Nova Scotia Flag - Black and Grey - Hi Vis

Nova Scotia

The flag of Nova Scotia is the oldest provincial flag in Canada and one of the most historically resonant. Officially adopted in 1929 but based on a design dating back to the 1620s, it features a blue saltire (diagonal cross) on a white field—the inverse of Scotland’s national flag—signifying the province’s name, which means “New Scotland.” At the center sits the royal arms of Scotland: a gold shield with a red lion rampant surrounded by a red double border decorated with fleurs-de-lis. The flag elegantly merges Scottish heritage with colonial identity, symbolizing loyalty to both the Crown and the settlers who brought their culture across the Atlantic. Its simplicity and antiquity make it one of the most timeless flags in North America—a direct link between old-world ancestry and new-world belonging.