Remembrance Day 2023: How Toronto's veterans and advocates are marking the day

As Toronto prepares to mark Remembrance Day, Richard Ratcliffe is remembering and reflecting on his time in the military.

The 95-year-old navy veteran served for about 25 years, including two tours during the Korean War. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the 1953 armistice between North and South Korea that ended the war.

Nov. 11, a day meant to commemorate military veterans and those who died in service to Canada, "brings back memories of old shipmates that I had during that service," Ratcliffe told CBC Toronto.

"I think, you know, we knew we were doing the right thing while we were out there," he said. "We had a great feeling that we were doing it for the United Nations."

In Toronto, Remembrance Day will be marked with ceremonies at war memorials and cenotaphs all over the city — including Old City Hall, where the ceremony begins at 10:45 a.m. The Toronto sign at Nathan Phillips Square will be lit red to mark the day and, where possible, TTC vehicles will pause service for two minutes at 11 a.m.

For many, this year's commemorations have added significance due to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. 

"It's a very challenging time for everybody," said Nick Booth, CEO of True Patriot Love Foundation, a non-profit that supports Canadian veterans, active military members, and their families. 

"On the ground in both Ukraine and in Israel and in other parts of the world, Canadian men and women are deployed right now protecting our democracy, supporting Canadian interests around the world, supporting our allies."

For Booth, this year's Remembrance Day is as much about acknowledging those involved in active conflicts as it is about remembering the past.

Across the Greater Toronto Area, veterans and advocacy groups are planning to observe the occasion in a variety of ways. 

On Friday, the Sunnybrook Veterans Centre will hold its annual Operation Raise a Flag fundraiser, in which thousands of small Canadian flags are planted outside the centre to show appreciation for its residents.  

The day is very emotional, said Dr. Jocelyn Charles, chief of the veterans program at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

"I'll never forget the first year, 12 years ago, because the community came and planted over 30,000 flags," she said. "Every year it's the same. Every year [the veterans] look out and they realize that their service is remembered by Canadians today." 

Donations made to Operation Raise a Flag are used to provide cognitive, physical, mental health, and stroke care to veterans at the centre.