Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen 2022

Facts

• Queen Elizabeth II is the longest reigning Sovereign in modern Canadian history and the longest reigning female Queen Regnant in history.
• The Queen surpassed the length of Queen Victoria’s reign on 9 September 2015, and is soon to be the second-longest serving reigning monarch in history.
• Canada and Toronto marked Her Majesty’s Silver (1977), Ruby (1992), Golden (2002) and Diamond Jubilees (2012) and the Platinum Jubilee (2022).
• The Queen, with the Duke of Edinburgh, has visited Toronto seven times, starting in 1951, with the last in 2010. Many of the visits marked important milestones in Toronto such as visits to City Hall, Old City Hall, opening the Scarborough Civic Centre, visiting Etobicoke Civic Centre and dedicating the Peace Garden on Nathan Phillips Square.

Commemorations of The Queen and Jubilees in Toronto

• Queen Elizabeth II Building, Exhibition Place (ExPlace), Toronto: Completed in 1956 as the Women’s Building was renamed in honour of Her Majesty, the Queen Elizabeth. Building was one of the seven major structures added to Exhibition Place between 1948 and 1962 which exemplified the Modernist architecture movement in Toronto. The building includes the 1,300 seat Queen Elizabeth Theatre.
• The Peace Garden at Nathan Phillips Square was formally dedicated by The Queen in 1984.
• In Toronto, The Queen’s Jubilees have been commemorated by:
  • Queen Elizabeth II Rose Garden, Grange Park (near the AGO) (for the Silver Jubilee)
  • Queen Elizabeth II Rose Garden, Queen’s Park, (Silver and Golden Jubilees)
  • Diamond Jubilee Promenade, (Front Street East between Cherry and Bayview Streets)

Canadian Platinum Jubilee Flag & Emblem

The Canadian Platinum Jubilee emblem was created to mark the 70th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the Throne, a historic milestone. The emblem is a symbolic statement of the enduring relationship between Canada and the Crown, as personified by Her Majesty The Queen, Canada’s Head of State.

In honour of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the Canadian Heraldic Authority, at the direction of the Government of Canada and with Her Majesty’s permission, has created a Platinum Jubilee emblem and flag for use throughout the year.

 

National Illumination Initiative

On Thursday, June 2, 2022 the anniversary of Her Majesty’s Coronation Day, federal buildings in Canada’s Capital Region and elsewhere across the country were illuminated. The illuminations were conducted alongside other 54 other Commonwealth countries and numerous cities in the United Kingdom in support of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Beacons efforts.

On June 2, in celebration of the date of Her Majesty’s coronation and to coincide with the culmination of events taking place in central London and across the Commonwealth, the City of Toronto:

• Raised the Canadian Platinum Jubilee Flag at Nathan Phillips Square.
• Illuminated the Toronto sign purple to coordinate with activities on Parliament Hill and in other capital cities across Canada and the Commonwealth joining in on the Jubilee Illumination Initiative.
• Illuminated the CNE Princes’ Gates at Exhibition Place to honour the United Kingdom’s long tradition of celebrating Royal Jubilees through the lighting of community beacons.

The Queen’s Green Canopy

The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) is a unique tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022, by inviting people to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee.”

The Queen’s Green Canopy aims to encourage everyone to learn more about the best way to plant trees so that they survive and flourish for years to come.

Throughout Her reign, The Queen has planted more than 1,500 trees all over the world and has spoken alongside Sir David Attenborough of the importance of trees in the Earth’s future.

The Queen’s Green Canopy initiative will plant 60,000 trees in the UK and Commonwealth.

A full list of celebrations and community projects across the country for Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee can be found on the Government of Canada’s Canadian Heritage webpage.

Toronto is home to more than 2.9 million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit the City’s website or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.