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This year’s Remembrance Day, which is held every Nov. 11 to honour those who have served and are currently serving in the military, marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
Tuesday will also mark the 100th anniversary of the Toronto Cenotaph at Old City Hall. The memorial for those who died at war has been a site of remembrance since 1925.
To commemorate the two anniversaries, the City of Toronto has been hosting a special lighting projection since Nov. 5. The display, which repeats every 30 minutes, can be seen nightly on the western façade of Old City Hall from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. until Nov. 11.
The artistic display by AVA Animation and Visual Arts features images from the City of Toronto Archives, with names of local heroes, paying tribute to service members who served from 1939 to 1945 and never returned.
Remembrance Day is a national holiday, though Ontario has not made it a provincial holiday. If you’re looking to mark the day, here are some events to help you do so.
Ceremonies
The city will host a ceremony at the Old City Hall Cenotaph, beginning at 10:45 a.m. It will start with a procession, followed by remarks from Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow.
The cenotaph ceremony will also include a presentation of wreaths and the public is invited to lay their own poppies and wreaths at the memorial.
For those in the east end of the city, the East York Civic Centre, which is surrounded by Memorial Gardens Park, will host a ceremony at 10:45 a.m. with a moment of silence set to last two minutes.
The York Cemetery Cenotaph, located on Beecroft Road, will see a march from the Governor General’s Horse Guards to begin the ceremony.
At the Scarborough West Memorial event, the Bel Canto Singers Choir will be singing the national anthem and a Grade 8 student from Cliffside Public School will be reciting John McCrae’s In Flanders Fields.
The city will host a ceremony at the Old City Hall Cenotaph, beginning at 10:45 a.m. It will start with a procession, followed by remarks from Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow. (Alex Lupul/CBC)
A unique ceremony will begin at 10:40 a.m. at the Fort York National Historic Site and the Strachan Avenue Military Burial Ground — one of Toronto’s oldest military burial grounds.
For those in the west-end of the city, the Etobicoke Civic Centre Cenotaph will be hosting a bilingual ceremony, with a Promesse de se Souvenir read aloud in French. The event will also see a Hymn to Freedom by the Salvation Army Etobicoke Temple Band.
The city’s York Civic Centre Cenotaph will also host a classic bilingual ceremony beginning at 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday.
For a list of Toronto’s events and Remembrance Day ceremonies, you can visit the city’s website.
Queen’s Park
Queen’s Park will host a ceremony in front of the Ontario Legislative Building on Wellesley Street W. at 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday. The event will be livestreamed on YouTube.
The Royal Canadian Legion
The Royal Canadian Legion, which runs the poppy campaign across the country, is set to host a variety of ceremonies at several of its branches. Those interested can visit their website to locate a legion branch near them.
The legion will also stream its Ottawa service at the National War Memorial on social media.
The Toronto Zoo
The Toronto Zoo will host its 40th Remembrance Day ceremony on Nov. 11. The general public is invited to join together at Waterside Theatre for a ceremony at 10:55 a.m.
Attendees can get up to 50 per cent off zoo admission for the ceremony. Veterans in uniform or with medals, crests or other military insignia, and serving members of the Armed Forces, Police, Fire and Paramedic Services will be given complimentary zoo admission and parking.
The Toronto Zoo recommends that attendees arrive early, as capacity is limited.
What’s open and closed
The Toronto Transit Commission will operate on a regular schedule, though all service will be suspended for two minutes at 11 a.m. on Tuesday.
GO Transit will also operate on a regular schedule.
Canada Post locations will be closed and no mail will be picked up or delivered on Nov. 11.
Shopping centres like Yorkdale Mall, Eaton Centre, Dufferin Mall, Scarborough Town Centre, Vaughan Mills and Sherway Gardens will all be open on Remembrance Day.
LCBO and The Beer Store retail locations will open at 12 p.m. on Tuesday.
