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Thunder Bay, Ontario (Canada)

Thunder Bay District

image by Peter Orenski, 17 November 2012
based on research and information provided by James Croft and Kevin Harrington
Source: Canadian City Flags, Raven 18

Thunder Bay
Current Flag
Coat of arms
Thunder Bay Police

See also:

Thunder Bay

Thunder Bay is a city in, and the seat of, Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada. It is the most populous municipality in northwestern Ontario. Located on Lake Superior, the census metropolitan area of Thunder Bay has a population of 121,621, and consists of the city of Thunder Bay, the municipalities of Oliver Paipoonge and Neebing, the townships of Shuniah, Conmee, O'Connor, and Gillies, and the Fort William First Nation.

Current Flag

Text and image(s) from Canadian City Flags, Raven 18 (2011), courtesy of the North American Vexillological Association, which retains copyright. Image(s) by permission of Eugene Ipavec.

Design

The flag of the City of Thunder Bay is a horizontal bicolour of two-thirds golden yellow over one-third blue. Extending along the full base of the golden yellow section is a low mountainous landform in green, reaching to about one-third the height of that section. Behind it is a Canadian maple leaf in red, extending nearly the full height of the flag. All components are edged in white, separating them from each other.
Doreen Braverman, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011

Symbolism

The overall image depicts a golden yellow sky with a sun (in the form of a maple leaf, the symbol of Canada) rising behind the “Sleeping Giant” mountain, which sits in the blue waters of Lake Superior. Green and gold are Thunder Bay’s official colours. The “Sleeping Giant” has long symbolized Thunder Bay. A rock formation on the Sibley Peninsula across the bay from the city, it resembles a giant lying on its back. According to an Ojibway legend, the giant Nanabijou was turned to stone when the secret of a local silver mine was betrayed to white men. The Ojibway (sometimes known in the U. S. as Chippewa) were the original inhabitants of the area.
Doreen Braverman, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011

Selection

In 1972 Mayor Saul Laskin conceived of a distinctive flag to promote the city, after it was formed by the amalgamation of the twin cities of Fort William and Port Arthur. A small committee was formed and invited participation in a contest.
Doreen Braverman, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011

Designer

Cliff Redden, a local citizen, created the winning design in the
Doreen Braverman, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011

Coat of arms

image located by Dave Fowler, 27 December 2025

From https://www.gg.ca/en/heraldry/public-register/project/3748:

Blazon
Azure a castle irradiated, its portcullis raised Or, issuant from three bars wavy, on a chief Argent a birchbark canoe therein a European man and seven Canadian voyageurs the latter with their paddles in action proper, in the stern a flag Gules inscribed NW in letters Or

Symbolism (hypothesized):
The castle emerging from waves is taken from the historic arms of Port Arthur, which merged with Fort William to create the City of Thunder Bay in 1970. The gateway reflects Port Arthur’s historical role as the eastern terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railway, while the water alludes to the fact that it was a port city that also served as a major transshipment location for the Great Lakes. The canoe is taken from the arms of Fort William and uses elements from an attributed coat of arms for the North West Company, a notable fur-trading enterprise, and the arms granted to William McGillivray, the city’s namesake and the last chief partner of the Company.

Crest
Blazon
A beaver gnawing at the trunk of a pine tree proper the branches thereof enfiled by a scroll Argent bearing the word PERSEVERANCE in letters Gules, all issuant from a mural crown proper;
Symbolism
This is the crest granted to the City of Fort William, which used the beaver, tree and scroll with the word “Perseverance” from the crest of William McGillivray. The mural crown is often used to identify a municipality.

Motto
THE GATEWAY TO THE WEST;
Symbolism
This phrase alludes to the symbolism of the Arms.

Supporters
Blazon
Dexter a voyageur holding a paddle proper his foot resting on a garb fesswise Or, sinister a moose proper gorged with a collar Argent charged with a fleur-de-lis Gules between two fleurs-de-lis Azure resting its hind leg on a salmon, both standing on a representation of the Sleeping Giant mountain proper;
Symbolism (hypothesized):
The voyageur is one of the supporters of the arms of Fort William and likely alludes to the city’s history as one of the starting points of the canoe routes to Western Canada, as well as to its status as a fur trading post in the early 19th century. The moose is one of the supporters of the arms of Port Arthur and alludes to the forests and wildlife that surround the area. Its white collar bearing red and blue fleurs-de-lis is based on the label on the coat of arms of the Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, after whom the former city of Port Arthur was named. The wheat symbolizes the area’s importance to the grain trade in Canada as the location for numerous silos for the Canadian Pacific and Canadian Northern railways. The salmon possibly refers to the former Port Arthur Hatchery and to the area's tradition of sport fishing.
Dave Fowler, 27 December 2025

Thunder Bay Police

image located by Clayton Horner, 18 June 2020

The flag of Thunder Bay Police is vertically striped red-white-red with narrow blue-white edges to the white field, with the badge in the centre featuring the maple leaf and Sleeping Giant motif from the flag.