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![[Victoria flag]](../images/c/ca-bc-vr-l.gif)
1:2 image by
Eugene Ipavec
Source: Canadian City Flags,
Raven 18
See also:
The City of Victoria (80,032 inhabitants in 2011; 1,947 ha), located on the
southern tip of Vancouver Island, is the capital of British Columbia.
Quoting the municipal website:
The City was founded by the Hudson's Bay
Company on March 14, 1843, as a trading post and fort at the location the First
Nations called "Camosack" meaning "Rush of Water." Anticipating that under the
Oregon Treaty, then being drawn up, the 49th parallel would be chosen as the
International Boundary Line, the Hudson's Bay Company moved its fort from
Vancouver on the Columbia River to the southern end of Vancouver Island.
Thereafter, for a short time, it was known locally as "Fort Albert," but by
resolution passed by the Council of the Northern Department of the Company
meeting at Fort Garry on June 10, 1843, it was officially named "Fort Victoria"
after the great British Queen. With the Fraser Valley gold rush in 1858,
Victoria grew rapidly as the main port of entry to the Colonies of Vancouver
Island and British Columbia. When the colonies combined, the City became the
colonial capital and was established as the provincial capital when British
Columbia joined the Canadian Confederation in 1871.
The name "Victoria"
was adopted when the townsite was laid out in 1852. Victoria was incorporated as
a City on August 2, 1862.[...]
http://www.victoria.ca/EN/main/community/about/history.html - Municipal
website
Ivan Sache, 12 August 2012
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.
The flag of the City of Victoria has a light blue field with the city’s
coat of arms in the centre, nearly the full height of the flag. The simple shield
has a horizontal top and simply-curved sides forming a pointed “U” shape.
On it appears a white “V” shape with narrow arms descending from the upper
corners to a point nearly reaching the base. The field above it, forming an
inverted triangle, is red and bears a royal crown in red, yellow, and white, with
gems of various colours and filling most of the space. The field below the “V”
is blue. Atop the shield is a knight’s helmet, in blue with black, white, and
light blue details. Above that is a three-towered mural crown in golden yellow.
Over the crown is a white dove in flight, descending with a green olive
branch in its beak. Above the dove is a light blue equilateral triangle, edged
in golden yellow, bearing an eye in blue and golden yellow, radiating from its
base several rays of golden yellow which continue the angles of the triangle’s
sides. Around the knight’s helmet is red and yellow mantling. On either side
of the shield is an angel depicted naturalistically in robes of white with blue
details and golden yellow wings. The angels stand on white clouds edged at
their base by two wavy stripes, white over blue, and their inner hands each support a branch of green laurel. Below is a yellow scroll with a red back, outlined
in black, inscribed SEMPER LIBER in serif letters, in red.
Jim Croft, Canadian City Flags,
Raven 18,
2011
Unknown. The arms were granted by the English Kings of
Arms in London, England, on 10 May 1962.
Jim Croft, Canadian City Flags,
Raven 18,
2011
The city flag is used for special council meetings
and official protocol functions involving visiting dignitaries. While the
council chamber has a Canadian flag and a Commonwealth flag on the dais
in a fairly permanent position, the City of Victoria flag does not fly during
regular council meetings. However, Victoria’s
city hall flies the flag at its entrance.
Outside, in Centennial Square, the British
Columbia flag flies with the logo flag.
Jim Croft, Canadian City Flags,
Raven 18,
2011
![[Victoria flag]](../images/c/ca-bc-vrlogo-l.gif)
1:2 image by
Eugene Ipavec
Source: Canadian City Flags,
Raven 18
On a field of white and in proportions of 1:2, the logo flag places the city’s light
blue flag-like stylized-V logo in the centre, with THE CITY OF in small letters
over VICTORIA in large letters, all sans-serif and black, below.
Jim Croft, Canadian City Flags,
Raven 18,
2011
Both flags are still in use in Victoria as of Sunday. From what I was
able to see on the course of the Canada Day weekend, the heraldic flag was
used more than the logo flag. I saw the heraldic flag at three locations;
one at city hall, one at the Victoria Convention Centre and possibly one at
a police-like building. The logo flag, on the other hand, I only found once.
I found this logo flag at an information booth across the street from The
Empress Hotel. As for the ratio, I think it was 1x2, just like the
Canadian and BC flags that were next to it. I did not see this flag anywhere
else yet this logo was used a lot in different city events or posters in my
hostel.
Zachary Harden, 5 July 2011
An 18 year-old chap named Callum McDonald is in the process of organizing an
on-line competition to replace the current Victoria city flags – the coat of
arms on a sky blue banner and the business card on a bed sheet with a proper
flag. My information comes from two newspaper articles and an interview on the
local CBC morning program. I have no idea whether or not he is a member of
either or both NAVA and the FOTW group, but Callum appears to be aware of good
flag design. For what it is worth, Mayor Lisa Helps is supportive. Callum’s
website is
http://aflagforvictoria.weebly.com should you wish to pursue the project.
Michael Halleran, 28 July 2016
![[Victoria flag]](../images/c/ca-bc-vr_vpd.gif)
image by Zachary Harden and
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg,
6 July 2011, 14 May 2015
The badge of the VPD and its formal colour are here at the GG website:
http://reg.gg.ca/heraldry/pub-reg/project.asp?lang=e&ProjectID=2052.
However, in the chief constable’s office is a more logo-like flag, with the
service badge over “Victoria Police” in white on a navy blue field:
https://vicpd.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/IMG_1066.jpg
http://jibcisready.jibc.ca/files/2014/02/2014_VicPDAward-Allen_v2-650x300sm.jpg
Logo:
https://yt3.ggpht.com/.../photo.jpg
Dave Fowler, 16 March 2015
This standard is not used on a daily basis. I would compare it to the Colours
of a military regiment. I personally have never seen it in use, so I cannot
confirm when it would be carried. The flag that is flown at Police Headquarters
in Caledonia Street on a usual basis is the dark blue flag bearing the
departmental arms.
Michael Halleran, 14 May 2015
The graphic above is the Victoria Police Department standard, as depicted on the Public Register of Arms website. The graphic on the website also has a red and white fringe, but I'm not a good enough artist to be able to replicate it. If anyone else can, please feel free to modify my gif to reflect it. Randy Young, 16 March 2015
![[Victoria flag]](../images/c/ca-bc-vr_vpd2.gif)
image by Randy Young, 16 March
2015
This second graphic of the other Victoria Police Department flag that Dave
found showing the Department's coat of arms and name on a dark blue field. I
wonder if one is for primarily ceremonial use while the other is to represent
the Department in an everyday manner?
Randy Young, 16 March 2015
