Coat of arms of Toronto
Encyclopedia
The coat of arms of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, was designed by Robert Watt, the Chief Herald of Canada
Chief Herald of Canada
Chief Herald of Canada is the title held by the head of the Canadian Heraldic Authority. The Chief Herald of Canada directs the operations of the Canadian Heraldic Authority and makes the grants of arms. There are exceptions to this, such as certain grants made directly by the Governor General. The...
, for the city after its amalgamation in 1998.
They are blazoned
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
as, Or, a pale and a chief Azure. The Crest: on a wreath of the colours issuant from a mural coronet Or, masoned Sable charged with a human heart Gules between two Roses Argent, buttoned Or, slipped proper, on a grassy mount Vert, a Golden eagle statant, wings elevated and expanded proper. The supporters are, on the dexter a beaver sejeant proper, collared with a torse Gules, therefrom on a hexagon Or an ash leaf Vert, on the sinister, a brown bear rampant proper, collared with a torse Gules, pendant therefrom a hexagon charged with a columbine Flower proper. Both Supporters are placed on a grassy mount from which at the base of the shield three wavy streams in pairle reversed Argent each surcharged with another Azure flow into a barry wavy ‘lakefront', below which is placed the Scroll with the Motto: Diversity Our Strength between two Maple Leaves Gules, veined Or at the extremities of the Scroll.
The shield is designed in a way that both represents the two towers of city hall and, as seen in the image in the right margin, the capital letter T. The three wavy streams beneath the shield represent the three rivers of Toronto: the Humber
Humber River (Ontario)
The Humber River is one of two major rivers on either side of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the other being the Don River to the east. It was designated a Canadian Heritage River on September 24, 1999....
, the Don and the Rouge
Rouge River (Ontario)
The Rouge River is a two river system. Little Rouge and Rouge River are in the east and the northeast parts of Toronto and begin in the Oak Ridges Moraine in Richmond Hill and Whitchurch-Stouffville...
. The barry wavy 'lakefront' represents Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
.
Former coat of arms
Only Toronto’s and Scarborough’s coats of arms are registered under the Canadian Heraldic AuthorityCanadian Heraldic Authority
The Canadian Heraldic Authority is part of the Canadian honours system under the Queen of Canada, whose authority is exercised by the Governor General. The Authority is responsible for the creation and granting of new coats of arms , flags and badges for Canadian citizens, permanent residents and...
's Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges of Canada.
Toronto
The former city of Toronto had a coat of arms prior to amalgamation as well, yet it was rarely used. The shield consisted of four quarters between a white cross charged with a red maple leaf. The first quarter was red and charged with three golden lions as an allusion to the coat of arms of England, the second was blue with a white stylized rose to allude to York, the third was also blue with a white cog wheel for industry and the final fourth quarter showed a scene of a steam boat in red and gold to represent the importance of the lake and water ways in and around the city. The crest was a beaver atop a gold mural crown
Mural crown
-Usage in ancient times:In Hellenistic culture, a mural crown identified the goddess Tyche, the embodiment of the fortune of a city, familiar to Romans as Fortuna...
. The supporters were a First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
warrior (likely representing the local Mississaugas
Mississaugas
The Mississaugas are a subtribe of the Anishinaabe-speaking First Nations people located in southern Ontario, Canada. They are closely related to the Ojibwa...
) with bow on the viewer’s left and the personification of Britannia
Britannia
Britannia is an ancient term for Great Britain, and also a female personification of the island. The name is Latin, and derives from the Greek form Prettanike or Brettaniai, which originally designated a collection of islands with individual names, including Albion or Great Britain. However, by the...
with trident
Trident
A trident , also called a trishul or leister or gig, is a three-pronged spear. It is used for spear fishing and was also a military weapon. Tridents are featured widely in mythical, historical and modern culture. The major Hindu god, Shiva the Destroyer and the sea god Poseidon or Neptune are...
and shield painted with the Union Jack to the viewer’s right. The motto was in English, “Industry, Intelligence, Integrity”.
In an even earlier version, a beaver was in place of the white rose and a sheaf of wheat instead of the cog wheel. As well the earlier coat of arm's First Nations supporter was a Chief holding an axe and both supporters were facing directly across to one another.
North York
The city of North York’s crest consisted of:
- Ribbon with motto “Progress with Economy”
- Three maple leaves to the sides of the crest
- Crest containing beaver on a crown, sheaf of wheat and scales of justice
Etobicoke
The city of Etobicoke’s coat of arms consisted of:
- Maple leaf crown
- Two supportors: Indian warrior with bow and European settler with musket
- Elder tree in the crest
- Motto Tradition – Progress
Source: http://www.eyeweekly.com/details/article/12097
York
The city of York’s crest consisted of:
- Bird on crown
- Crest with a river (Humber) and York Rose
- Beaver and griffin as supportors
- Motto: E sinquilis commentas
Scarborough
The city of Scarborough’s coat of arms had:
- Crest with columbine flower and a chief embattled Azure issuant from the upper chief a demi-sun Or
- Cornet with ears of corn topped with maple leaf
- Supporters consisted of two stag deers
- Motto Home Above the bluffs
The former coat of arms of the former borough had a crest with a laurel wreath. Within this crest was:
- Crest of the province of Ontario
- Sheaf of wheat
- Profile of the Scarborough Bluffs
- Factory with two cog wheels
Source: http://archive.gg.ca/heraldry/pub-reg/project-pic.asp?lang=e&ProjectID=606&ProjectElementID=2131
East york
East York's crest was designed by Leaside resident Harry Faulks of Leaside and presented to the Borough in 1967:
- bull dog
- maple leafs and beaver
- York Rose
- Motto: Borough of East York
Source: http://www.eastyork.org/eyhs/bulldog.pdf