Flag of Ontario

The flag of Ontario was declared on 21 May 1965 by the Province of Ontario for the official flag. The flag is a modified Red Ensign with the Union Flag in the naval jack and the coat of arms of Ontario in the fly.

Prior to 1965, the Canadian Red Ensign flew on the government buildings and the Parliament. This year, the federal government decided after lengthy debates, to replace the Red Ensign by today's Canadian national flag. This decision came mainly in the rural population of Ontario, the electoral base of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario by Prime Minister John Robarts, on rejection.

Robarts suggested Ontario should implement its own flag. This should be like the old national flag, a Red Ensign, bearing the arms of Ontario instead of the Canadian national coat of arms. Robarts personally had no objection to the new national flag, but he looked at the Red Ensign as an important symbol of the British heritage of Ontario.

Both the Ontario Liberal Party and the Ontario New Democratic Party supported the proposal because they have not wanted a more lengthy flag debate. The Legislative Assembly of Ontario adopted on 17 March 1965, the new flag with only two dissenting votes.