The City of Toronto is proud to celebrate Canada Day. Toronto is Canada’s largest city and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people.
This year to mark Canada’s 153rd birthday, the City of Toronto will raise a Canadian flag at Coronation Park as the National Anthem is played.
2020 also marks 40 years since the official adoption of O Canada as our country’s National Anthem and 153 years since Confederation.
In honour of the important essential services being provided during the pandemic, the flag is being raised by
City of Toronto first responders and a member of the Canadian Armed Forces.
O Canada is played by Master Warrant Officer Darrin Hicks, CD, of the Band of the 7th Toronto Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery.
Join us in viewing our special Canada Day flag raising tribute.
The height of the Official flag pole on Nathan Phillips Square is 99 feet high, where a Canadian flag measuring
7.5 feet by 15 feet is flown. On special occasions like Canada Day and Flag Day, a larger flag measuring
15 feet by 30 feet is flown.
The City of Toronto flies a large sized Canadian flag every day at Coronation Park measuring 20 feet by 40 feet, in honour of all who have served their country.
The large flag pole at Coronation Park was dedicated to Victory and Peace in 1945. It forms part of a permanent monument to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War which was dedicated by the Governor General in 1995. It is surrounded by a victory garden.
Learn more about flag raisings
The City of Toronto plays O Canada before each Council meeting. A special recording of the anthem, sung by the Singing Out choir, includes video footage of various Toronto areas, landmarks and festivals.
O Canada was composed in 1880 by Calixa Lavallée. The words were written by the poet Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier. The original lyrics were in French and an English translation was first published in 1906. The most popular English lyrics were written in 1908 by Robert Stanley Weir. The English version has been revised three times, most recently in 2018. The French lyrics remain unaltered.
“O Canada” has served as an anthem since 1939. It officially became the country’s national anthem on July 1, 1980.
