The Flag of Ontario: Keeping the Red Ensign Alive
Ontario adopted its Red Ensign-style flag in 1965 specifically to preserve the format Canada had just abandoned. Here is the story behind Canada’s most historically significant provincial flag.
Archive
Category: Provincial Flags
The Flag of Quebec: The Fleurdelisé and French Canadian Identity
Quebec’s Fleurdelisé, adopted in 1948, is the oldest provincial flag in Canada. Its blue field and white fleurs-de-lis tell the story of French Canadian identity stretching back to New France.
The Flag of Nova Scotia: The Oldest Coat of Arms in the Commonwealth
Nova Scotia’s flag is based on a coat of arms granted in 1625, making it the oldest heraldic symbol in the Commonwealth outside Britain. Its design honours the province’s Scottish founding.
The Flag of New Brunswick: A Symbol of Loyalist Heritage
New Brunswick’s flag, featuring a golden lion and an ancient galley, reflects the province’s dual identity as a loyalist refuge and a maritime power.
The Flag of Manitoba: The Prairie Province’s Red Ensign
Manitoba deliberately adopted the Red Ensign format in 1966 to preserve the tradition that Canada had just abandoned. Its bison shield represents the prairies’ history.
The Flag of British Columbia: Mountains, Sea, and Setting Sun
British Columbia’s flag combines the Union Jack with a setting sun over Pacific waves, capturing the province’s identity as Canada’s gateway to the West.
The Flag of Prince Edward Island: Canada’s Birthplace
Prince Edward Island’s flag features an oak tree and three saplings representing the birthplace of Confederation. The island province’s heraldic tradition dates to 1905.
The Flag of Saskatchewan: Wheat and Western Lilies
Saskatchewan’s distinctive green-and-gold flag features wheat sheaves and the western red lily, representing the province’s dual identity as forest and prairie.
The Flag of Alberta: Blue Skies and Wild Roses
Alberta’s flag places the provincial shield — depicting mountains, foothills, and prairies — against a royal blue sky, capturing the province’s dramatic landscape.
The Flag of Newfoundland and Labrador: A Modern Masterpiece
Newfoundland and Labrador’s geometric flag, designed by artist Christopher Pratt in 1980, is widely considered the most artistically striking provincial flag in Canada.
