The Centennial Flame is a gas flame burning above a fountain on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, just inside the main gates and in front of the Peace Tower. It was lit as 1966 turned into 1967 to mark 100 years of Canadian Confederation, and around it are the bronze shields of Canada's 13 provinces and territories. The coins visitors throw into the water are collected to fund a research award for people with disabilities.
The Centennial Flame at a glance
- Where: on Parliament Hill, just inside the Queen's Gate on Wellington Street, in front of the Peace Tower and Centre Block.
- Created: first lit by Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson at midnight on 31 December 1966, at the start of Canada's centennial year.
- What it is today: a national monument to Canadian unity, rebuilt in 2017 to add Nunavut, and maintained by Public Services and Procurement Canada.
- Time needed: 10 minutes, as part of a longer visit to Parliament Hill.
A temporary flame that stayed
Canada's centennial in 1967 was celebrated all over the country, from new arts centres to a reconstructed Battle of the Thames. On Parliament Hill, the climax of the celebrations was the lighting of a flame on the stroke of the new year, watched by Prime Minister Pearson, the opposition leader John Diefenbaker and thousands of people in the cold. The monument was meant to be temporary, but it proved so popular that it was made permanent.
The original fountain had 12 sides, one for each province and territory of the time. When Nunavut was created in 1999, it had no place on the monument. To mark Canada's 150th anniversary, the flame was taken apart in the autumn of 2017 and rebuilt with a 13th side for Nunavut, and the flame was relit on 13 December 2017. In 2021 it switched from natural gas to carbon-neutral biogas. Despite appearances, it is not an eternal flame: it is turned off for maintenance and has occasionally been put out for security reasons.
What to look for
- The flame itself, burning above the water in the centre of the fountain all year round.
- The 13 bronze shields of the provinces and territories around the rim, each paired with its floral emblem.
- The year each province or territory joined Canada, carved into the granite in front of its shield.
- Nunavut's shield, the newest, added in 2017 and set apart by its round shape.
- The coins glinting at the bottom of the fountain, thrown in by visitors for luck.
Coins for a good cause
Throwing a coin into the fountain is a Parliament Hill habit, and the money does not go to waste. Maintenance staff collect, wash, dry and sort it, and it is paid into a government account that funds the Centennial Flame Research Award, created in 2005. Each year it allows a person with a disability to research the contributions of Canadians with disabilities to public life or to the work of Parliament. Another detail: because the fire burns above the water, the fountain does not freeze, even in the depths of an Ottawa winter.
Tips for your visit
- Centre Block is closed for a major rehabilitation that will last several more years, and parts of the Hill are fenced off; check access before you go.
- Come in the evening, when the flame stands out against the dark sky and the Parliament buildings are lit.
- In summer, combine the visit with the Changing of the Guard on the lawn.
- Winter visits are rewarding too: the snow-covered lawn and the steaming fountain make a striking contrast.
Nearby
- National War Memorial: the granite arch with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Confederation Square, a few minutes' walk east.
- Rideau Canal locks: the flight of locks that drops the canal down to the Ottawa River, between Parliament Hill and the Château Laurier.
- Château Laurier: the castle-like railway hotel next to the canal, opened in 1912.
- Wellington Street: the street in front of the Hill, with views back to the Peace Tower and the Parliament buildings.
See Ottawa with World City Trail
Our Ottawa scavenger hunt turns the city centre into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 2 hours, with about 34 minutes of walking. The Centennial Flame is one of the stops, along with Parliament Hill and the National War Memorial.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Ottawa.
Play the Ottawa scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Ottawa →
Play the outdoor escape game in Ottawa →
Facts checked in October 2026.