The Montréal coat of arms was adopted in 1833 by the city councillors of the time. It was modified 105 years later and that version remains in use today. In fact, this crest was the only city emblem until 1981 when a stylized logo was developed. Both the coat of arms and logo now represent Montréal, although traditionally, the crest is reserved for special uses.
“Argent, a cross gules, quartered of the first a fleur de lys azure; of the second a rose gules, stemmed, foliated and pointed vert; of the third a thistle of the same, flory purple; of the fourth, a trefoil of vert. Timbré a beaver couchant on a branch natural. The shield surrounded by a spray of maple leaves vert.”
Form of shield — Following the example of the province, Montréal, whose history and beginnings are identical to it, has adopted the French form of shield.
The field — The field is silver to recall the old coat of arms which was created by the first mayor of Montréal, Jacques Viger.
Heraldic cross — The heraldic cross is emblematic of the Christian motives and principles which governed the founders of the city.
National emblems — The field is quartered to contain four floral designs each of which represents the ethnic origin of the Montréal population in the 19th century.
These emblems are:
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The fleur de lys, of the Royal House of Bourbon. This is shown in the first quarter of the shield and represents the French settlers who were the first to claim the island of Montréal
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The Lancastrian rose which occupies the second quarter. It stands for the English component of the city's population.
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The thistle, which is shown in the third quarter, represents those of Scottish descent.
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In the fourth quarter is the Irish shamrock, likewise indicative of the fact that many of Montréal's early settlers and their descendants are of Irish blood.
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The device on the scroll — The motto "CONCORDIA SALUS," salvation through harmony, is inscribed on the scroll below the crest. This arrangement is also the same as on the arms of the province of Québec arms.
The maple leaves — Montréal's coat of arms, like that of Québec, is surrounded by a wreath of maple leaves. They are the leaves of the sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and they symbolize the amicable relations between the various elements of the city's population.
The beaver — Mounted over the shield is a beaver representing the industriousness of Montrealers who have worked to develop our city.
