Backgrounder
November 5, 2025
Remembrance Day ceremony at Old City Hall Cenotaph
- Silent Sentries, who are drawn from the 48th Highlanders of Canada, will stand vigil at the four corners of the cenotaph with heads bowed and rifles reversed (known as reverse arms). They wear historic uniforms from different periods and present day.
- Weather permitting, the Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association, commemorating their 40th anniversary this year, will conduct a flypast with a missing man formation over Old City Hall at 11:05 a.m., East York Civic Centre at 11:10 a.m. and York Cemetery at 11:30 a.m. The Harvards were used to train members of the Royal Canadian Air Force and other air forces for air combat in the Second World War.
- This year marks several significant anniversaries including the 80 years since the end of the Second World War and the 100th anniversary of the Toronto Cenotaph at Old City Hall.
- The Honourable Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, will give remarks and lay a wreath.
- The “Act of Remembrance” will be read by Mike Turner, District Poppy Chair, Royal Canadian Legion, District D
- The “Commitment to Remember” will be read by Kowmitha Satkunarajan, Executive Director, Toronto Youth Cabinet
- A poem To Our Immortal Dead by S. Morgan-Powell will be read by Sergeant Garren Doerksen, 618 Queen’s City Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron. This poem appeared as part of the 1925 Cenotaph Unveiling Ceremony Program.
- The final wreath, to commemorate 80 Years since the End of the Second World War will be laid by Jack Boeki, Retired Warrant Office, Toronto resident, and Veteran of the Second World War.
- In Flanders Fields by John McCrae will be sung by the acclaimed Elmer Iseler Singers, conducted by Lydia Adams and accompanied by the 7th Regiment Band. The arrangement was created by Lydia Adams with music by the Central Band of the Canadian Armed Forces.
- The City will fly two significant flags on Monday, November 11 a.m. Canadian flag that flew at Vimy Ridge in 2020 will be raised at Coronation Park and a City of Toronto flag that flew at Juno Beach in 2019 on Vimy Day – both of which will be raised at Toronto City Hall.
- On Tuesday, November 11, the City of Toronto will half-mast flags at Civic Centres and other locations to commemorate those who fell in service to Canada.
- An illuminated poppy is displayed in the Toronto Sign in Nathan Phillips Square from Wednesday, November 5 until Tuesday, November 11, in remembrance of and in support of the Royal Canadian Legion’s annual poppy campaign. The Toronto Sign will also be lit red for the week.
- Toronto Remembers: Commemorative Projections: From November 5 to 11, the historic west façade of Old City Hall will come alive each evening with a powerful visual tribute to those who served and to the history of the Toronto Cenotaph. The display will run every 30 minutes from 6 to 11 p.m.
- For those unable to attend in person, the City will livestream the Old City Hall ceremony on the City’s official YouTube channel starting at 10:55 a.m. at https://www.youtube.com/user/thecityoftoronto or on the City’s webpage at Toronto.ca/LestWeForget. The livestream will feature closed captioning and be available to anyone with an internet or mobile connection.
Remembrance Day ceremonies at other locations
In addition to Old City Hall, the City will also host in-person Remembrance Day ceremonies on Tuesday, November 11 starting at 10:45 a.m., at the following locations:
- East York Civic Centre Memorial Gardens, 850 Coxwell Ave.
- Etobicoke Civic Centre Cenotaph, 399 The West Mall
- Fort York National Historic Site – Garrison Common, 100 Garrison Rd.
- North York Cenotaph in York Cemetery, 160 Beecroft Rd.
- Scarborough War Memorial, 2190 Kingston Rd.
- York Civic Centre Cenotaph, 2700 Eglinton Ave. W.
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