This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website

Truro, Nova Scotia (Canada)

Last modified: 2018-07-16 by rob raeside
Keywords: truro | nova scotia |
Links: FOTW homepage | search | disclaimer and copyright | write us | mirrors



[Truro, Nova Scotia] 1:2 image by Eugene Ipavec
Source: Canadian City Flags, Raven 18


See also:


Truro

Truro (2006 population 11,765) is a town in central Nova Scotia, Canada. Truro is the shire town of Colchester County and is located on the south side of the Salmon River floodplain, close to the river's mouth at the eastern end of Cobequid Bay. - from Wikipedia

Official website: http://www.truro.ca
Valentin Poposki, 21 March 2010


Current Flag

Text and image(s) from Canadian City Flags, Raven 18 (2011), courtesy of the North American Vexillological Association, which retains copyright. Image(s) by permission of Eugene Ipavec.

Design

The flag of the Town of Truro is navy blue with a white saltire (X-shaped cross). The flag is variably shown with the saltire either extending to the corners or ending at the border of the flag. Centred on the saltire is a coat of arms, three-eighths the height of the flag. Above the arms is Truro; below is 1875, both in white in Dauphin font. The simple shield of the coat of arms has a slightly arched top and simply-curved sides forming a pointed “U” shape. It is white, bearing a complex saltire of blue, blazoned "Argent a saltire cottised bretessed Azure". The edges of the saltire are notched and narrow white stripes border the interior. Above the shield is a helmet in silver with blue and white mantling. Out of a crown of red maple leaves alternating with white mayflowers extends the upper half of a winged lion in white. In its right forepaw it holds a golden yellow and blue fleur-de-lis and its left forepaw rests on a blue cogwheel. To the left stands a Mi'kmaq woman of 1600 in natural colours with a burning bush at her feet; to the right stands a fireman of 1875 in a blue uniform with his left hand on a sheaf of wheat. They stand on a grassy mound in green with marigold flowers at the front and evergreen trees at the rear. Below is a white ribbon in three sections, inscribed BEGUN IN FAITH CONTINUED IN DETERMINATION in blue serif letters, above wavy stripes of white-blue-white-blue.
Rob Raeside, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011

Symbolism

The saltire (St. Andrew’s cross) recalls the flag of Scotland, after which Nova Scotia is named; the saltire in the arms uses the reversed provincial colours of blue cross on white. The notches on the saltire (in heraldic terms, it is “cottised bretessed”), represent the railways that meet in Truro, “the Hub of Nova Scotia”. The cogwheel symbolizes the town’s industrial history. The lion recalls the town’s heritage in England and Scotland, while its eagle wings represent the settlers from the American colonies, where the eagle is the national symbol. The fleur-de-lis is for the Acadian founders, of French extraction. The Micmac (now Mi'kmaq) woman honours the local First Nations people and the volunteer fireman, attired as of the town’s incorporation date (1875), honours volunteer service in the community. The burning bush (a biblical reference) recalls the local Presbyterian heritage and the wheat represents agriculture. The wavy field at the base symbolizes the waters of the Salmon River that empty at Truro into Cobequid Bay in the Minas Basin. The maple leaves represent Canada, the mayflower (Epigaea repens) is the provincial flower of Nova Scotia, and the marigold (Calendula officinalis) is the town’s official flower, selected in the 1980s.
Rob Raeside, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011

Selection

In 1991 Mayor Douglas McCart Carter and the town council asked the Canadian Heraldic Authority for a grant of arms.
Rob Raeside
, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011

Designer

The arms, badge, and flag of Truro (see “Other Flag”, below) were designed by Robert D. Watt, Chief Herald of Canada, Canadian Heraldic Authority, and granted by him on 30 April 1993. The town does not use the flag granted.
Rob Raeside
, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011


Other Flag

[Truro, Nova Scotia] 1:2 image by Eugene Ipavec
Source: Canadian City Flags, Raven 18

The flag granted to Truro by the Canadian Heraldic Authority is a complex saltire (in heraldic terms, “cottised bretessed”). The bars are blue on a field of white. They bear two white lines set to the right side of the bars (unlike on the arms, where they are centred), and the edges of the bars have indentations extending at a slight angle.
Rob Raeside
, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011