Introduction
The flag of New Brunswick is a banner of arms, featuring a gold lion on a red field in the upper third, and an ancient galley sailing on blue and white wavy lines below.
Adopted in 1965, it was one of the first new provincial flags created in Canada following a national movement for distinctive regional symbols.
The design is notable for its heraldic correctness, directly translating the province's coat of arms into a flag format, which is a common practice in Canadian vexillology.
Its vivid colors and clear, symbolic imagery make it a distinctive and recognizable emblem of the province.
Meaning & Symbolism
The gold lion on the red field is derived from the arms of the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg in Germany, reflecting the province's namesake and its historical connection to the British royal family (the House of Hanover).
The lower portion depicts a lymphad, or ancient galley, sailing on wavy blue and white lines representing the sea. This symbolizes the province's shipbuilding heritage and its maritime history and economy.
The overall design emphasizes New Brunswick's British colonial origins and its enduring maritime identity.
History of the New Brunswick Flag
The flag was officially adopted by proclamation of the lieutenant governor on February 24, 1965. This followed the 1958 creation of a committee to design a flag, led by Dr. Wilfred Currier.
The design is based directly on the coat of arms of New Brunswick, which was originally granted by Queen Victoria in 1868. The flag's adoption was part of a broader Canadian trend in the 1960s where provinces adopted distinctive flags.
Curiosities
- The New Brunswick flag was the first new provincial flag adopted in Canada after the national flag (Maple Leaf) was introduced in 1965.
- The 'lymphad' or galley on the flag is a common heraldic symbol, but its specific depiction with oars and a single mast is distinctive to New Brunswick's arms.
- The flag's proportions and colors are precisely defined in heraldic terms: the red is 'gules', the gold is 'or', and the blue is 'azure'.
Download Flag
Download the flag of New Brunswick in high-quality SVG vector format or PNG raster images. SVG files can be scaled to any size without losing quality.
Construction Sheet
The flag has a 5:8 proportion. The field is divided horizontally with the upper third (5/15 of the hoist) being a solid red field containing the gold lion. The lower two-thirds (10/15 of the hoist) contains the blue and white wavy stripes and the lymphad. The lion is statant guardant (standing and facing the viewer), and the lymphad is depicted with oars and a single mast.
Flags Similar to New Brunswick Flag
Common Misidentifications
Rarely misidentified due to unique composition, but the lion motif is similar to other flags with heraldic lions (e.g., Scotland, Flanders).