Flag Raisings

April 2025

• Flags at all City facilities will be flown at half-mast to recognize the passing of Pope Francis, who passed on Monday, April 21. Flags will remain at half-mast until sunset on the day of his funeral.

May 2025

• A flag raising ceremony will take place at Pickering City Hall on Thursday, May 1 at 11:00 am to recognize Red Dress Day and the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S). The flag will be displayed until Monday, May 5.
   
• A flag raising ceremony will take place at Pickering City Hall on Tuesday, May 6 at 9:00 am to recognize Mental Health Week. The flag will be displayed until Sunday, May 11.
   
• The Multiple Sclerosis (MS) flag will be displayed at City Hall to recognize MS Awareness Month from Saturday, May 17 to Tuesday, May 27. For more information, please visit mscanada.ca
   
• The Period Purse flag will be displayed at City Hall in recognition of Menstrual Health Day on Wednesday, May 28. For more information, please visit theperiodpurse.com

A ceremony in which a flag is raised at the Civic Complex designating a given period of time (special day, week or month) to recognize the efforts and commitments of an individual, event or organization that enhances our community.

Where a flag is displayed at the Civic Complex designating a given period of time (special day, week or month) to recognize the efforts and commitments of an individual, event or organization that enhances our community.

Flags are flown at half-mast to commemorate significant dates such as Remembrance Day, or to observe a solemn event such as the death of a City employee.

The flags at City properties shall be flown at half-mast on:

• The death of the Mayor.
• The death of a Member of Council.
• The death of a current City of Pickering employee.
• The death of a former Mayor.
• The death of the Chair of the Regional Municipality of Durham.
• On the direction of the majority of Members of Council.

In accordance with Federal and Provincial protocol, flags will also be flown at half-mast on:

• The death of the Sovereign or a member of the Royal Family related to the Sovereign (spouse, son or daughter, father, mother, brother, sister), the Governor General, the Prime Minister, a former Governor General, a former Prime Minister, or a Federal Cabinet Minister.
• The death of the Lieutenant Governor, the Premier of Ontario or another person similarly honoured by the Province of Ontario.
• The death of the local Member of Parliament or local Member of Provincial Parliament.

Flags will be flown at half-mast at all Fire Halls in accordance with para-military protocols on:

• The death of a member of Pickering Fire Services (retired or presently employed).
• Any emergency services personnel who have fallen in the line of duty.
• To commemorate September 11 and recognize fallen firefighters.
• The death of Canadian Armed Forces personnel who have fallen in the line of duty.
• On the direction of the Fire Chief in consultation with the Chief Administrative Officer.

And flags will also be flown at half-mast, in recognition of the following dates:

• April 28, the National Day of Mourning for Persons Killed or Injured in the Workplace.
• June 23, the National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism.
• Last Sunday in September, Police and Peace Officers' National Memorial Day, unless half-masting occurs near the place where a memorial is being observed, then half-masting can occur according to the prescribed order of service, until sunset.
• November 11, Remembrance Day. The flag is to be flown at half-mast from 11:00 am to coincide with the start of the ceremony at the National War Memorial.
• December 6, the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.