Quebec City, Quebec

In 2002, the city was merged with Beauport, Cap-Rouge, Charlesbourg, Lac-St-Charles, L'Ancienne-Lorette, Lauretteville, St-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Ste-Foy, St-Emile, Sillery, Val-Bélair and Vanier. The new city preserves the flag and arms of the former Québec.
Luc Baronian, 6 May 2005

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The colours used on the flag of the City of Quebec are :

• Gold for force, faith, justice, fortitude, and brightness;
• Silver for humility, purity, charity, truth, and victory;
• Azur blue for sovereignty, majesty, serenity, good reputation, knowledge, clarity, and loyality.

The vessel represents the period of time during which the city was founded the maritime industries of Quebec. The notched border recalls that Quebec city is a walled and fortified city.
C Pinette, 18 October 1996

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The Quebec city councilors still refuse to let the Canadian flag fly on municipal buildings and have voted for a motion creating a comitee to study a general protocol of flag displaying in front of city hall.
(La Presse newspaper, Dec. 3 1997).
contributed by Luc-Vartan Baronian, 03 December 1997

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While on the subject of Quebec - I have two flags, both, I think are the flag for Quebec city. One I know is the city flag, because I bought it when I was there years and years ago. The other I picked up in Montreal and was told it was the Quebec city flag.

The oldest one is: White with the province flag in the upper hoist and a seal in the fly. The other is Blue with a ship in the centre and the edges of the flag are a white fortress. If they are both Ville Quebec, when was the change, and more importantly for me why the change?
Dan Fairbanks, 3 March 1998

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I suppose you mean a Coat of Arms in the fly... The answer is in Flagscan [fsc] 11 (Fall 1988) :

"Quebec city - capital of the Province of Quebec - has been recognized by UNESCO for inclusion on its list of World Heritage sites (patrimoine mondial).

Taking cognizance of this, the Municipal Council proclaimed a new official flag on 3 February 1987."
Luc-Vartan Baronian, 3 March 1998

As in the city's arms, the city's flag shows a golden ship, under full sail. This suggest the founding of Québec in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain. It also represents the maritime vocation of Québec, with its very important sea port. The sails filled by the wind symbolise the steadfastness and courage of the population.

The colours used bear the following heraldic meanings: yellow (Or) indicates strength, faith, justice, wealth, constancy and illustriousness; the white (argent) of the border symbolises humility, purity, charity, truth and victory; the blue (azure) of the background represents sovereignty, majesty, serenity, good reputation, knowledge, clarity and loyalty. This last colour also dominates the arms and underscores the French origins of the city's founders.

The crenellated border reminds us that Québec is a fortified city (the only one in North America) and that its founder also came from another fortified city, Brouage in Saintonge.

One should also notice the little man with upraised arms standing at the ship's poop.
Daniel U. Thibault, 14 June 2000

The right key symbolizes Quebec as the capital of New France, and the left key as the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec. The ship is a reference to Samuel de Champlain's ship, who founded the city in 1608. The mural crown on the arms is a traditional civic administration symbol, but also recalls the fact that Quebec is a fortified city, like Brouage en Saintonge, the city Champlain came from. The maple leaf represents the city's Canadian character, as well as all the ethnicities present. The motto, "Don de Dieu Feray Valoir", is a reference to Champlain's ship, the Don de Dieu. I made this image based on the Canadian Trademark Data. Harrington shows a version with bigger arms proportionately.

References:
Harrington, Kevin. 1988. Quebec city - Flags of a Capital in Flagscan [fsc] no 11, Fall 1988.

Luc Baronian, 6 May 2005

Official flag hoisted at the tercentennial of Quebec city in 1908 White cross on azure with 5 gold fleur de lys in each quarter.
Luc-Vartan Baronian, 21 March 1997

Harrington shows an image of this flag and I received one by the mail from the Port Authority in the late 90s. Translated from documentation forwarded by the Port: "Blue and white suggest the Nordic character of the Port of Quebec. The diagonal lines add to the dynamism justifying the Port's activities. The arms on the blue surface are a reference to the past. The current symbol on a white background underscores the contemporary importance of the Port. The arms (normally) are azure, with a golden chevron and a silver ship on a silver sea. The motto is "J'accueille et je veille" (I great and I watch over). Blue represents the sky on the silver sea. These are also the provincial colors. Blue is synonymous with peace and rest. Silver recalls the material values that transit in the Port. Gold in heraldry, by contrast to silver, designates and characterizes spiritual and human values, as well as a sense of welcome, hope and success. The chevron is an honorable piece, attributed to the Port for its ancient existence, its commerce and its organization. The two arms of the chevron shield the ships who sail to the Port. The sail ship is a reference to the one on the city arms, though it is here the "Grande Hermine" of Jacques Cartier, rather than Samuel de Champlain's "Don de Dieu", present on the city arms. The sails symbolize the Port's activities. The arms were designed by Mr. Lucien Godbout."

References:
Harrington, Kevin. 1988. Quebec city - Flags of a Capital in Flagscan [fsc] no 11, Fall 1988.

Luc Baronian, 6 May 2005