To: Administration Committee
From: Novina Wong, City Clerk
Subject: Design of the Official Flag of the City of Toronto
Purpose:
To approve a design for the official flag of Toronto.
Financial Implications and Impact Statement:
The cost of organizing the design submission process has been absorbed within the existing Protocol budget. The cost of
producing the new flag, once approved by Council, will be borne by the individual Departments as part of the operating
budget process.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that:
the Administration Committee recommend to City Council design A as the official flag of Toronto;
(2) City Purchasing and Materials Management Division be instructed to source a supplier for the official flag in order that
all City Departments, Agencies, Boards and Commissions receive the benefits of consistent quality and best possible price
through the bulk purchasing of the flag; and
(3) the appropriate City Officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.?
Background:
The Administration Committee at its meeting on September 7, 1999, had before it a report (August 16, 1999) from the City
Clerk, recommending that:
the Administration Committee recommend to Council a design for the official flag of Toronto from the four designs
submitted.
The Administration Committee:
referred the aforementioned report back to the City Clerk; and
directed that the issue of the design for the official flag of Toronto be referred to the Creative Services, Unit, Corporate
Communications Division, Corporate Services Department, with a request that consultations be held with interested
Members of Council and that a report be submitted to the Administration Committee in regard thereto, such report to
include more than four designs for consideration by the Administration Committee.
Comments:
As a result of the direction from the Administration Committee, the Creative Services Unit and the Protocol Unit invited
all Councillors to attend one of two meetings to discuss what design elements should be included in the official flag. Mr.
Paul MacLean, an external facilitator, conducted the sessions. Few Councillors attended, but there was valuable input
gained from the meetings. Mr. MacLean developed a questionnaire based on the discussions with the Councillors and staff.
It was distributed to each Councillor to complete. Twenty-five Councillors completed the questionnaire and three declined
to participate. A copy of the questionnaire is attached as Appendix A.
From the results of the questionnaire, the following design profile was created:
"Designers are asked to create a unique, simple and visually striking flag. The design should be marketable and
reproducible by children.
The flag should contain one or more symbols and these should be easily decoded and should refer to Toronto. When
seeking more specific guidance about the symbols we found that, amongst the suggestions we made, a reference to
Toronto?s history (such as a meeting place) evoked the most positive response (about half way between somewhat
important and of little importance). Much less positive responses (in decreasing order) were given to symbols which were
future oriented, traditional (e.g. Coat of arms), referred to Canadian context, Toronto?s skyline, the world context (e.g.
multicultural city) and nature. These elements would achieve lukewarm support at best, and may even be rejected. They
scored slightly better than ?of little importance.? (One comment indicated a visceral reaction to any reference to the
monarchy ? this would have to be taken into account if a designer were to use traditional symbols such as the Coat of
Arms). A very negative response was given to the Ontario context.
In summary, we can say that a strong preference will be given to designs that are unique, simple and visually striking. The
choice of symbols will play much less of a role in the decision about which design to choose.
There is a strong preference for a two colour flag, and likewise a strong preference that the dominant colour be blue.
The primary audience for the flag and the people whom we wish to identify with the flag is the citizens of Toronto.?
The designs were submitted to the Creative Services Unit of Corporate Services, and reviewed by a cross section of City
staff from different Departments using the design profile described above. Staff is of the opinion that design A best meets
the design profile. There are four additional designs (B, C, D, E, and F) for the Committee to choose from, if design A is
not selected. A copy of each of the designs will be distributed to all Councillors as soon as they are available.
Once the design for the flag is determined, a single corporate supplier for the official City flag should be determined by the
Finance Department, Purchasing and Materials Management Division through a competitive bidding process. This would
give the City?s Departments, Agencies, Boards and Commissions the benefits of bulk purchasing ? consistent quality and
lowest price. All Department, Agencies, Boards and Commissions should be instructed to use the corporate supplier for
flags.
Conclusions:
Unlike the Coat of Arms or even the City of Toronto logo, the official flag of Toronto will become widely known once it is
in the public domain. The flag will be flown in many prominent locations such as tourist attractions, hotels and public
buildings as well as at City owned facilities, such the City Hall and Civic Centres, in parks, and on emergency services
buildings. The citizens of Toronto will take great pride in a flag that is simple and striking. As soon as the flag design is
approved by Council, staff will make arrangements to have it launched as soon as it can be produced.
Contact:
Daphne Gaby Donaldson Trish Garner
Chief of Protocol 392-4273 Manager, Creative Services 392-7797
Novina Wong
City Clerk
List of Attachments:
Appendix A - Questionnaire
Copies of the designs will be distributed as soon as they are available