The coat of arms of Toronto is the armorial bearing used to represent the city of Toronto in Ontario, Canada. It was designed by Robert Watt, the Chief Herald of Canada at the time, for the municipal government of Toronto (incorporated as the City of Toronto) after its amalgamation in 1998. The arms were granted by the Canadian Heraldic Authority on 11 January 1999.

The Canadian Heraldic Authority's official blazon of the coat of arms is: 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 coats of arms

The chain of office of the Mayor of Toronto includes the coats of arms or heraldic devices of all prior municipalities, including the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto.

The coats of arms for the current City of Toronto government, the former City of Scarborough, and the former City of York are registered in the Canadian Heraldic Authority's Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges of Canada. The former City of York was the only former municipality in Metropolitan Toronto to have a motto in Latin, while the mottoes of the other municipalities were in English.

Toronto

thumb|Arms of the [[Old Toronto|former City of Toronto, designed by William Lyon Mackenzie.]]

The former City of Toronto had a coat of arms prior to amalgamation in 1998, designed by William Lyon Mackenzie. The shield consisted of four quarters separated by 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 quarter was blue with a white stylized rose to allude to York, the third quarter was blue with a white cog wheel for industry, and the fourth quarter displayed a steam boat in gold on red to represent the importance of the lake and waterways in and around the city. The crest was a beaver atop a gold mural crown; the mural crown represents Fort York. The supporters were a First Nations warrior (likely representing the local Mississaugas) with a bow (on the viewer's left), and the personification of Britannia with trident and shield painted with the Union Jack (on the viewer's right). The motto was "Industry, Intelligence, Integrity".

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

thumb|[[Heraldic badge of HMCS Toronto]]

The heraldic badge of HMCS Toronto features the crest of the former City of Toronto.

East York

The Borough of East York's armorial device was designed by Harry Faulks, a resident of Leaside. It was selected by the Borough in 1967 and consisted of the following elements:

  • Arms: Gules a rose Argent barbed Vert and seeded Or, in a chief of the second and between two maple leaves of the third a beaver proper.
  • Crest: A bulldog statant proper.
  • Motto: BOROUGH OF EAST YORK.

Etobicoke

The City of Etobicoke's coat of arms were granted by the Canadian Intellectual Property Office on 16 November 1977. The armorial bearings consisted of the following items:

  • Arms: Or, a columbine flower and a chief embattled Azure, issuant from the upper chief a demi-sun Or.
  • Crest: Issuant from a coronet heightened with four ears of corn (one and two-halves visible) alternating with four millstones (two visible) Or, a maple leaf Gules.
  • Supporters: Two stags Or attired and unguled Azure, each gorged with a collar of braid Gules, Argent and Azure, standing upon a representation of the Scarborough Bluffs proper rising above the waters of Lake Ontario Azure and Argent.
  • Motto: HOME ABOVE THE BLUFFS.

The previous armorial device of the former borough had a shield within a laurel wreath. Upon this shield were the following elements, in quarters:

  • The arms of the province of Ontario
  • A sheaf of wheat
  • Two cog wheels and a factory
  • A view of the Scarborough Bluffs

York

right|thumb|This time capsule outside the [[York Civic Centre is intended to be sealed for 196 years. It depicts the city of York's logo and coat of arms.]]

The City of York's coat of arms was granted in 1993 by the Canadian Heraldic Authority, and the official blazon of the arms was as follows:

  • Arms: Vert, dexter a pale wavy Argent charged with a pallet wavy Azure, sinister a sprig of rose Or flowered Argent.
  • Crest: A rock dove proper rising out of a Mural Crown Or masoned Azure.
  • Supporters: On a grassy mound, dexter a beaver sejant erect Or gorged with a ribbon Vert, Argent and Azure, sinister a lion sejant the right forepaw raised Or gorged with a like ribbon.
  • Motto: E SINGULIS COMMUNITAS (Latin for "From individuals, a community").
  • Badge: A hexagon Vert charged with a sprig of rose Or flowered Argent.

The city's motto was in Latin, and it was the only former municipality with a motto in that language, while the others were in English.

References

  • Coat of Arms page on City of Toronto website
  • City Symbols page on City of Toronto website