Ontario's biggest Canadian flag now flying high over Hwy 400 in Barrie
Flying 165 feet in the air, the flag is absolutely massive at 35 by 70 feet. That’s roughly 2,450 square feet—triple the size of most Toronto condos!
Canada’s newest oversized flag is more than something to gawk at while driving to and from cottage country—it’s a bold patriotic symbol that officials in Barrie have already deemed “a new landmark.”
“We really want to make a statement that says, you know, Canada is a free and self-determining country, that we have ideals that we stand for, that democracy is something we value, and certainly, we want to continue on that independent path and not be… annexed or taken over by our neighbours to the south,” said Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall to The Weather Network.
It’ll certainly be hard to miss for those travelling through the area, perched high above Highway 400.
Spectators watch as the giant Canadian flag is raised in Barrie. (Lauren O'Neil/TWN)
Made for Canadian weather
Barrie’s mega-sized flag was raised on June 26, just in time for Canada Day, but the pole supporting it had to be installed ahead of time.
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“Anything that's not pretty much a clear day like this—if you get winds over 30 kilometres an hour—you're not putting anyone up in a man basket,” said Doug Myles of Ewing Flagpole Company, noting that storms are also problematic as the flagpole is basically “a gigantic lightning rod.”
“We're looking at the weather every day... the last couple days, it's been hourly,” said Doug’s father and the company’s president, Iain Myles, as crews hoisted the structure into place on June 17. “When it's completed with all five sections, it will be 150 feet from ground level up. Below the ground, there's a 15-foot pier, and there's four feet of footing into the ground. So it'll be 165 feet, 170 feet overall.”
When asked how it felt to work on this particular project, Iain said he was honoured, noting that Ewing is “proud to be a Canadian company” with four generations of his family involved.
“Our company started in 1845, in actuality,” he added. “It means everything, being here and being a Canadian.”
Ewing Flagpole Company was established in 1845 and is a proud Canadian business. (Supplied)
But a bigger flag means bigger problems
Engineers say flags of this size do face unique challenges, especially in Canada's harsh climate.
“In high wind corridors, the flags, they do act like sails. They're a large wind-catching object,” said Doug. “You'll see a sort of whip at the end of them there, so you can see the ends tend to go. In the winter, it'll double in weight with snow and slush on it there.”
With good care, Doug says the nylon flag could last up to a year—but that would involve downsizing during inclement weather. He says other mega-flags in the region (namely those in Oshawa and Hamilton) are replaced every few months.
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As for how much the flag itself costs? Doug says, “Around $7,000 to $8,000, so you want to show some care with it. You lower it when there's high winds."
Flagpole pieces used to support Barrie's mega-sized Canadian flag. (Lauren O'Neil/TWN)
Built on community support
The initiative was backed by the city—but it wouldn’t have happened without help from the private sector.
“Skyline stepped in and said, ‘We want to help contribute to this flag,’” said Nuttall. “We also had other businesses help with concrete forming, delivery, and purchasing. There’s been a lot of community support.”
“This is going to be a monument that people remember when they're driving in or around the City of Barrie that says, ‘Hey, this is small- to medium-town Canada,’” Nuttall continued.
“We are part of the backbone of this country.”