech Canada. Since the opening of Tim Hortons Field, Football Day in Hamilton has consisted of a Tiger-Cats game as well as a concert and either a McMaster Marauders football or a Hamilton Hurricanes (CJFL) matinée.^[12]

Argonauts victories	Tiger-Cats victories

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
1	1950	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	13–6
2	1951	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	27–6
3	1952	Hamilton	Argonauts	33–13
4	1953	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	14–10
5	1954	Hamilton	Argonauts	21–7
6	1955	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	37–12
7	1956	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	31–21
8	1957	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	35–8
9	1958	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	31–24
10	1959	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	37–3
11	1960	Hamilton	Argonauts	32–21
12	1961	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	21–19
13	1963	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	7–1
14	1964	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	24–8
15	1967	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	12–9
16	1968	Hamilton	Argonauts	18–15
17	1971	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	30–17
18	1975	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	20–11
19	1978	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	19–16
20	1980	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	23–2
21	1987	Hamilton	Argonauts	25–19
22	1988	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	56–28
23	1989	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	23–18
24	1991	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	48–24
25	1992	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	27–24
26	1993	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	23–21

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
27	1994	Hamilton	Argonauts	31–19
28	1996	Hamilton	Argonauts	38–7
29	1997	Hamilton	Argonauts	46–3
30	1998	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	26–7
31	1999	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	35–28
32	2000	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	42–12
33	2001	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	26–13
34	2002	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	22–14
35	2003	Hamilton	Argonauts	19–11
36	2004	Hamilton	Tie	30–30
37	2005	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	33–30
38	2006	Hamilton	Argonauts	40–6
39	2007	Hamilton	Argonauts	32–14
40	2008	Hamilton	Argonauts	34–31
41	2009	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	34–15
42	2010	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	28–13
43	2012	Hamilton	Argonauts	33–30
44	2014	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	13–12
45	2015	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	42–12
46	2016	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	49–36
47	2017	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	24–22
48	2018	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	42–28
49	2019	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	38–27
50	2021	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	32–19
51	2022	Hamilton	Argonauts	28–8
Series: Tiger-Cats leads 36–14–1

Longest Winning Streak (Tiger-Cats): 7 (2014–2021)
Longest Winning Streak (Argonauts): 3 (1994–1997, 2006–2008)

Did not play the following years: 1962, 1965–1966, 1969–1970, 1972–1974, 1976–1977, 1979, 1981–1986, 1990, 1995, 2011, 2013, 2020

Ottawa vs Montreal

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
1	1949	Ottawa	Rough Riders	22–21
2	1953	Ottawa	Rough Riders	26–6
3	1954	Ottawa	Alouettes	20–11
4	1955	Montreal	Alouettes	34–22
5	1956	Montreal	Alouettes	42–10
6	1957	Montreal	Alouettes	22–21
7	1958	Montreal	Alouettes	11–9
8	1959	Ottawa	Alouettes	22–7
9	1960	Ottawa	Rough Riders	40–16
10	1960	Montreal	Alouettes	39–22
11	1961	Ottawa	Rough Riders	25–24
12	1963	Montreal	Rough Riders	37–15
13	1967	Ottawa	Rough Riders	17–5
14	1971	Ottawa	Rough Riders	40–17
15	1978	Montreal	Rough Riders	23–18
16	1996	Ottawa	Rough Riders	17–6

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
1	2003	Ottawa	Renegades	43–38
2	2004	Ottawa	Alouettes	23–16
3	2005	Montreal	Alouettes	41–18

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
1	2014	Montreal	Alouettes	20–10
2	2016	Montreal	Redblacks	19–14
3	2017	Montreal	Redblacks	32–4
4	2018	Ottawa	Alouettes	21–11
5	2021	Ottawa	Alouettes	51–29
6	2022	Montreal	Redblacks	38–24
Series: Redblacks leads 13–12
Includes games from all Ottawa franchises

Longest Winning Streak (Ottawa): 7 (1961–2003)
Longest Winning Streak (Montreal): 6 (1954–1959)

Did not play in following years: 1950–1952, 1962, 1964–1966, 1968–1970, 1972–1977, 1979–1986, 2002, 2015, 2019, 2020

Notes: No Montreal team 1987–1995; No Ottawa team 1997–2001, 2006–2013

Other matchups

BC vs Montreal

Lions victories	Alouettes victories

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
1	1980	Montreal	Lions	14–6
2	1997	Montreal	Alouettes	26–15
3	1998	BC	Alouettes	26–15
4	1999	BC	Lions	44–23
5	2000	BC	Alouettes	35–25
6	2001	Montreal	Alouettes	23–19
7	2006	Montreal	Lions	48–13

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
8	2007	BC	Lions	46–14
9	2008	Montreal	Alouettes	30–25
10	2009	BC	Lions	19–12
11	2010	Montreal	Lions	38–17
12	2012	Montreal	Alouettes	30–25
13	2015	Montreal	Lions	25–16
Series: Lions leads 7–6

BC vs Ottawa

Lions victories	Rough Riders victories

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
1	1981	Ottawa	Rough Riders	17–7
2	1982	Ottawa	Lions	45–13
3	1983	Ottawa	Rough Riders	49–19
4	1985	Ottawa	Lions	18–13
5	1986	BC	Lions	40–10
6	1987	Ottawa	Lions	55–16
7	1988	BC	Lions	24–11

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
8	1989	BC	Lions	49–32
9	1991	BC	Lions	24–20
10	1992	BC	Lions	33–27
11	1993	Ottawa	Lions	25–24
12	2002	Ottawa	Lions	28–4
Series: Lions leads 10–2
Ottawa known as Renegades in 2002

Montreal vs Hamilton

Hamilton has played and hosted the Labour Day Classic against Montreal (aka Labour Day Classique) nine times in CFL history. According to a Hamilton Spectator article, 2011 marked 25 years since Montreal had battled Hamilton in this Classic at home. In previous years, Montreal has played as either the Alouettes or Concordes. The Classique has been a notoriously one-sided rivalry; Hamilton is undefeated in the Labour Day series, and Montreal is winless, with their best result being a tie in the first Classique in 1962.

Alouettes victories	Tiger-Cats victories

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
1	1962	Hamilton	Tie	25–25
2	1965	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	17–2
3	1970	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	17–12
4	1982	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	28–9
5	1983	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	35–30
6	1984	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	30–11

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
7	1985	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	19–16
8	1986	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	42–7
9	2011	Hamilton	Tiger-Cats	44–21
Series: Tiger-Cats leads 8–0–1
Montreal known as Concordes 1982–1985