Remembrance Day ceremonies are set to take place across Canada on November 11th to honor those who have sacrificed for the nation. From Halifax to Ottawa to Vancouver, events will be held to pay tribute to these brave individuals.
One of the largest ceremonies, organized by the Royal Canadian Legion, will be held at the National War Memorial in Ottawa. Dignitaries, including the Prime Minister, Governor General, and Silver Cross Mother, will arrive around 10:45 a.m. to commence the ceremony.
Maureen Anderson from New Brunswick has been named this year’s Silver Cross Mother. She lost two sons who served in the Canadian Army, including in Afghanistan. The Silver Cross Mother tradition involves laying a wreath on behalf of all Canadian mothers who have lost a child in military service.
From 10:50 a.m. to 11:59 a.m., CF-18 Hornet fighter jets from the Canadian Armed Forces will fly over the ceremony location in Ottawa. Additionally, there will be a special flypast of vintage military aircraft to mark the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
The Ottawa ceremony will be live-streamed on the Royal Canadian Legion’s Facebook page and will include the national anthem, a moment of silence, and a wreath-laying ceremony. Attendees will also have the opportunity to place poppies at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier throughout the day.
In Toronto, Remembrance Day ceremonies will be held at various locations, including the official provincial ceremony at Queen’s Park in front of the Ontario Legislative Building, starting at 10:45 a.m. The event will also be live-streamed.
Various other locations in the Greater Toronto Area will also hold ceremonies, including the Scarborough War Memorial, East York Civic Centre Memorial Gardens, Cenotaph at York Cemetery, York Civic Centre Cenotaph, Cenotaph at Etobicoke Civic Centre, and Fort York National Historic Site.
The Toronto Zoo will host a Remembrance Day ceremony with a 50% discount on admission for visitors and free entry for veterans and those in uniform. In Halifax, ceremonies will begin at 11 a.m. at the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site with a 21-gun salute by the 1st Field Artillery Regiment.
The Army Museum in Halifax will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for guests to learn about Canada’s military history. The Halifax Citadel will also be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for visitors. A parade on Argyle Street at 11 a.m. will be open to the public in honor of veterans.
The Halifax Memorial Library Building will showcase a Remembrance Day light projection show from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. In Winnipeg, the official ceremony will be held at the RBC Convention Centre, starting at 10:40 a.m. Legions across Manitoba will also host ceremonies.
In Saskatchewan, a service will take place at Saskatoon’s SaskTel Centre, starting at 10 a.m. and live-streamed online. Edmonton’s City Hall will host a ceremony at 10 a.m. to honor Armed Forces veterans, followed by a procession to the City Hall Cenotaph for wreath laying.
In Vancouver, a ceremony at the Cenotaph at Victoria Square will mark the 100th anniversary of the service. The University of British Columbia will host a ceremony at the War Memorial Gym at 10:45 a.m. for faculty, staff, students, and the community. Other communities in Metro Vancouver will also hold services in Surrey, Burnaby, Richmond, and North Vancouver.