Canadian Heraldic Authority: Grants and Registrations

Summary#

This Government House notice lists a set of heraldic grants, registrations and approvals entered by The Canadian Heraldic Authority and reported to Governor General Mary May Simon on December 11, 2021. It records official registrations and grants of coats of arms, badges, flags and military colours that were made during 2021 and entered in the Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges of Canada.

What it does#

• Records registrations of emblems already created or submitted, for example the badge of the Canadian Armed Forces and royal cyphers for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
• Grants new coats of arms, flags and badges to people and organizations, such as the Institut maritime du Québec, the Surrey Police Service, and the Toronto Community Housing Corporation.
• Approves military colours and guidons for units like The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa, The Nova Scotia Highlanders, and The Fort Garry Horse.
• Lists registrations and grants for a variety of recipients: individual citizens, former public figures, municipalities (for example the Town of Liverpool), hospitals (for example Pembroke General Hospital), and police services.
• Enters all of the above in the public register so the designs are officially recorded.

Who's affected#

• The named recipients in the notice: individual Canadians, former office‑holders, families, municipalities, hospitals, police services and military units. Examples include Samuel Bronfman, Pembroke General Hospital, and the Surrey Police Service.
• People who use or display those emblems — for example staff, members, or officials of the organizations that received them.
• The general public only indirectly: anyone interested in heraldry, local symbols, ceremonial flags, or the official public record.

Why it matters#

• A registration or grant gives an emblem official, recorded status. That makes the design part of the national public record in the Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges of Canada.
• For recipients, it provides a formal symbol they can use for identity, ceremonies and signage.
• For most Canadians this is largely ceremonial. But it matters to the groups named, to historians, and to anyone who follows civic symbols or military traditions.