Flag Protocol

UBC’s Okanagan campus has four flags in the main courtyard: Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Nation Alliance and The University of British Columbia. The Protocol, Ceremonies and Events team is responsible for the protocol around the use of and (when required) the lowering of flags.

Questions? Contact Protocol, Ceremonies and Events if you have questions regarding flag protocol. If you wish to borrow flags for your campus event, see Event Planning Resources.

Protocol and Lowering

For the rules for flying the Canadian Flag, visit the Canadian Heritage site. The rules for flying other flags at UBC are based on this same etiquette.

Flags at UBC Okanagan may be lowered for:

  • alignment with Canadian Heritage protocol
  • alignment with university protocol
  • the passing of a member of the campus community (in accordance with the family’s wishes)

Flags at UBC Okanagan may be replaced for:

  • days of significance (e.g. Pride week)

Flag Notifications

David McLean, O.B.C., LL.D.

The Canada, BC, Okanagan Nation Alliance and UBC Flags at UBC Okanagan and the BC, Musqueam and UBC flags on the UBC Vancouver Campus (temporarily relocated to the East Mall Entrance and Plaza at the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre) will be lowered on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in remembrance. Dr. David McLean, O.B.C., LL.D., passed away on January […]

J. Peter Meekison, O.C., LL.D.

Flags at UBC Okanagan will be lowered on Friday, February 7, 2025, in memory of Dr. J. Peter Meekison, O.C., LL.D., who passed away on January 20, 2025, in Victoria, BC. Dr. Meekison received an honorary degree from the Okanagan campus in 2009. Our sincere condolences to Dr. Meekison’s family, friends and colleagues. Please read […]

Caleb Dornian

Flags at UBC Okanagan will be lowered on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, in memory of Caleb Dornian a second-year Bachelor of Applied Science student in the electrical engineering program, who passed away on January 17, 2025, in Kelowna. Our sincere condolences to Caleb’s family, friends and colleagues.

See past flag notifications

Okanagan Nation Alliance flag

Musqueam and Okanagan Nation Alliance Flags

Each campus of UBC sits on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of its host nation: Musqueam in Vancouver, and the Syilx Okanagan Nation in the Okanagan.

On Sept. 27, 2018, the Okanagan campus raised the Okanagan Nation Alliance flag for the first time on its permanent pole in the courtyard. And in Vancouver, the Musqueam flag was raised on its permanent pole on February 25, 2019.

The flags formally signify UBC’s recognition of Indigenous peoples in whose lands the university resides, and add to a growing visible Indigenous presence on both campuses that includes bilingual signs providing alternate street names in hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and nsyilxcn Indigenous languages.

Each campus has marked National Indigenous Peoples Day by temporarily raising the flag of its host First Nation in place of the university’s flag.