The history of the area that was to become Vanier dates back to the final decade of the eighteenth century. The township of Gloucester, in which the territory of the future community of Vanier was located, was surveyed for the first time in 1792, and eight years later, in 1800, the county of Carleton was created. Settlement was a slow and difficult process throughout the early 1800s, but gradually wetlands were drained, woodlands were cleared for cultivation, and vast areas were settled by many new homesteaders, including Loyalists who had arrived from the United States. The construction of the Rideau canal had begun in 1826, and had been completed in 1832, and this major project had been a key factor in the development of the entire region.
The first pioneers who settled in the Vanier area arrived in the 1820s and 1830s, and among them were members of the McArthur, Sparks, Clarke and Cummings families. The latter bought an island in the Rideau river, built a general store on it, and in 1836 erected a first crude wooden bridge so as to link the future territory of Vanier to Bytown. A village was established in the vicinity of this general store in 1873. It was named Janeville, and although it eventually prospered, it did so quite slowly, as it had to compete with the city of Ottawa. Other small communities were formed, including Clandeboye, east of Janeville, and the small French Canadian village of Clarkstown, located between Montreal Road and Beechwood Avenue, closer to Ottawa’s Lower Town.
There were a number of discussions, during the early 1900s, about the future prospects of all these small dispersed communities. Some people felt that they would inevitably be absorbed by the federal capital, and the sooner the better. But others were of the opinion that they should keep their specific identities and remain independent of Ottawa. In spite of many concerned voices, it was decided in 1908 that the villages of Janeville, Clarkstown and Clandeboye would be joined together, and the new village of Eastview was thus established on the first day of January, 1909.
In 1913, Eastview was incorporated as a town. By this time, it had reached a population of 3,169 inhabitants. In 1963, Eastview broke away from Carleton County, and officially became an independent city. As a small municipality, it was nevertheless forced to become part of the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton, created in 1968 by the provincial government.
In 1969, in view of the Francophone majority which accounted for nearly two thirds of the area’s population, Eastview was renamed Vanier, after Georges-Philéas Vanier, who was Canada’s first French Canadian Governor General. Completely surrounded by the city of Ottawa and, to the north, by the village of Rockcliffe Park, Vanier had in those days a population of some 20,000 inhabitants. However, it occupied a territory of only 2.7 square kilometres, making it one of the most densely populated communities in Canada. In 2001, Vanier was amalgamated with the City of Ottawa, thereby becoming one of Ottawa’s neighbourhoods, but a neighbourhood which maintained a distinct identity and character thanks to the vitality of the many French Canadians who live there.
Several important events in the history of Ontario’s French-speaking population took place in Vanier. It was here, in 1926, that a secret society called Ordre de Jacques-Cartier was established to promote the interests of French Canadians throughout the country. The first bilingual public high school, named Eastview High School, was founded in 1949. When this school was renamed André-Laurendeau in 1969, it became Ontario’s first totally French-speaking public high school. Moreover, Ontario’s only French-speaking hospital, named Montfort Hospital, was established in 1953 as a result of the relentless efforts of the municipality of Eastview and the order of the Daughters of Wisdom. To this day, Vanier remains a stronghold of the province’s French-speaking population within the City of Ottawa.
The coat of arms of Vanier was created in 1909, the year of the foundation of Eastview, the former name of Vanier. The motto Labore et Honore, work and honour, emphasizes the active and persevering presence of the Vanier population on a first-rate territory with a great promising future.
The central section of the coat of arms, called the shield, consists essentially of three parts: at the upper display area, the sunrise on the East side between two hills represents the geographical location of the City; in the bottom left hand corner, a school refers to the importance of knowledge, and, at the bottom right hand corner, a silver feather and a black hammer represent the multiplicity of skills of the Vanier population.
At the upper display area of the arms, the wreath of interlaced maple leaves represents the harmonious and dynamic life of Francophones, Anglophones and people who came throughout decades from all over the world.
Vanier’s flag embodies the pride of its citizens. Like any distinctive symbol, the flag of Vanier bears the emblems and colours of the population it represents.
The sky blue represents the noble character of the Vanier residents.
The two silver lines symbolize the rays of the sun at dawn, therefore reminding us of the “Eastern” geographical location of the territory. They also remind us of the bicultural and bilingual origins of the city.