Residents encouraged to connect with neighbours and celebrate Canada
The City of Orillia is launching The Great Orillia Flag Challenge, a new community initiative that invites residents to team up with those on their street and decorate their homes with as many red and white Canadian flags as possible from June 30 to July 6, 2025.
Approved by Council on March 24, 2025, the friendly neighbourhood challenge is an opportunity for residents to connect with one another, celebrate Canada Day, and show their national spirit—one flag at a time.
“Now more than ever, finding ways to connect locally and build community spirit is important,” said Mayor Don McIsaac. “This challenge is a fun and simple way to come together and get to know your neighbours. I encourage residents to plan a decorating day and team up with their street. It’s more than just competition — it’s about celebrating where we live and who we share it with.”
To take part in the challenge, a representative must register their Orillia street by emailing one of their ward Councillors directly using the contact information below. View the Orillia Ward Map for clarification on your ward Councilor.
Ward One: David Campbell (dcampbell@orillia.ca) and Whitney Smith (wsmith@orillia.ca)
Ward Two: Ralph Cipolla (rcipolla@orillia.ca) and Luke Leatherdale (lleatherdale@orillia.ca)
Ward Three: Jay Fallis (jfallis@orillia.ca) and Jeff Czetwerzuk (jczetwerzuk@orillia.ca)
Ward Four: Tim Lauer (tlauer@orillia.ca) and Janet-Lynne Durnford (jdurnford@orillia.ca)
Challenge details:
- Only red and white Canadian flags will be counted.
- Flags must be visible from the end of the driveway.
- Residents will compete as part of the street their address is located on, not as individuals.
- Apartments and multi-unit buildings are encouraged to participate (flags visible from the street or displayed on balconies will be counted. All units in the building will be included in the calculation.)
- All flags must be in place by June 30 and remain up through July 6.
- Councillors will tour their wards between June 30 and July 6 to complete the flag count. The winning street will be determined based on the number of flags divided by the number of homes on the street.
The street with the highest flag-to-home ratio will be named the Great Orillia Flag Challenge Champion! Residents are encouraged to take part by flying the flag, reaching out to neighbours, and making it a true community celebration.