The Department of Canadian Heritage lays out protocol guidelines for the display of flags, including an order of precedence; these instructions are only conventional, however, and are generally intended to show respect for what are considered important symbols of the state or institutions. The Sovereign's Flag for Canada is supreme in the order of precedence, followed by those for the monarch's representatives (depending on jurisdiction), the personal flags of other members of the Royal Family, and then the national flag and provincial flags.
Many museums across Canada display historic flags in their exhibits. The Canadian Museum of History in Hull, Quebec, has many culturally important flags in their collections. Settlers, Rails & Trails in Argyle, Manitoba, holds the second largest exhibit, known as the Canadian Flag Collection.
National and provincial flags National Flag Date Use Description 1965–present National flag of Canada(The Maple Leaf, l'Unifolié) A vertical bicolour triband of red, white, red with a red maple leaf emblem charged in the Canadian pale
Provincial Flag Date Use Description 1965–present Flag of Ontario A Red Ensign (red field with the Royal Union Flag in the canton) defaced with the shield of the coat of arms of Ontario in the fly 1948–present Flag of Quebec(The ) A blue field with an ordinary white cross and a white fleur-de-lis in each quadrant 1858 (first use)1929 (arms adopted)2013 (flag adopted) – present Flag of Nova Scotia A banner of arms of the coat of arms of Nova Scotia 1965–present Flag of New Brunswick A banner of the coat of arms of New Brunswick Flag of Manitoba A Red Ensign (red field with the Royal Union Flag in the canton) defaced with the shield of the coat of arms of Manitoba in the fly 1960–present Flag of British Columbia A banner of the coat of arms of British Columbia 1964–present Flag of Prince Edward Island A banner of the coat of arms of Prince Edward Island within a bordure compony of red and white 1969–present Flag of Saskatchewan A horizontal bicolour, green and yellow, with the shield of the coat of arms of Saskatchewan in the canton and western red lily emblem charged in the fly 1968–present Flag of Alberta A blue field with the shield of the coat of arms of Alberta charged in the centre 1980–present Flag of Newfoundland and Labrador A blue and white field party per pale (at nombril point) with a white border, white ordinary cross and white saltire, two triangular divisions in the fly lined in red, a golden arrow between two triangular divisions
Territorial Flag Date Use Description 1969–present Flag of the Northwest Territories A vertical bicolour triband of blue, white, blue with the shield of the coat of arms of the Northwest Territories charged in the Canadian pale 1968–present Flag of Yukon A vertical tricolour of green, white, blue with the shield of the coat of arms of Yukon above a wreath of fireweed charged in the pale, with pale ratio of 1 to 1.5 to 1 1999–present Flag of Nunavut A field party per pale, yellow and white, with a red inukshuk charged in the centre and a blue star in the upper fly
Ceremonial Flag Date Use Description 1965–present Royal Union Flag The Cross of St. Andrew counterchanged with the Cross of St. Patrick and over all the Cross of St. George.
Royal
Flag Date Use Description 2023–present Sovereign's Flag for Canada A banner of the royal arms of Canada undifferentiated 2011–present Personal flag of the Prince of Wales for use in Canada A banner of the royal arms of Canada differentiated by a white three-pointed label and defaced with the Prince of Wales's feathers 2013–present Personal flag of the Princess Royal for use in Canada A banner of the royal arms of Canada differentiated by a white three-pointed label; the first and third labels bearing a red cross, the centre label bearing a red heart; and defaced with a royal cypher of Princess Anne 2014–present Personal flag of the Duke of Edinburgh for use in Canada A banner of the royal arms of Canada differentiated by a three-pointed label; the centre label bearing a Tudor rose; and defaced with a royal cypher of Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh 2015–present Other members of the royal family A banner of the royal arms of Canada with a border of ermine
Viceregal and administrative Governor general Flag Date Use Description 1981–present Flag of the governor general of Canada A blue field with the crest of the royal arms of Canada charged in the centre. The tongue and claws were removed from 1999 to 2002. 1994–present Banner of arms of the Canadian Heraldic Authority A square white field with the red maple leaf of Canada differenced by a white inescutcheon charged in the centre
Lieutenant governors and commissioners
Supreme Court of Canada Flag Date Use Description 2021–presentFlag of the Supreme Court of Canada Gules on a Canadian pale Argent a lozenge lozengy of the first and the second charged with maple leaves alternately Or and of the field
Military and civilian law enforcement organizations
Canadian Armed Forces Flag Date Use Description 1968–present Flag of the Canadian Armed Forces A white field with the National Flag of Canada in the canton and the Canadian Armed Forces badge charged in the fly 1920–present Flag of the Royal Military College of Canada A vertical triband of red, white, and red with the badge of the Royal Military College of Canada charged in the centre Flag of the Royal Military College Saint-Jean A vertical triband of blue, white, and blue with the badge of the Royal Military College Saint-Jean charged in the centre 2000–present Banner of the Commander-in-Chief Unit Commendation A vertical tricolour of blue, red, and azure, with the crest of the royal arms of Canada charged in the centre 2009–present Camp flag of the Cadet Instructors Cadre The badge of the Cadet Instructors Cadre, with the traditional colours of the Navy, Army and the Air Force. The golden border represents the young people that CIC officers work for. −1965 King's Colour, as used by the Royal Military College of Canada King's Colour of the Royal Military College of Canada with the Union Flag.
