Remembrance Day falls on November 11 every year, marking the armistice that ended the fighting in the First World War at 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918. In 2026 it lands on a Wednesday, a working day for most people, which is why nearly every ceremony in Toronto and around the province is held in the morning and finished before noon.
Almost all of them are free, outdoors and open to the public. No ticket, invitation or registration is needed. You simply show up, find a place to stand, and take part in a short service that has changed very little in a century.
When to go: timing your arrival
- Be in place by 10:45 a.m. City of Toronto ceremonies ask attendees to arrive by 10:45 a.m. so everyone is settled when the service opens. If you want to stand close to the cenotaph, aim for much earlier.
- One ceremony starts earlier. At Fort York National Historic Site, the City asks people to arrive by 10:40 a.m.
- The two minutes of silence fall at 11 a.m. sharp, so arriving at 11:02 means missing the central moment of the service.
- Allow 45 to 60 minutes in total. The order of service is consistent: the Act of Remembrance, the Last Post, two minutes of silence, the Lament, the Rouse, then the wreath-laying.
- Dress for standing in the cold. These services are held outdoors in November. A warm coat, gloves and footwear for wet grass or frost are worth more than an umbrella, which is hard to manage during a moment of silence.
- Plan around the crowds and closures. The downtown ceremony around Queen Street West draws the largest crowd, with street closures and transit detours in the area. The subway is the simplest way in: Queen and Osgoode stations are both a short walk from Old City Hall.
Where to go in Toronto
The City of Toronto holds ceremonies in eight locations spread across the former municipalities, which means that for most residents there is a service within a short trip of home. Each is listed below with its arrival time.
1. Old City Hall Cenotaph, downtown
60 Queen St. W. Arrive by 10:45 a.m. This is the City's flagship ceremony, held at the cenotaph in front of the Romanesque Old City Hall. It is the largest service in the city, with civic leaders, wreaths from community organizations and the fullest military presence. Best choice if you want the traditional downtown experience, and the one to avoid if you prefer to stand quietly at the back.
2. East York Civic Centre, Memorial Gardens
850 Coxwell Ave. Arrive by 10:45 a.m. A smaller, neighbourhood-scale service at the Memorial Gardens beside the civic centre.
3. Etobicoke Civic Centre Cenotaph
299 The West Mall. Arrive by 10:45 a.m. The west-end gathering, held at the cenotaph on the civic centre grounds.
4. York Cemetery Cenotaph, North York
160 Beecroft Rd. Arrive by 10:45 a.m. Held at a cemetery cenotaph, this service has the quiet, reflective atmosphere that comes with gathering among the graves of veterans.
5. Scarborough War Memorial
2190 Kingston Rd. Arrive by 10:45 a.m. The Scarborough service at the war memorial on Kingston Road, in the east end.
6. York Civic Centre Cenotaph
2700 Eglinton Ave. W. Arrive by 10:45 a.m. The west-central service at the former York civic centre.
7. Fort York National Historic Site
Strachan Avenue Military Burial Ground, 100 Garrison Rd. Arrive by 10:40 a.m. The earliest start on the City's list, and the most historical setting: the burial ground holds soldiers from the War of 1812 and the site itself is the birthplace of the city.
8. Toronto Zoo, Waterside Theatre
2000 Meadowvale Rd. The theatre opens at 9:45 a.m. and closes at 10:45 a.m., or earlier once it is full. This is an indoor service and the easiest of the group for young children or anyone who finds standing outdoors difficult. Zoo admission applies, so check the Zoo's Remembrance Day details before you go.
The provincial service at Queen's Park
Separate from the City's ceremonies, the Province of Ontario holds a service in front of the Ontario Legislative Building at 111 Wellesley St. W., beginning at 10:45 a.m. It includes remarks, wreath-laying and moments of reflection, and it is a good option if you are already downtown and want a second, quieter service within walking distance of Old City Hall.
Which one should you pick? For the full civic ceremony, Old City Hall. For something closer to home and easier to leave, whichever of the six district cenotaphs is nearest. For history, Fort York. For family or accessibility, the Zoo.
Elsewhere in Ontario
The largest ceremony in the country is in Ottawa, and it is worth the trip if you want to see the national service once. The Royal Canadian Legion's National Remembrance Day Ceremony is held at the National War Memorial at the corner of Wellington and Elgin streets, beginning at about 10:30 a.m. and building to two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. It includes a 21-gun salute, a flypast, the Silver Cross Mother laying a wreath on behalf of all bereaved families, and a march-past of veterans. Tens of thousands of people attend, so arrive early and expect closed streets across the downtown core.
Around the Greater Toronto Area, Mississauga, Brampton, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Oakville and Burlington each hold their own cenotaph service on the morning of November 11. Times are set by each municipality and posted on city websites in the first week of November.
Further afield, these are among the well-known services across the province:
- Hamilton - the main service takes place at the Veterans' Place cenotaph in Gore Park downtown, with a second West Hamilton service at the St. George's Church cenotaph from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
- London - the cenotaph in Victoria Park, the city's long-standing downtown gathering place.
- Kitchener - the cenotaph on Duke Street, with the service beginning at 10:45 a.m.
- Barrie - Memorial Square in the downtown, at the cenotaph.
- Windsor - the downtown cenotaph at City Hall Square.
- Thunder Bay - the cenotaph in Waverley Park.
In smaller towns and cities, the local Royal Canadian Legion branch typically organizes the service at the community cenotaph, often followed by a gathering at the branch. The Legion publishes a ceremony locator by community each November, which is the fastest way to confirm the time and place in a town you do not know.
If you cannot attend in person
- Stop at 11 a.m. The two minutes of silence are the point of the day. You can observe them at work, at school, on transit or at home.
- Wear a poppy. Poppies are distributed by Legion branches and volunteers from the last Friday in October until November 11, with donations going to veterans' programs. Traditionally the poppy is pinned on the left side, over the heart, and removed after the service on November 11.
- Visit a cenotaph later. Every cenotaph listed above remains in place year-round, and many people lay a poppy or a small stone in the afternoon rather than standing through a morning service.
- Watch or listen. Local television and radio outlets carry the Toronto and Ottawa services live, and the national ceremony is broadcast and streamed each year.
Why the poppy
The poppy comes from the poem In Flanders Fields, written in 1915 by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, a physician from Guelph who served in the First World War. Its opening image of poppies growing between the graves led to the flower being adopted as the symbol of remembrance in Canada and across the Commonwealth. The poem is still read at services in Ontario every November 11.
Source: City of Toronto (Toronto Remembers), Government of Ontario, Royal Canadian Legion. Ceremony details are set by the organizing municipality or branch and can change, so confirm the time and location before you travel.
