What to know
- The City of Toronto will host Remembrance Day ceremonies across the city on Wednesday, with the main ceremony taking place at Old City Hall from 10:45 a.m. to noon, featuring Mayor Olivia Chow.
- Remembrance Day is not a statutory holiday in Ontario, meaning schools, malls, grocery stores and regular retail locations will remain open. LCBO and Beer Store locations will open at noon, while banks, Canada Post and federal government services will be closed.
- The TTC will pause all service for two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. Veterans, Canadian Armed Forces members, one companion and immediate family members of deceased veterans can ride GO Transit and UP Express for free.
- Several downtown roads will close around 10 a.m., including Queen Street West between York and Bay streets, Bay Street between Dundas and Richmond streets, and Wellesley Street West near Queen’s Park.
Canada’s biggest day honouring fallen soldiers and veterans is Wednesday, and while Remembrance Day is not a statutory holiday, there are still some services and stores closed out of respect. Here’s what’s closed, and where Toronto residents can attend ceremonies across the city.
Ceremonies
Torontonians will have several opportunities to honour Canada’s veterans with Remembrance Day ceremonies taking place across the city on Wednesday.
The City of Toronto will host ceremonies at several locations throughout the city, with the main gathering taking place at Old City Hall. The ceremony at 60 Queen St. W. will begin at 10:45 a.m. and run until noon. Mayor Olivia Chow is expected to speak during the event.
Those unable to attend in person can also watch the Old City Hall ceremony online through the city’s YouTube channel and Remembrance Day webpage beginning at 10:55 a.m.
Other City of Toronto ceremonies will take place at the following locations across the city, all beginning at 10:45 a.m.:
- East York: East York Civic Centre Memorial Gardens, 850 Coxwell Ave.
- Etobicoke: Etobicoke Civic Centre Cenotaph, 399 The West Mall.
- Fort York: Fort York National Historic Site – Garrison Common, 100 Garrison Rd.
- North York: North York Cenotaph at York Cemetery, 160 Beecroft Rd.
- Scarborough: Scarborough War Memorial, 2190 Kingston Rd.
- York: York Civic Centre Cenotaph, 2700 Eglinton Ave. W.
- Downtown Toronto: Queen’s Park, outside the Ontario Legislative Building, 111 Wellesley St. W.
Additionally, the annual sunrise service at Prospect Cemetery, located at 1450 St. Clair Ave. W., is scheduled for 8 a.m.
The University of Toronto will also hold a Service of Remembrance at Soldiers’ Tower at 10:30 a.m., while the Toronto Zoo will host a ceremony at 10:55 a.m. at its Waterside Theatre.
This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Legion, which supports veterans and their families.
For more information about Toronto’s Remembrance Day ceremonies, go through the city’s official website.
What’s open and closed on Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day is not a statutory holiday in the province of Ontario, which means schools, regular retail stores, shopping malls, and grocery stores will remain open.
However, specific federal and financial services will be closed.
Across the province, Beer Store and LCBO locations will be closed until noon.
Meanwhile, Canada Post will not be collecting or delivering mail, and major banks will be closed for in-person services. Federal government services, such as Service Ontario, Service Canada, etc., will also be closed.
However, ATMs will be open on Wednesday, as will schools, malls, retail locations, and grocery stores.
Transit
All Transit in Toronto will pause service for two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, out of respect.
According to the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), during the two-minute pause, subway trains will be held at station platforms, while buses and streetcars will stop at regular stops and Wheel-Trans vehicles will stop at safe locations.
Veterans, Canadian Armed Forces members, one companion, and immediate family members of deceased veterans can travel for free on all GO Transit and UP Express trains and buses on Remembrance Day.
Road closures
Those planning to attend the downtown ceremonies should also note several road closures expected to affect the area.
Road closures are expected to begin at around 10 a.m. near Old City Hall.
- Queen St. W. between York St. and Bay St.
- Bay St. between Dundas St.W. and Richmond St. W.
Roads around Queen’s Park will also be closed, including:
- Wellesley St, W., between Queen’s Park Cres. E. and Queen’s Park Cres.W.
Drivers are asked to find alternative routes.
