The Flag of Manitoba: The Prairie Province’s Red Ensign

Another Province That Refused to Lose the Red Ensign

Manitoba’s flag was adopted on May 12, 1966, and — like Ontario’s — deliberately preserves the Red Ensign format with the Union Jack in the canton and the provincial coat of arms on a red field. Manitoba’s decision was a direct response to the replacement of the national Red Ensign.

Design and Symbolism

The Manitoba coat of arms features the Cross of St. George above a standing bison on a rock with prairie grassland. The bison represents the vast herds that once roamed the prairies and sustained Indigenous peoples for millennia, while the Cross of St. George acknowledges the province’s connection to the Crown. The red field and Union Jack maintain the visual continuity with the Canadian Red Ensign.

Manitoba’s flag is often confused with Ontario’s at a distance, as both use the Red Ensign format. The distinguishing element is the provincial shield — Ontario uses maple leaves, Manitoba uses the bison.