The Stars and Stripes are coming down in Mississauga as the city joins a growing wave of Canadian municipalities ditching American flags in response to a bruising trade war and President Donald Trump’s annexation rhetoric. Mayor Carolyn Parrish announced Saturday via X that U.S. flags are being removed from spots along Lake Ontario and local sports arenas “at the request of many” residents.
In their place, oversized Canadian flags have been ordered to fly high on all poles at city hall, signaling a shift in sentiment. Parrish noted that the U.S. flags, once a friendly nod to American boaters docking at Port Credit during summer months, no longer feel fitting. “They were there to welcome our former good neighbors,” she wrote, lamenting how “one man and his enablers” have upended a once-thriving cross-border bond, unsettling markets and businesses on both sides.
The move echoes actions elsewhere in Ontario. Earlier this month, Barrie’s mayor ordered American flags stripped from municipal buildings, including arenas, while West Lincoln Township council voted in February to follow suit. As Trump’s tariff threats and provocative annexation talk fuel tensions, Mississauga’s flag swap underscores a broader backlash against a fraying Canada-U.S. relationship.