Flags at City Hall

Legislative History: Adopted September 19, 2017 (By-law No. CPOL.-114-366); Amended July 24, 2018 (By-law No. CPOL.-114(b)-417); Amended June 11, 2019 (By-law No. CPOL.-114(c)-158); Amended August 10, 2021 (By-law No. CPOL.-114(d)-247); Amended October 5, 2021 (By-law No. CPOL.-114(e)-319); Amended September 26, 2023 (By-law No. CPOL.-114(f)-268); Amended June 3, 2025 (By-law No. CPOL.-114(g)-167)

Last Review Date:  June 3, 2025

Service Area Lead: City Clerk

1. Policy Statement

1.1 This policy sets out the requirements for the flying of flags at City Hall.

2. Definitions

For the purposes of this policy:

Community Flagpole shall mean the flagpole installed at the northwest corner of City Hall, facing Wellington Street;

3. Applicability

3.1 This policy shall apply to any organization seeking to fly a flag at City Hall.

4.  The Policy

4.1      Flags on the Community Flag Pole

a) The following flags shall be permitted to be flown at City Hall on the Community Flagpole:

i)      the Canadian flag at such times as there is no other approved flag displayed;

ii)     the flag of a registered charitable or non-profit organization to help increase public awareness of their programs and activities, to celebrate achievement or a positive enhancement to the City of London;

iii)    the “Survivors’ Flag” to be flown on September 30 of each year to recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation; and

iv)     the “Our London Family” flag will be flown at City Hall on June 6 each year.

b) the following guidelines shall be observed for the flying of flags permitted under 4.1 a) ii):

i)      the organization’s flag will fly in connection with a particular event by an organization;

ii)     no flags of commercial, religious or political organizations shall be permitted;

iii)    no flags of a group or organization whose undertakings or philosophy are contrary to City of London policies or by-laws, or espouse hatred, violence or racism shall be permitted;

iv)   organizations shall be required to provide their own flag and submit requests two weeks prior to the date their organization’s flag is to fly;

v)     a flag shall be flown for a period of up to one business week annually, or for the duration of the associated event, whichever is less;

vi)    flags shall only be changed and lowered on those business days that City Hall is open; and

vii)    requests to use the Community Flagpole will be confirmed on a first come first served basis. 

4.2      Canadian Flag at Half-Mast

a) The following guidelines shall be observed for the half-masting of the Canadian flag at City Hall:

i)       the flying of the Canadian flag at half-mast denotes a period of official mourning or commemoration;

ii)      the City of London will fly the Canadian flag at half-mast in the event of a death or to commemorate a solemn occasion. The Canadian flag will be lowered at the direction of the Mayor. In consultation with the Mayor, the City Clerk will provide instruction to lower the Canadian flag;

iii)      the position of the Canadian flag when flying at half-mast will depend on its size, the length of the mast and its location; but as a general rule, the centre of the Canadian flag shall be exactly half-way down the mast; and

iv)    the official period of mourning is defined as the day of passing until the day of the funeral.

b) The Canadian flag will be flown at half-mast to commemorate the following occasions:

4.3      Flags over the Back Entrance of City Hall

a) The flags permitted to be flown at City Hall on the flagpoles over the back entrance facing Reginald Cooper Square include the flags of all Canadian provinces and territories, arranged in order of their confederation, along with the Canadian Flag. The Canadian Flag is displayed in accordance with the standards outlined in the National Flag of Canada Etiquette issued by the Federal Government.

b) The precedence for flag order (from left to right) as per the Position of Honour within the National Flag of Canada Etiquette is as follows:

i)       the National Flag of Canada;

ii)       the flags of other sovereign nations in alphabetical order (if applicable);

iii)       the flags of the provinces of Canada (in the order in which they joined Confederation); and,

iv)       the flags of the territories of Canada (in the order in which they joined Confederation).

c)       The flags are displayed in the spring and removed before winter.

4.4      Flags over the Front Entrance of City Hall

The flags permitted to be flown on the flagpoles over the front entrance of City Hall include those deemed by the City Clerk to comply with the National Flag of Canada Etiquette. These include the flag of the City of London, the flags of Canadian provinces, the Canadian Flag, the personal flags and standards of the Royal Family, the Governor General, and the Lieutenant Governors of Canada, as well as the Royal Union Flag, and the flags of the United Nations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and the Commonwealth.

4.5      Flags in City Hall

As an annual observance to recognize the anniversary of the London Township Treaty, the five signatory First Nations (Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, Chippewas of Kettle and Stoney Point First Nation, Walpole Island First Nation, Aamjiwnaang First Nation and Caldwell First Nation) shall be invited to have their flags displayed on September 7 of each year, in City Hall.  In the event that September 7 falls on a day on which City Hall is closed, the flags shall be displayed on the first day prior to September 7th that City Hall is open for business.

4.6      General

a) The City Clerk will administer the policy for the flying of flags at City Hall.

b) The following guidelines shall apply to resolving conflicts arising from this policy:

i)       conflicts between the dates requested for flags to be flown by two or more organizations on the Community Flagpole shall be settled in favour of the organization which first made its request; and,

ii)        in the event that a request appears to be in conflict with any of the criteria outlined in this policy the Mayor, in consultation with the City Manager’s Office, or designate, may use discretion to approve or deny a community flag request. The Mayor’s decision will be final.