Canadian Army Flag Date Use Description 1939–1944 Old flag of the Canadian Army 1968–1998 1998–2013 2013–2016 2016–present Flag of the Canadian Army A scarlet red field with the national flag of Canada in the canton and the Canadian Army badge charged in the fly –present Flag of the Commander of the Canadian Army
Royal Canadian Navy Flag Date Use Description 1968–present Canadian Naval Ensign (2013–present), naval jack (1968–2013) A white field with the national flag of Canada in the canton and charged in the fly with an anchor, eagle, and naval crown in blue 1979–present Canadian Forces Auxiliary Jack A blue field with the national flag of Canada in the canton and charged in the fly with an anchor, eagle, and naval crown in white Flag of the Canadian Navy Board A field party per bend, blue and sanguine, with a fouled anchor in gold charged in the centre RCN (1911–1965)RCSCC (1905–1965) Used as the ensign of the Royal Canadian Navy and some Royal Canadian Sea Cadets corps. Used throughout the entire British Empire by the Royal Navy and by several former British colonies even after they became independent and established their own navies. White Ensign, St George's Cross with the Union Flag in the canton. RCN (1957–1965) The Blue Ensign, worn as a jack by the Royal Canadian Navy Blue Ensign defaced with the royal arms of Canada. The maple leaves at the bottom of the shield are red. RCN (1921–1957)RCSCC (1929–1953) The Blue Ensign, worn as a jack by the Royal Canadian Navy and used by the RCSCC Blue Ensign defaced with the royal arms of Canada. The maple leaves at the bottom of the shield are green. Naval Service of Canada / Royal Canadian Navy (1910–1911, as ensign; 1911–1921 as jack)RCSCC (1910–1922) The Blue Ensign, worn as ensign then jack by the Naval Service of Canada/Royal Canadian Navy Blue Ensign defaced with the 1868 Great Seal of Canada. Worn as ensign from 1910 to 1913, then jack from 1913 to 1921, after Navy authorized to fly the British White Ensign.
Royal Canadian Air Force Flag Date Use Description 1921–1940 Royal Canadian Air Force Ensign A field of air force blue with the Union Flag in the canton and the Royal Air Force roundel charged in the fly 1941–1968 A field of air force blue with the Union Flag in the canton and the Royal Canadian Air Force roundel charged in the fly 1982–present A field of air force blue with the national flag of Canada in the canton and the Royal Canadian Air Force roundel charged in the fly
Canadian Special Operations Forces Command Flag Date Use Description Link to file –present Flag of the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command A white field with the national flag of Canada in the canton and the CANSOFCOM badge charged in the fly
Canada Border Services Agency Flag Date Use Description 2012–present Flag of the Canada Border Services Agency A blue field with the national flag of Canada in the canton and the Canada Border Services Agency badge charged in the fly
Canadian Coast Guard Flag Date Use Description 1965–present Jack of the Canadian Coast Guard A banner of the arms of the Canadian Coast Guard: a white field with blue flank/side one third length of flag at the fly; field charged with a red maple leaf emblem and side at fly charged with a pair of heraldic dolphins in gold, one above the other and facing opposite directions. Features current eleven-point maple leaf designed by Jacques St-Cyr. 1962–1965 Jack of the Canadian Coast Guard, original design A white field with blue flank/side one third length of flag at the fly; field charged with a red maple leaf emblem and side at fly charged with a pair of heraldic dolphins in gold, one above the other and facing opposite directions. Features original thirteen-point maple leaf designed by Alan Beddoe. 1962–1965 Ensign of the Canadian Coast Guard Blue Ensign of Canadian Government Ships, defaced with Coat of Arms of Canada –present Honorary Commissioner Flag Governor General's flag in the canton.
Police services Flag Date Use Description 1991–present Ensign of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police A red field with a blue canton bordered yellow with a representation of the Badge of the RCMP. Link to file 1998–present Flag of the Ontario Provincial Police Blue with the heraldic badge of the OPP. 1983–present Flag of the Sûreté du Québec A vertical triband of green, yellow, and green, with the badge of the Sûreté du Québec on the yellow Canadian Pale. –present Flag of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary A blue field with the badge of the RNC in the centre.
Youth cadets organizations