Remembrance Day in the Lower Mainland: Ceremonies and the Homes Built for Veterans

Today, Wednesday, November 11, 2026, is Remembrance Day. This post covers what the day marks, where ceremonies are being held across the Lower Mainland this morning, the poppy campaign, and the homes built for war workers and veterans that shaped several local neighbourhoods, with practical notes for anyone buying or selling around the holiday.

The short version

What the day marks

Remembrance Day marks the armistice that ended the First World War, which took effect at 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918. First observed in 1919 as Armistice Day, it honours the more than 2.3 million Canadians who have served in war, conflict and peace, Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) says. National Defence notes that a bill from A.W. Neill, an independent MP from British Columbia, fixed the day on November 11 in 1931.

The two minutes of silence go back to 1919, when King George V asked that normal activity stop "for the brief space of two minutes" at the hour of the armistice. BC lists Remembrance Day among its statutory holidays. National Indigenous Veterans Day comes first, on November 8.

Where to attend this morning

These times come from city and organizer pages I checked in November 2026. Plans can change, so check before you go.

• Coquitlam. The City's page says Legion Branch 263's parade leaves Como Lake Middle School at about 10:25 a.m. for the Blue Mountain Park cenotaph, with the ceremony at about 11 a.m.
• Port Coquitlam. Legion Branch 133's parade starts at 10:10 a.m. on Shaughnessy Street and ends with wreath-laying at the Veterans Park cenotaph.
• New Westminster. The service at the City Hall cenotaph, 511 Royal Avenue, starts at 10:25 a.m. and is livestreamed.
• Surrey. Six ceremonies, including Veterans Square in Cloverdale and the Whalley and Crescent Legions, where services start at 10:25 a.m.
• Langley City. Douglas Park Cenotaph, from 10:50 a.m.
• Maple Ridge. The City's page lists a 10:30 a.m. parade to the Memorial Peace Park cenotaph and the ceremony at 11 a.m.
• Richmond. The ceremony at the City Hall cenotaph starts at 10:40 a.m., after a 10:20 a.m. parade.
• Stanley Park. The Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre's ceremony at the Japanese Canadian War Memorial starts at 10:30 a.m. and is livestreamed.

The Legion's BC/Yukon Command calls the Victory Square ceremony Vancouver's oldest continuing annual ceremony, but I couldn't confirm this year's times on an official page. For Victory Square, Burnaby, Port Moody, White Rock and the Township of Langley, check your city's website, your local Royal Canadian Legion branch or the Legion's online ceremony locator.

On TransLink, veterans, active Canadian Armed Forces members and several other groups ride free with ID or in uniform: all day on buses and HandyDART, and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on SkyTrain and SeaBus. Sunday and holiday schedules apply, with no West Coast Express.

The poppy campaign

The Royal Canadian Legion's poppy campaign runs from the last Friday of October to November 11. Lapel poppies are free. Donations go to Poppy Trust Funds, which the Legion holds in trust for veterans and their families and uses for needs such as food, heating, prescriptions, home repairs, housing and care.

The Legion's guidance on wearing one:

• Where. On the left side, over the heart, without a pin that covers it.
• When. From the last Friday in October until November 11. Some people remove it at the end of the day; others place it on the cenotaph or a wreath after the ceremony.
• Afterwards. Store it or dispose of it respectfully.

The poppy has been Canada's national symbol of remembrance since 1921, and the Legion protects it with a trademark so that it isn't used commercially.

Homes built for war workers and veterans

In 1941, the federal government created Wartime Housing Limited, a Crown corporation, to house workers moving to wartime industries. In 1946, Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation, now the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), was established to house returning veterans. The 1942 Veterans' Land Act helped veterans buy land for homes or businesses, VAC says.

