The world bids farewell to Queen Elizabeth II at her funeral on Monday.
The longest-serving monarch in British history died on September 8 at Balmoral Castle. A state funeral will be held at Westminster Abbey for the Queen, with thousands of guests expected to attend, including Canadian dignitaries led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The Queen will be buried at Windsor Castle with her late husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
In Canada, September 19 has been designated a National Day of Mourning in honor of the monarch who was the country’s head of state for 70 years. While not a legal holiday in Ontario, Premier Doug Ford encouraged residents to reflect on the Queen’s life, specifically urging them to observe a moment of silence at 1 p.m. Monday.
Several municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area have made plans to commemorate the Queen’s funeral on Monday.
TORONTO
The city says its officers and staff will observe a moment of silence at 1 p.m. in the city hall’s Peace Garden, which was dedicated by the Queen during her 1984 visit.
In addition, starting at 1:00 p.m., the bell in the tower of the Old Town Hall will ring 96 times, once a minute.
Meanwhile, TTC vehicles and city ferries will pause for 96 seconds in honor of the Queen. Additionally, the city says its shuttles will honk their horns at the start and end of the tribute.
As part of the National Illumination Tribute Initiative, the Toronto sign at Nathan Phillips Square and Princes’ Gates at Exhibition Place have been illuminated royal blue since the Queen’s death and will continue to be illuminated in that color until September 19.
Neighbors who want to send their condolences can sign a book of condolences online or in person at the town hall and civic centers until the end of the day on September 19.
For the first time ever, all four Mirvish Theaters in Toronto (the Royal Alexandra, the Princess of Wales, the CAA Ed Mirvish and the CAA) will dim their marquee lights for the entire day on Monday, September 19 in honor of Queen The state funeral of Elizabeth II.
Digital billboards above the marquees of the Princess of Wales and CAA Ed Mirvish Theatres, which typically display images of the productions running there, will also be dedicated exclusively to displaying photos from the Queen’s life.
Both the Royal Alexandra, which opened in 1907, and the Princess of Wales, which opened in 1993, are theater royals, meaning they are named with the permission of the British royal family.
The Royal Alexandra Theater is named after Queen Alexandra, wife of King Edward II. Her husband, who was the son of Queen Victoria, ascended the throne in 1901. Before that, he was known as Prince of Wales and Alexandra was Princess of Wales.
The Princess of Wales Theater was named after the title given to the wife of the Prince of Wales, and in honor of Diana Spencer, who held the title at the time of the theatre’s opening. A framed, handwritten letter Diana wrote to Ed Mirvish to acknowledge her appointment and thank the Mirvish family is on display in the theater lobby.
MISSISSAUGA
There will be large media screens set up in Celebration Square broadcasting the Queen’s funeral from 6am
City operations, including MiWay buses, will stop for 96 seconds at 1 p.m. and observe a moment of silence. The Civic Center clock tower will also be dimmed on Monday night.
For Mississauga residents who want to send messages, a condolence book will continue to be available at the Mississauga Civic Center until 9:00 p.m. Monday.
BRAMPTON
The city is hosting a community candlelight vigil on the steps of City Hall in Ken Whillans Square at 8 p.m. Sunday.
On the day of the funeral, the city will broadcast the funeral service in Garden Square beginning at 6 am Additionally, Brampton Transit vehicles will observe a moment of silence at 1 pm for 96 seconds to pay their respects to the Queen.
Local branches of the Royal Canadian Legion will hold a service of remembrance at 10:55 a.m.
Royal Canadian Legion Branch 15 will host the ceremony at the Memorial Square Cenotaph in Ken Whillans Square, while Royal Canadian Legion Branch 609 will host the ceremony at its office in Bramalea.
Residents who wish to pay their respects are still invited to sign a book of condolences in the atrium of City Hall or online.
COLLECTION
The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 606 will hold a ceremony in the Queen’s honor the day before her funeral. The legion will lay a wreath for the monarch at the cenotaph in the courtyard of Pickering Town Hall.
The ceremony will include a parade beginning at the Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex and proceeding to the cenotaph through Esplanade Park. The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 10:45 am on Sunday.
The city says most of its facilities will be closed Monday, except for the library and the Chestnut Hill Developments recreation complex. The city adds that the main television in the lobby of the complex will broadcast the Queen’s funeral.
City Hall will remain illuminated in blue until the end of the funeral.
BURLINGTON
The City of Burlington says there will be a public viewing of the Queen’s funeral on Monday hosted by the Burlington Center for the Performing Arts. Doors will open at 5 am
Residents who come to the center are encouraged to sign a condolence book.
The city says it will observe September 19 as a unique holiday in honor of Queen Elizabeth II. City Hall and other non-essential city services will be closed on Monday. Click here for a list of affected services.
OTHER MUNICIPALITIES
• In Oakville, the city says Oakville Transit buses will pause for 96 seconds to pay tribute to the Queen. It adds that it will notify residents via its social channels about the nationwide moment of silence in Britain (approximately 3pm ET on Sunday) and the 1pm Monday moment of silence in the province for anyone who want to participate. Oakville City Hall will be lit up in royal blue until sunset on Monday in honor of the Queen.
• City of Markham staff may observe a moment of silence at 1 p.m. The city says a book of condolences is available to the public online and at the Markham Civic Center on Monday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
WHERE ELSE CAN YOU SEE
CTVNewsToronto.ca and CP24.com will have full coverage of the funeral beginning at 4 am Monday. CTV News Lead Anchor and Senior Editor Omar Sachedina will host the coverage live from London.
Sachedina will join a list of correspondents, including CP24 Breakfast host Nick Dixon.