The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Flags Of Canadian Provinces

16 Jun.,2025

 

Ranking the flags of Canada's provinces and territories

It’s one of the hottest debates to hit my family’s dinner table in a while. We couldn’t stop talking about it. So here it is, ready for you to jump in, if you like.

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Here’s the task: rank the flags for the territories and provinces of Canada, worst to best. Not diving too deep into the symbolism or history, just what looks cool. It got heated, but was fun. I hope you’ll take it in the same spirit. No offence meant, and feel free to provide your own feedback in the manner you see fit – you can see all the flags in the graphic above. Hat tip to the Godfather of rankings, the great Justin McElroy, currently off travelling the world, ranking chicken wings in some faraway land. 

OK, Let’s rank flags, 13 to one. Who’s the best? We’ll see, but first, the worst:

13. Northwest Territories: Sorry, NWT, but this looks like something a Grade 4 student would come up with in a “design a flag” art project. Two strips of blue, a big white square, and what is this crest? Is this a scene from an Atari video game? Woof.

12. Ontario: That’s, just … two other famous flags, pasted on a red background. And they thought adding in three leaves would tie it all together? Look at it a little askew, and it’s a red Pac-Man eating a Union Jack.

11. Manitoba: This is what happens when you cheat off the homework of a kid who is also failing. Of all the flags that you could copy, you chose Ontario? What is this, some kind of CFL Roughriders/Rough Riders type situation? Same country, same flag!

The only reason this is ranked higher than Ontario is because there’s a cool bison on there. Sorry you’re on such a lame flag, bison. This is the worst thing Canadians have done to you since, well….

10. Yukon: This one is kind of all over the place. My kid says he likes “the vibe.” I think the crest is weird – what is up with those bootleg mountains? – although the flowers are a nice touch. The green and blue stripes just seem … off. But, there’s a doggie on there. That goes a long way.

9. Prince Edward Island: “We now go to the fairway on 15, he’s looking at about 165 yards to the pin. A couple of trees to contend with. He’s got his nine iron out, looks like he’s going to try to put a little fade on it and spin it up close to the hole. He’s got to be sharp though – the last thing he wants to do is knock it over the green into that extremely long lion.”

And why do the red dashes stop? Did they run out of red ink? Somebody grab some Anne of Green Gables red dye #48 and finish this flag.

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8. Saskatchewan: There was a lot of debate about this one. I’m biased as my people come from there, and the yellow and green scratches an old itch. Not for half of my family though. “I’ve never liked green and yellow,” is the quote. It’s “plain.”

Oh, the disrespect. That’s the wheat that bakes our bread! Probably. Another nice flower too. But I get it – for you big city slickers, maybe this one is a little bit too country. Agree to disagree.

7. British Columbia: OK, now it’s getting hostile. I have a kid furious at me for putting our home province this low. It has a “happy look to it,” and should be near the top, he says. To that I say it’s just … really busy. There’s the big sun and the big waves and they’re all wearing the Union Jack as a hat. Tone it down several notches, and then let’s talk.

6. Alberta: Like the blue, love the mountains. Again, though, England for a hat, with a barley beard. I like it, but it’s not quite Top 5. 

5. New Brunswick: I love the boat, and that’s a unique colour scheme. If I just look at that boat some more, I could see this flag sailing all the way to No. 1. But there’s that weirdly long lion again. It’s like a lion limousine. If New Brunswick could get themselves a regular lion, they could win this whole thing. Not unanimous though. “It’s so ugly,” says one unnamed ranker. Tie her to the mast!

4. Newfoundland and Labrador: Is that a torpedo? Arrows? A dragon? Not sure what is going on, but I like it. Chart your own course, NFLD. Let it fly!

3. Quebec: Now that’s a flag. Strong, defiant, great colours, cool emblem, no messing around. A real “French vibe,” my kid says. Mais oui.

2. Nova Scotia: If you’re going to steal someone else’s flag, add a bit of flair to it. Behold, the “reverse Scotland.” Nice. And would you look at that? A relatively normal-sized lion. Was that so hard? Simple, cool, classy.

1. Nunavut: I’m as surprised as you are. Initially this was a lot lower, but the more I looked at it, the more I liked it. Bold colour choices. And everybody loves an Inukshuk. And a single star in the sky? As the kids say, very sigma. 

Those are the ranks, I’m sure you hate them. Tell me all about it.

