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# Ottawa-Carleton Regional Municipality, Ontario (Canada)

##

Last modified: 2026-08-08 by rob raeside
Keywords: ontario | ottawa | ottawa-carleton |
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image by Chris Pinette

- Description of the flag

See also:

- Carp
- Cumberland
- Cumberland Township
- Gloucester
- Goulbourn
- Nepean
- Osgoode
- Vanier
- Ottawa
- Municipal Flags of Ontario
- Ontario
- Canada

## Description of the flag

The Regional Municipality of Ottawa–Carleton was a regional government area and census division in Ontario, Canada which existed from 1969 until 2001. It was created in 1969 from the former Carleton County plus Cumberland Township, previously part of Russell County.

Last month I was in Ottawa and I saw the flag (above). Does anyone know what it is? Is it the flag of the city of Ottawa? No one in Ottawa could tell me. It was flying next to the Canadian National Flag and the Provincial flag of Ontario.
Chris Pinette, 8 August 1996

This flag looked familiar so I browsed through the few copies I have of Flagscan. I found the flag, or rather one that looks very similar. The only difference is that the white Y based on the hoist is made up of wavy (not straight) lines, and that the maple leaf is set in the centre of the flag. I guess these things are not easy to see when flags are hoisted. The flag illustrated in Flagscan is the flag of the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton. I suppose it is what Chris saw. The flag was adopted 26 June 1985 by the Regional Council and is a simpler version of the coat of arms. The white wavy section represents the rivers Ottawa and Rideau, while the maple leaf indicates the Canadian capital.
Jan Oskar Engene, 10 August 1996

A similar design, with straight white lines is not a flag, it's the logo of the Ottawa-Carleton region
Luc Baronian, 19 June 1997

Of course, since the region is larger than the city...
I know what you mean, the city flag doesn't seem very popular.

You are not the first to make this remark. What I believe is that they first used the straight lines unofficially and made them wavy when it became official. (But this is just speculation). What is sure is that 2 sources (Flagscan and the very reliable Ottawa-Carleton web page) show the wavy line flag. According to Flagscan, it became official June 26, 1985. The arms of the region have this design displayed as a Y with the maple leaf in the center and a crown in the upper triangle. Over the shield a mural crown and under, the motto *Cum Progressu Euntes* (Moving with Progress).
Luc Baronian, 19 June 1997

I did also see this flag in a magnificent avenue of flags outside an office complex, along with the flags of 10 other "townships" I always see it at the train station and over a few (rare) buildings. presumably the other components of the Ottawa-Carleton region. Two of them (Rideau Township and Dulbourn) have their names on the flags, but the others were unidentifiable. Also in this avenue are the flags of the Ottawa-Carleton region, Ontario and Canada.
Rob Raeside,19 July 1997

I came on a page about the flag of Ottawa-Carleton. I cite the text which is attached to this flag :

- The regional flag is a modified version of the armorial bearings of the regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton. It was created by David Baker, technician-draughtsman with the Department of transport of the MROC. (Municipalite-Regionale 'Ottawa-Carleton in French)
- The corrugated white sign in form of Y, as on the regional armorial bearings, represents the Rideau and Ottawa rivers, topographic elements which played a great part in the colonization and the economic development of the area.
- The red maple sheet symbolizes the area of the national capital and the People of Canada
- Approval with the Regional Council - on June 26, 1985

Pascal Gross, 11 March 1998