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A new proposal at Toronto City Hall could change what flags are allowed to fly. Coun. Jon Burnside is calling for a ban on raising foreign, non-profit, and charitable organizations’ flags, effective immediately. The motion was seconded by Coun. Michael Thompson. CBC’s Mercedes Gaztambide has more on what this move could mean for the city.
Two Toronto councillors have brought forward a motion to ban raising foreign flags at Toronto City Hall and civic centres.
The motion, titled “One Country, One Flag,” was proposed by Coun. Jon Burnside and includes other amendments to the city’s current flag policy — which was adopted in 1999.
It recommends that the city also no longer raise flags of or requested by non-profit or charitable organizations and for staff to review the policy by early 2027. Council will consider the motion next week.
The motion was inspired by not wanting to make the city a “divisive” place, said Coun. Michael Thompson, who seconded the motion.
“There’s a lot of geopolitical issues around the world and we’re being asked to take sides,” he said. “I don’t think it’s our business.”
By choosing to fly certain flags, it looks like the city is taking a position in conflicts that “we don’t know anything about,” said Thompson.
Instead, he said, council should focus on fixing local issues, like homelessness, snow clearance and transportation.
He said the city has been asked to raise various global flags, including some allegedly “not sanctioned flags.”
“Council is not the place to negotiate or to be involved in geopolitical issues and conflicts around the world,” he said.
Thompson added the motion will also help “reduce the temperature” and division that’s stemmed from global issues reaching local Toronto communities. He did not expand on what communities or issues he was referring to.
“A lot of what we’re seeing coming out of these flag issues revolves around hate,” he said.
“What we should be doing is encouraging Torontonians and people who live in our city to get along, to work together and to remove hate.”
In a tight vote Tuesday, Calgary city council has agreed to ban raising flags from other countries. CBC’s Brendan Coulter reports on what’s behind the decision.
The motion lists several flags that would still be allowed to fly at City Hall and city ceremonies, including:
- City of Toronto flag, Canadian flag and flags of provinces and territories.
- The flags of Indigenous and Treaty partners.
- The Intersex Pride flag.
- The Black Liberation flag.
- Flags of professional sports organizations.
- Flags of cities that are part of Toronto’s International Alliance program.
The city’s current flag policy allows, upon request, the raising of flags of Global Affairs Canada recognized nations and flags of a non-profit organization.
Toronto’s motion echoes a similar motion that narrowly passed in Calgary in December to end the practice of raising flags of other nations at city hall.
The township of Norwich, Ont. also passed a similar motion in 2023. But it went further by excluding Pride flags and all non-civic flags.
A similar motion was raised, but did not pass, by Markham’s city council in 2020.