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List of Canadian flags - Wikipedia

Flag Date Use Description Proposed national flag by Sir Donald A. Smith A British colonial Red Ensign with green maple leaf in lower fly.[40] Proposal for a 'Meteor Flag of the Dominion' by Sir Sanford Fleming A British colonial Red Ensign with a seven-pointed white star in the lower fly that represents the North Star as emblem of Canada its rays symbolizing its then seven provinces.[41][42] Proposed 13 years before Australia incorporated a seven-point Commonwealth Star in its flag. Proposed national flag by H. Spencer Howell of the Canadian Club of Hamilton, Ontario A British colonial Red Ensign with green maple leaf on white disc in lower fly.[43][44] E. M. Chadwick's Proposed National Flag / Blue Ensign of Canada A British Blue Ensign with three conjoined maple leaves in gold as emblem on the fly. Chadwick also proposed a Red Ensign with the same gold maple leaves as Canada's colonial/national emblem.[45] E. M. Chadwick's Proposed National Flag and Red Ensign of Canada A British Red Ensign with three conjoined maple leaves in green on a white disc as badge on the fly. Chadwick also proposed a Blue Ensign with the same maple leaves in red on a white disc as Canada's colonial/national emblem.[46] Design reported in the Daily Express to have been proposed as part of a series of Empire flags that would replace the Union Jack in representing individual territories of the British Empire[47] The Cross of Saint George and the crown in the canton would have been present on all Empire flags to represent the English. In the top right would be the emblem of the territory flying the flag, and in this case, the coat of arms of Canada. A large sun in the centre symbolizes "the empire on which the sun never sets." Manitoba Free Press Proposal Design inspired by the Australian flag. A British ensign with a white field, with the seven stars of the Big Dipper/Great Bear plus the North Star placed on the fly.[48] Further development of a proposal originally made in October by C. F. Hamilton in Collier's Canada (a white ensign as flag of Canada). Hamilton strongly criticized the Manitoba Free Press proposal for its use of 'republican' stars.[49] s Minnie H. Bowen Proposal Design featuring the white cross of France on a red field with Union Jack in canton, submitted to PM Mackenzie King's flag committee.[50] A similar redesign of the red and blue ensigns of Canada was considered by PM Sir Robert Borden's arms committee.[51] A. Fortescue Duguid Proposal Proposed by Archer Fortescue Duguid as a “Canadian National Flag for Use Ashore” in June . Later provisionally adopted by the Canadian Army in Europe from -, until replaced by the Canadian Red Ensign. Duguid re-proposed the design as national flag in at the time it was adopted as the flag of the 1st Canadian Division.[52] Winner of the La Presse contest to design a national flag for Canada. Design re-proposed during the -46 Parliamentary flag committee deliberations.[53] The white field recalls the first, "heroic" period of Canada under monarchical France, the Union Jack symbolizes loyalty to Great Britain, and the green maple leaf concretizes the present history of Canada and its aspirations.[54][55] c. Gérard Gallienne's Proposal A plain blue-red-blue vertical triband fimbriated by white bars (pallets). The blue bars symbolize the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and Canada's National Motto, A mari usque ad mare ('From sea to sea') and the red Canada's land.[56][57] Ephrem Côté's Proposal[58] A blue-white-red diagonal triband (white bend sinister on a field party per bend sinister blue and red). With a Union Jack in upper hoist, green maple leaf centre, and white fleur-de-lis lower hoist. c. Ligue du Drapeau National's proposal for Flag of Canada, adopted by the Native Sons of Canada c. A red and white field divided diagaonally (per bend) defaced by a green maple leaf place in the centre. Proposed by the Ligue du Drapeau National c. .[59] One of the two final designs considered by the - parliamentary joint committee to choose a national flag.[60] Adopted and promoted by the Native Sons of Canada c..[61] Eugène Achard's Proposal On a blue field, a white symmetric cross surmounted by a red cross, charged by a green maple leaf ringed by nine white five-pointed stars.[62] A. Fortescue Duguid's second Proposal[63] Three red maple leaves conjoined with a single stem on a white field. Originally proposed by Canadian armed forces heraldist and vexillologist Col. A. Fortecue Duguid during the - Parliamentary committee deliberations. Later re-proposed by PM Pearson's parliamentary secretary John R. Matheson in .[64] Publicly supported by ex-PM and opposition leader John Diefenbaker during Great Flag Debate.[65] Parliamentary Joint Committee's final selection A red British ensign defaced with a large golden maple leaf outlined in white in the fly.[66][67][68] Selected by a - Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Commons but never submitted to parliament for a vote.[69] D. F. Stedman's proposal A blue field with red and white diagonal and vertical bars of varying breadth. Derived from the British Union Jack and French Tricolour and intended to represent British, French, and Native 'founding' peoples.[70] Florian A. Legace's proposal, the 'Canadian Union Jack' A white cross on a red and blue quartered field, a green maple leaf centre. White "Cross of Sacrifice" after usage of Canadian Legion. Deep red of Union Jack, royal blue quarters intended to be intermediate between dark blue of the Union Jack and azure of the Fleurdelisé Flag of Quebec. The points on the maple leaf symbolize its individual provinces and territories and its green colour Canada's natural resources and the evergreens found coast to coast.