B.C. honours Queen Elizabeth II with commemoration ceremony in Victoria

B.C. is honouring the late Queen Elizabeth II with its own ceremonies in Victoria.

A ceremonial procession left the legislature just after 10 a.m. Monday, led by the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy and a 100-member Royal Guard of Honour amid a 21-gun salute.

The 1.37-kilometre path took the dozens of people taking part, including Premier John Horgan and Lieutenant Governor Janet Austin, all the way to Christ Church Cathedral, where a commemorative service led by the Very Reverend M. Ansley Tucker was held.

The church was packed with people wanting to remember the Queen, who visited the building twice during her reign.

“Just as B.C. holds her in a special place, the Queen did so with us as well,” Horgan said of the Queen’s commitment to service.

“Thousands watched the Queen as she was presented with a Cowichan sweater from here on Vancouver Island. In Victoria, the Queen was greeted by the Snowbirds in the sky and corgis lining Rockland Avenue as she made her way to this very cathedral,” the premier added of the Queen’s connection to his province.

Ceremonial procession leaves the Legislature and heads to Christ Church Cathedral. Premier John Horgan, Lieutenant Governor of BC Janet Austin, and ministers taking part. @CityNewsVAN pic.twitter.com/OpW5hWcQbu

— Monika Gul (@MonikaGul) September 19, 2022

The procession in Victoria drew a large crowd. Streets in the B.C. capital were lined with people Monday morning, with many gathering to pay tribute to the late monarch, who was laid to rest in London the same day.

“We’re visiting, we’re only here for four days and, of course, we didn’t know about this until we were speaking to someone yesterday. So we got up slightly earlier and came down to see the spectacle,” one person in Victoria told CityNews.

“I’m 99 per cent British and one per cent Swedish. It’s an important part of our family and we have family who were at the service [in London],” said another attendee.

“It was a chance to sort of join with others and say goodbye and mark the moment,” said a third person.

At 10 a.m., the Netherlands Centennial Carillon chimed 96 times — once for each year of the Queen’s life.

The premier announced last week that all provincial public-sector employers would have Sept. 19, off, following in the lead of the federal government, which declared Monday a national day of mourning to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.

As such, most Crown corporations are closed Monday, as are K-12 public schools and public post-secondary institutions. All other companies and employers were encouraged to “find a way to recognize or reflect on the day in a way that is appropriate for their employees.”

The service in Victoria came as a national ceremony was held in Ottawa.