Coat of arms of Toronto

The coat of arms of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, was designed by Robert Watt, the Chief Herald of Canada, for the city after its amalgamation in 1998.

They are blazoned as, Or, a pale and a chief Azure. The Crest: on a wreath of the colours issuant from a mural coronet Or, masoned Sable charged with a human heart Gules between two Roses Argent, buttoned Or, slipped proper, on a grassy mount Vert, a Golden eagle statant, wings elevated and expanded proper. The supporters are, on the dexter a beaver sejeant proper, collared with a torse Gules, therefrom on a hexagon Or an ash leaf Vert, on the sinister, a brown bear rampant proper, collared with a torse Gules, pendant therefrom a hexagon charged with a columbine Flower proper. Both Supporters are placed on a grassy mount from which at the base of the shield three wavy streams in pairle reversed Argent each surcharged with another Azure flow into a barry wavy ‘lakefront', below which is placed the Scroll with the Motto: Diversity Our Strength between two Maple Leaves Gules, veined Or at the extremities of the Scroll.

The shield is designed in a way that both represents the two towers of city hall and, as seen in the image in the right margin, the capital letter T. The three wavy streams beneath the shield represent the three rivers of Toronto: the Humber, the Don and the Rouge. The barry wavy 'lakefront' represents Lake Ontario.

Former coat of arms

Only Toronto’s and Scarborough’s coats of arms are registered under the Canadian Heraldic Authority's Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges of Canada.

Toronto

The former city of Toronto had a coat of arms prior to amalgamation as well, yet it was rarely used. The shield consisted of four quarters between a white cross charged with a red maple leaf. The first quarter was red and charged with three golden lions as an allusion to the coat of arms of England, the second was blue with a white stylized rose to allude to York, the third was also blue with a white cog wheel for industry and the final fourth quarter showed a scene of a steam boat in red and gold to represent the importance of the lake and water ways in and around the city. The crest was a beaver atop a gold mural crown. The supporters were a First Nations warrior (likely representing the local Mississaugas) with bow on the viewer’s left and the personification of Britannia with trident and shield painted with the Union Jack to the viewer’s right. The motto was in English, “Industry, Intelligence, Integrity”.

In an even earlier version, a beaver was in place of the white rose and a sheaf of wheat instead of the cog wheel. As well the earlier coat of arm's First Nations supporter was a Chief holding an axe and both supporters were facing directly across to one another.

North York

The city of North York’s crest consisted of:

• Ribbon with motto “Progress with Economy”
• Three maple leaves to the sides of the crest
• Crest containing beaver on a crown, sheaf of wheat and scales of justice

Etobicoke

The city of Etobicoke’s coat of arms consisted of:

• Maple leaf crown
• Two supportors: Indian warrior with bow and European settler with musket
• Elder tree in the crest
• Motto Tradition – Progress

Source: http://www.eyeweekly.com/details/article/12097

York

The city of York’s crest consisted of:

• Bird on crown
• Crest with a river (Humber) and York Rose
• Beaver and griffin as supportors
• Motto: E sinquilis commentas

Scarborough

The city of Scarborough’s coat of arms had:

• Crest with columbine flower and a chief embattled Azure issuant from the upper chief a demi-sun Or
• Cornet with ears of corn topped with maple leaf
• Supporters consisted of two stag deers
• Motto Home Above the bluffs

The former coat of arms of the former borough had a crest with a laurel wreath. Within this crest was:

• Crest of the province of Ontario
• Sheaf of wheat
• Profile of the Scarborough Bluffs
• Factory with two cog wheels

Source: http://archive.gg.ca/heraldry/pub-reg/project-pic.asp?lang=e&ProjectID=606&ProjectElementID=2131

East york

East York's crest was designed by Leaside resident Harry Faulks of Leaside and presented to the Borough in 1967:

• bull dog
• maple leafs and beaver
• York Rose
• Motto: Borough of East York

Source: http://www.eastyork.org/eyhs/bulldog.pdf

References

City of Toronto

External links

• Page on City of Toronto site