[71] John Lorne MacDougall's proposal Red field with white side/flank in the hoist charged with a shield featuring the Union Jack of Great Britain and three golden fleurs-de-lis of royalist France/Quebec over which are three green maple leaves and a Tudor crown. One of several variants devised by an all-province study group of Liberal MPs convened by Bona Arsenault in .[72][73] Alan Beddoe's Proposal A white field charged by three red maple leaves conjoined on one stem with narrow wavy vertical blue bars at hoist and fly.[76] Andre Barbeau's Proposal A white square centre panel charged with a forest green maple leaf, flanked by blue, white, red vertical bars at hoist and fly.[77] Jean-Francois Pouliot's Proposal Green, detailed maple leaf on a red background. Alfred Stagg's Proposal Blue-white-blue vertical triband charged by a red maple leaf encircled by a red ring.[78] The distinctive leaf appears to be a silver maple rather than the more standard sugar maple. c. Jean Dubuc's Proposal[79] On a white field, a tripartite symmetric cross in red, white and blue, surmounted by a green maple leaf on a white disc. The white of the field symbolizes the First Nations and Inuit people “still in possession of vast expanses of snow and ice of this country”.[80] John-Guy Labarre's Proposal A green Compass rose on a white background. Rolland Lavoie's Proposal A disc divided in half vertically, coloured red and blue, on a white field. First Prize winner in the Weekend / Canadian Art magazine design contest.[81][82][83] James Sanders's Proposal An abstractly stylized seven-point red maple leaf on a white field. Second Prize winner in the Weekend / Canadian Art magazine design contest.[84][85] Leslie Coppold's Proposal A blue and white vertically divided field with an abstractly stylized fifteen-point red maple leaf on the square white fly panel. One of five Fourth Prize winners in the Weekend / Canadian Art magazine design contest.[86][87] Carl Dair's Proposal An abstractly stylized five-point red maple leaf on a white field flanked by vertical blue bars. Honorable Mention in the Weekend / Canadian Art magazine design contest.[88] Grant Hewlett's Proposal A red field as square panel at fly with a white side or flank at hoist, charged with a green 19-point maple leaf. Honorable Mention in the Weekend / Canadian Art magazine design contest.[89] Proposal of Alan Beddoe made during the Great Flag Debate, favored by Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson and popularly known as the Pearson Pennant. Parliamentary Committee "Group A" Finalist A blue field with a white square containing a three-leaf maple. The blue sides were meant to represent John A. Macdonald's description of the Canadian Pacific Railway and Canada's geography, "From sea to sea". Beddoe first submitted a proposed flag of similar design in .[90] The original mid- draft version featured spikey, rounded heraldic maple leaves.[91] Proposal of Reid Scott of the New Democratic Party made during the Great Flag Debate. A white field charged with a single red maple leaf and flanked by two vertical blue bars.[92] Proposal made during the Great Flag Debate featuring four maple leaves Four large maple leaves occupy the centre of the flag. Behind them is a white diamond on a blue background. The leaves are arranged similarly to the modern heraldic mark of the Prime Minister, and their stems form the Cross of Saint George in the middle. Proposal made during the Great Flag Debate featuring one maple leaf The background is like the British flag without the diagonal stripes, there is a green maple leaf in the centre and there are three stars on either side in the red stripe and two stars on either side in the vertical red stripe. Proposal made during the Great Flag Debate featuring ten maple leaves Ten maple leaves are spread across the flag, and they likely represent the provinces. On the left are red leaves on a red background. The right side features the same colours inverted. Proposal for Flag of Canada, by George F. G. Stanley[93] A red-white-red vertical triband, a red field with a white pale, containing a single red 15-point maple leaf. Based on the flag of the Royal Military College of Canada, where Stanley served as Dean of Arts.[94] George F. G. Stanley's alternate proposal for Flag of Canada, his Option B[95] A red-white-red horizontal triband, a red field with a white fess, containing a three-leaf maple branch. Proposed flag for Canada, by George Matthias Bist A critique and redesign of the Pearson Pennant. Features a red stylized 9-point maple leaf (black maple) on a white square pale, with an 'air force blue' field.[96] Design credited with inventing the Canadian pale.[97] Proposal made during the Great Flag Debate featuring one maple leaf. "Group C" finalist considered by Parliamentary committee.[98] Identical to "Group B" final choice of Committee but with Union Flag and royal French banner with three fleurs-de-lis as cantonal charges in upper hoist and fly. Introduced ostensibly to placate supporters of Canadian Red Ensign,[99] eliminated in second to last round of voting. Proposal made during Great Flag Debate, Parliamentary Committee "Group B" finalist and Committee final selection. Final choice of Parliamentary Joint Comittee. Features vertical triband, red-white-red colour scheme, and single maple leaf proposed by George Stanley, George Matthias Bist's broad pale, and 13-point maple leaf designed by Alan Beddoe.[100] An intermediate manufactured prototype of the Parliamentary flag committee's final selection. An intermediate redesign of the Parliamentary Joint Committee's final selection, featuring a variant 13-point maple leaf. Appears in press images taken in the month of December , including a press agency photograph at the closure of Parliamentary debate[101] and a magazine cover depicting the new flag flying on Parliament Hill.[102] Proposed flag for Canada, known as the Canadian Unity Flag Blue vertical stripes replacing part of the red bands, in approximate proportion to population of French heritage.