National symbols of Canada

Over the course of centuries, a multitude of national symbols and material items have arisen as uniquely Canadian or possessing uniquely Canadian characteristics. These symbols and items represent the culture of Canada—protectionism of that culture, identity, values, nationalism, and the heritage of its inhabitants.

Themes and symbols of nature, pioneers, trappers, and traders played an important part in the early development of Canadian symbolism. Modern symbols emphasize the country's geography, cold climate, lifestyles, and the Canadianization of traditional European and Indigenous symbols.Cormier, Jeffrey. (2004). The Canadianization Movement: Emergence, Survival, and Success.

Canada's official national symbols include the sugar maple, the beaver, the coat of arms, and the national flag. The country also has official government symbols like the Canada wordmark and corporate signatures, used in the Federal Identity Program. Additionally, the Great Seal of Canada is used on state documents.

Predominant symbols

Canada's most well known symbol is the maple leaf from the sugar maple, which was first used by French colonists in the 1700s. Since the 1850s, under British rule, the maple leaf has been used on military uniforms and, subsequently, engraved on the headstones of individuals who have served in the Canadian Armed Forces. The maple leaf is prominently depicted on the country's current and previous flags and on the country's coat of arms. Canada's official tartan, known as the "Maple leaf tartan", consists of four colours reflecting those of the maple leaf as it changes through the seasons—green in the spring, gold in the early autumn, red at the first frost, and brown after falling.

Prominent symbols include the national motto, "" ("From Sea to Sea"), and the Order of Canada whose motto is " ("They desire a better country") that features a snowflake, the Royal Crown, a maple leaf and the national colours of Canada. The sports of ice hockey and lacrosse, the beaver, Canada goose, common loon, Canadian horse, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Canadian Rockies, and, more recently, the canadianization of Indigenous totem poles and Inuksuks (piles of stones) are nationally symbolic. Other symbols include; the moose, Hudson's Bay point blanket, tuques (knit cap), canoes, the Fleur-de-lys, and a variety of "identifiers" used by the Federal Identity Program such as the Canada wordmark as seen on the Canadarm(s).

Canadians personally identify with the country's institutions of health care, military peacekeeping, the national park system, and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Canadian cuisine such as Canadian beer, caesar (cocktail), maple syrup, nanaimo bars, butter tarts, and the Quebec dishes of poutine and tourtière have been defined as distinctly Canadian.

Canadian folklore legends such as the Sasquatch, Ogopogo, and Wendigo, alongside French-Canadian tales like Chasse-galerie (The flying canoe) and Indigenous myths about creation and tricksters (Ravens tale, Nanabozo), have become part of the lexicon of Canadians. Fictional Canadians such as Big Joe Mufferaw, Johnny Canuck, Captain Canuck, Anne of Green Gables, and Bob and Doug McKenzie are said to represent Canadian traits.

Canadian coins feature some national symbols: the loon on the $1 coin, the Arms of Canada on the 50¢ piece, and the beaver on the nickel. An image of the monarch appears on $20 bank notes and the obverse of coins, with Canadarm2 appearing on the $5 note. The maple leaf was featured on the penny before circulation of that coin was stopped in 2013.

Surveys

Statistics Canada

The 2013 General Social Survey by Statistics Canada asked Canadians about the importance of specific national symbols to the Canadian identity. Among the five symbols measured, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the national flag ranked the highest, with more than nine in ten Canadians stating that these symbols were either very or somewhat important to the national identity. Next highest were the national anthem at 88% and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police at 87%. Ranking the lowest, but still garnering majority support, was hockey, with 77% of Canadians believing that it was an important national symbol.Text was copied from this source, which is available under the Statistics Canada Open Licence .Canadian Identity, 2013 - By Maire Sinha

For most national symbols, more than half of Canadians aged 15 years and older believed they were very important to the national identity, particularly in reference to the Charter (70%) and the flag (69%). However, less than half (46%) considered hockey - Canada’s official winter sport, as a very important symbol, with about one in five (22%) believing that it was not very important or not at all important. This contrasts feelings about the Charter and flag, where less than one in ten carried the same beliefs (4% and 9%, respectively).

When asked if there were any other symbols of national importance, Canadians offered a range of responses. Among the most commonly cited were the beaver as the national animal (16%), the maple leaf (14%) and the values and qualities of Canadian people (11%).

Ipsos-Reid

Canadians identify wilderness (83%), the flag (81%), the national anthem (74%), and hockey (73%) as the symbols that best reflect what Canada truly is", according to a 2012 Ipsos Reid poll. The 2008 Ipsos-Reid poll indicated that the maple leaf was the primary item that defines Canada, followed by ice hockey, the national flag, the beaver, the Canadarm, Canada Day, and Canadian Forces peacekeeping.Defining Canada: A Nation Chooses The 101 Things That Best Define Their Country "Unprecedented, Definitive National Survey Identifies Top People, Places, Events, Accomplishments and Symbols that Define Canada. As Chosen By Canadian. Ipsos Reid on behalf of the Dominion Institute and the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, 2008. PDF version

Official and de facto symbols

The following is a list of official and de facto symbols, as recognized by the government of Canada. They are not shown in any order of precedence.

Symbol Image NotesNational flagOfficial symbol as of February 15, 1965 Unofficial symbols of Canada, Official symbols of Canada, Royal symbols and titlesRoyal Arms of Canada Official and Royal symbol as of November 21, 1921.Sovereign's Flag for CanadaRoyal symbol adopted in 1962 Governor General's flagViceregal symbol adopted in 1981Royal Union FlagAffirmed by parliament as a national symbol on December18, 1964Canadian Royal CrownRoyal symbol approved in April 2023 by King Charles III onthe advice of the Prime Minister of CanadaRoyal cypherRoyal symbol since 2022Canada wordmarkThe global identifier of the Government of Canada since1980Corporate signatures First implemented in 1987International assistanceUsed to identify involved in Canada’s internationalassistance since 2021Great SealDe facto symbol since 1867 (current design since June2025)National anthemOfficial since July 1, 1980 (song dates back to 1880)Royal anthem De facto royal anthem that dates back to 1745MottoA Mari Usque Ad Mare(From sea to sea)Officially adopted on November 21, 1921National coloursDe facto symbol that dates back to George Stanley'srationale in the design of the Flag of Canada adoptedFebruary 15, 1965, or to an order of King George Vdated November 21, 1921, or to the creation ofQueen Elizabeth II's standard in 1961National treeSugar mapleOfficial symbol since 1996Additional national symbolMaple leafDe facto symbol since the 1700sNational animalsNorth American beaverOfficial symbol since 1975Canadian horseOfficial symbol since 2002National sportLacrosse (summer)Officially adopted on May 12, 1994Ice hockey (winter)Officially adopted on May 12, 1994National tartanMaple leaf tartanOfficially adopted on March 9, 2011Royal Canadian Mounted PoliceDe facto symbol since 1920Parliament HillDe facto symbol; built between 1859 and 1927

National symbols of Canada

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