• Burkeville, Richmond. The Richmond Museum says these 328 Sea Island houses were completed in 1944 for Boeing aircraft plant workers and their families, and named after Boeing Aircraft's president, Stanley Burke. See my Richmond guide.
• Renfrew Heights, Vancouver. The City of Vancouver says CMHC built 600 rental homes here for veterans in 1948. With so many babies, it was nicknamed Diaper Hill.
• Fraserview, Vancouver. The City says Victoria-Fraserview and neighbouring Sunset gained 1,100 homes for returning veterans from the 1940s into the 1950s. See my guide to East Vancouver neighbourhoods.
• Willingdon Heights, Burnaby. A 1948 brochure quoted by Heritage Burnaby describes this 500-home development, planned by CMHC, as a community for former members of the armed services and their families. See my North Burnaby guide.
• North Vancouver. Wartime Housing built 687 rental houses for shipyard workers and their families, without basements to make removal easier after the war. About 100 survive, the Museum and Archives of North Vancouver says.

Buying one of these homes today

Most of these houses are now 70 to 85 years old, and many have been renovated or replaced. If one is on your list:

• Expect a small original house. One North Vancouver wartime plan was a two-bedroom, 20-by-24-foot house. Ask what was added later and whether permits were issued.
• Check heritage status. Age alone doesn't protect a house, but a city can list it on a heritage register or designate it; the City of Coquitlam explains that a designated property can't be altered, moved or subdivided without a heritage alteration permit. See Heritage Homes in Metro Vancouver.
• Inspect with its age in mind. Ask about the wiring, plumbing, foundation, drainage, insulation and any old oil tank, and see Buying an Older Home in BC.

Buying or selling around November 11

• The Land Title Office is closed. LTSA's offices and phone support are closed on Remembrance Day, though its online services stay available.
• Banks treat it as a holiday. It is a legal holiday under the federal Bills of Exchange Act, and banks' 2026 holiday schedules list it, so payments set for today generally go through on the next business day.
• Keep completion off a holiday. The standard BC contract's information page recommends the buyer deposit the money and signed documents at least two days before completion, and notes that lenders generally won't fund new mortgages on weekends. If a signed contract names a holiday, ask your lawyer or notary about an amendment, which BCREA notes must be in writing and signed by all parties. See From Offer to Keys.
• Plan for December. LTSA's offices also close on Friday, December 25 and Monday, December 28.
• Allow for road closures. Streets near cenotaphs close this morning, such as from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. around New Westminster City Hall, so plan showings and moves around them.

Other ways to support veterans

• Know where help is. The VAC Assistance Service is free, confidential and available 24/7 to veterans, former RCMP members, their families and caregivers at 1-800-268-7708.
• Point people to the Legion. Its services for veterans and their families are free, even for non-members, and its Leave the Streets Behind program gives immediate financial help to veterans who need help finding or keeping a home.
• Remember all year. Visit a local cenotaph, or check in on a veteran neighbour.

Questions readers often ask me

Is Remembrance Day a statutory holiday in BC?

Yes. The BC government lists it as a statutory holiday, on Wednesday, November 11 in 2026. Employees who qualify are paid for the day; the province's website has questions to help you check.

What time is the two minutes of silence?

At 11 a.m. local time on November 11, the hour the fighting stopped in 1918. If you can't get to a ceremony, you can pause wherever you are. TransLink observes a system-wide moment of silence at the same time.

What can poppy donations be used for?

Only purposes the Legion sets out for its Poppy Trust Funds, and their use is strictly controlled. Examples include emergency shelter, prescription medication, accessibility modifications, veteran drop-in centres and the work of the Legion's service officers.

Can a home sale complete on Remembrance Day?

It's best not to plan one. LTSA's offices are closed, banks generally don't process payments that day, and lawyers and notaries need funds and signed documents beforehand. If your contract names a holiday, ask about amending it in writing.

How can I find out if my house was built for veterans?

Start with your city's archives and heritage pages. Archivists use assessment cards, tax rolls, census records and old BC directories; Coquitlam's archives note that build dates on assessment cards are often inaccurate, so they cross-check.

If an older home is on your list, read what a home inspector checks and how to read a title search.

This article is general information, not legal or professional advice. The details come from Veterans Affairs Canada, National Defence, the Royal Canadian Legion, the BC government, TransLink, the LTSA, CMHC, BCREA, city, museum and archive websites, and banks' holiday schedules, and were current at the time of writing; ceremony plans can change. For background on the day, see Veterans Affairs Canada's Remembrance Day quick facts.