 | |
| Proportion | 1:2 |
|---|---|
| Adopted | 13 September 2017; 7 years ago (2017-09-13) |
| Design | Symmetric cross |
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First displayed in May 1935,Montreal based its flag on thecity's coat of arms. It was revised in May 1939 and again in September 2017. The flag's proportions are 1:2 in asymmetric cross.
The flag consists of a red symmetric cross with a red disc in the centre, as well as five emblems representing the ancestral presence of Indigenous peoples and the four main European ethnic groups that were settled in the city in the 19th century, and which are also represented on theCanadian Red Ensign.
| Image | Symbol | Description |
|---|---|---|
 | Heraldic cross | A red heraldic cross, representing the "Christian motives and principles which governed the founders of the city," according to the city's official web site.[1] (The original coat of arms on which the flag is modelled had a redsaltire instead of a symmetric cross until 1938.) |
.svg) | White pine | A white pine, representing the continual presence ofIndigenous peoples, specifically using a centralHaudenosaunee (Iroquois) symbol. |
.svg) | Fleur-de-lys | A blue Fleur-de-lys, of the RoyalHouse of Bourbon, representing theFrench. (The original coat of arms on which the flag is modelled had abeaver in place of thefleur-de-lys until 1936.[2]) |
.svg) | Rose of Lancaster | A red Rose of Lancaster, representing theEnglish. |
.svg) | Shamrock | A shamrock, representing theIrish. |
.svg) | Thistle | A thistle, representing theScottish. |
Montreal's flag is based on its coat of arms. The original coat of arms was designed in 1833 by the first mayor of Montreal, Jacques Viger. It was similar to the current version with the difference that the red cross was asaltire, a beaver stood in the place of what is now a fleur-de-lys, and there was no white pine. The arms were revised on 21 March 1938.[citation needed]
Four years prior to the first raising of the revised flag, KingGeorge V, the sovereign of Canada, celebrated his Silver Jubilee (25th year on the throne) on Monday May 6, 1935. An article in theMontreal Gazette from May 3, 1935 reported that the city's Jubilee committee had discovered a rule whereby official coats of arms of British corporations could be interpreted into flag banners. Per the article, Montreal prepared to raise its own distinct flag for the first time ever on the King's Jubilee day based on the original coat of arms by Jacques Viger.[3]
In May 1939, the flag was revised to display a symmetric cross instead of a saltire, as well as a blue fleur-de-lys instead of a beaver.
On February 12, 2017, Montreal MayorDenis Coderre announced a modification to the flag of Montreal to include a First Nations symbol.[4] The decision was made in 2017 during the city's 375th anniversary of the founding of the city. The symbol was chosen by the First Nations communities of Montreal, those beingHaudenosaunee andAlgonquin although there are largeInuit,Métis andAnishinaabeg populations. The new flag was unveiled on September 13, 2017.[5]
