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Quebec City

Last modified: 2003-08-16 by phil nelson
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[City of Quebec (Quebec - Canada)]
by Antonio Martins and Daniel U. Thibault
See also: Quebec City - Ville de Québec

The colours used on the flag of the City of Quebec are :

  • Gold for force, faith, justice, fortitude, and brightness;
  • Silver for humility, purity, charity, truth, and victory;
  • Azur blue for sovereignty, majesty, serenity, good reputation, knowledge, clarity, and loyality.

The vessel represents the period of time during which the city was founded the maritime industries of Quebec. The notched border recalls that Quebec city is a walled and fortified city.
C Pinette - 18 October 1996


The Quebec city councilors still refuse to let the Canadian flag fly on municipal buildings and have voted for a motion creating a comitee to study a general protocol of flag displaying in front of city hall.
(La Presse newspaper, Dec. 3 1997).
contributed by Luc-Vartan Baronian - 03 December 1997


While on the subject of Quebec - I have two flags, both, I think are the flag for Quebec city. One I know is the city flag, because I bought it when I was there years and years ago. The other I picked up in Montreal and was told it was the Quebec city flag.

The oldest one is: White with the province flag in the upper hoist and a seal in the fly. The other is Blue with a ship in the centre and the edges of the flag are a white fortress. If they are both Ville Quebec, when was the change, and more importantly for me why the change?
Dan Fairbanks - 3 March 1998


I suppose you mean a Coat of Arms in the fly... The answer is in Flagscan 11 (Fall 1988) :

"Quebec city - capital of the Province of Quebec - has been recognized by UNESCO for inclusion on its list of World Heritage sites (patrimoine mondial).

Taking cognizance of this, the Municipal Council proclaimed a new official flag on 3 February 1987."
Luc-Vartan Baronian - 3 March 1998


[Quebec City Arms]
by Daniel U. Thibault

As in the city's arms, the city's flag shows a golden ship, under full sail. This suggest the founding of Québec in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain. It also represents the maritime vocation of Québec, with its very important sea port. The sails filled by the wind symbolise the steadfastness and courage of the population.

The colours used bear the following heraldic meanings: yellow (Or) indicates strength, faith, justice, wealth, constance and illustriousness; the white (argent) of the border symbolises humility, purity, charity, truth and victory; the blue (azure) of the background represents sovereignty, majesty, serenity, good reputation, knowledge, clarity and loyalty. This last colour also dominates the arms and underscores the French origins of the city's founders.

The crenellated border reminds us that Québec is a fortified city (the only one in North America) and that its founder also came from another fortified city, Brouage in Saintonge.

One should also notice the little man with upraised arms standing at the ship's poop.
Daniel U. Thibault, 14 June 2000