The Flag of the Northwest Territories: Blue Panels and the Shield of the North

A Flag of the Frontier

The flag of the Northwest Territories was adopted on January 1, 1969. It features the territorial coat of arms on a white centre panel, flanked by two blue panels.

Design and Symbolism

The blue side panels represent the waters of the territory’s many lakes and the Northwest Passage. The white centre represents the snow and ice that define the northern landscape. The territorial shield displays a wavy blue line (the Northwest Passage) across the top, with green (the tree line) and red (the tundra) below. A diagonal line of gold represents the mineral wealth of the north. Above the shield sits the head of an Arctic fox, a creature synonymous with the territory’s wilderness.

The Northwest Territories originally encompassed nearly all of northern and western Canada. As provinces and other territories were carved from it (most recently Nunavut in 1999), the NWT’s boundaries contracted, but its flag has remained unchanged — a symbol of resilience in one of the world’s most challenging environments.