British Columbia Reference Page

Flags of British Columbia

British Columbia was granted its shield (banner) by a Royal Warrant of King Edward VII on March 31, 1906.

The shield has a Union Jack in chief, defaced with a five pointed crown, the field is wavy white and blue with a rising sun.

Wavy blue and silver stripes and the setting sun on the shield and flag suggest British Columbia's position between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. (In British Columbia, the sun appears to set behind the Pacific Ocean.)

When British Columbia became a province of Canada, its first proposal for a coat-of-arms and flag was a half-sun (representing BC's western location) in the top half and a Union Jack in the bottom half. When the design was sent to the heralds in the United Kingdom for approval, the heralds were appalled when they realized that the design could be interpreted as "the sun setting on the British Empire." The design was quickly reversed so the sun was on the bottom, giving the flag used today.

Union Jack Below

If you look carefully, there are still a few examples of the original design decorating the legislature in Victoria. Dean Tiegs - 1996-12-16 I recently saw it [the reversed shield], incorporated into a multi-province shield, on an old bank note on display at a coin-collector's shop. I have also seen it in a stained-glass window in the Legislative Building in Victoria, B.C. Dean Tiegs - 1998-01-04

Flag adopted by Order of the Lieutenant Governor in Council on June 27, 1960

The flag duplicates the design of the Shield of Arms of the Province. Its proportion is five by length and three by width. (ratio 3:5)

British Columbia's French-speaking population (Franco-Columbians ?) adopted a flag in 1981. Two blue stripes represent the Pacific Ocean. The abrupt break in the stripes suggest the Rocky Mountains.

Towards the fly (usually on the left) are a fleur de lis , or lily, and dogwood blossom. The white lily is a common symbol of France, while the dogwood is British Columbia's official flower. A yellow circle within the dogwood bloom represents the sun, another symbol found on British Columbia's coat of arms and flag.