National pride made easy with several made-in-Canada Maple Leaf flags

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Many Canadians have been doing what they can to ‘Buy Canadian’ in the wake of the tariff threat from the U.S. What about Canadian flags? Can we count on the Maple Leaf to be a made-in-Canada product?

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Yes, it turns out.

But buying one isn’t your only option. Perhaps you would like to own one for free — a Canadian flag that has flown on Parliament Hill. To obtain one you must be a Canadian resident. Only one flag per person is allowed. Join the waiting list by submitting your name here. Please note, the wait time for flags from Parliament Hill is currently over 100 years for both Peace Tower and other flags.

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Once a flag is removed from its pole, it is dried, folded, and stored for distribution. Recipients are informed of the date or week when their flag flew.

Who are the top Canadian flag manufacturers?

Canadian flags are manufactured by several companies in locations across Canada. Here are some of the most notable:

L’étendard Flags and Banners in Quebec City is best known as the company that makes the Canadian flags that fly on Parliament Hill, including the Peace Tower. They have also been making Canada’s official flags for National Defence and Public Works.

Flying Colours International is an official provider of Canadian and provincial flags for governments and organizations. This Toronto-based company also specializes in large-scale Maple Leaf flags. “We sew together panels of our best-selling 200 denier Nylite at our Toronto plant to create flags and banners of literally any size,” the company says on its website. “Bleacher-size? Arena-size? Stadium-size? No flag is too big.”

Canadiana Flag is based in North York, Ont. and Port Coquitlam, B.C. The company has been producing high-quality Canadian flags since 1910. They combine traditional methods with advanced digital technology to ensure quality and adherence to official specifications.

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Flags Unlimited in Barrie, Ont. has been making flags for over 50 years. The company supplies both stock and custom-made flags across North America.

The Flag Store is located in Barrie and Thornton, Ont. It operates a huge 11,000 square-foot plant and is also a major online store for flags in Canada

Some flag manufacturers also sell flagpoles. For example, Kennedy’s Flags based in Erin, Ont. specializes in custom sewing and manufacturing of flags, as well as banners and other textile products. They also offer flagpole sales and repairs.

How often are the Canadian flags on Parliament Hill changed?

Would you like to see the official Flag Master changing the Canadian flag on the Peace Tower? He calls himself “a regular guy doing something special.” You can watch this charming video that shows how he does it.

Each year, approximately 250 flags fly on the Peace Tower and 200 on both the East and West Blocks. The Peace Tower flag is changed every day, Monday to Friday and on days when it is flown at half-mast. The flags on the East and West Blocks are changed once a week and on days when they are flown at half-mast.

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The Peace Tower flag is 2.3 metres by 4.6 metres, while the smaller flags on the East and West Blocks are 1.35 metres by 2.7 metres.

Parliament Hill flags are not changed on statutory holidays, or, for safety reasons during poor weather such as snowstorms and high winds.

What is the history of the Maple Leaf?

The history behind the design of the Canadian flag is deeply rooted in the country’s quest for a distinctive national symbol. Before 1964, Canada used the Canadian Red Ensign, which featured the Union Jack. The need for a unique flag grew, especially after the Second World War, but consensus was hard to achieve.

In 1963-64, former Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson formed a multi-party committee to resolve the flag issue. This led to the ‘Great Flag Debate’, a contentious period marked by political divisions over the design.

You might want to look at some of the proposed designs that ended up on the reject pile.

Historian George Stanley, inspired by the Royal Military College of Canada’s flag, proposed the winning design featuring a red maple leaf on a white field between two red borders. Hia design was chosen for its simplicity and use of Canada’s national colours, red and white.

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