Vancouver new flag designs: the re‑branding of “the Couve”

Vancouver, Washington is having an identity moment. For decades our city has quietly flown a flag that looked like a mid‑’90s graphic design assignment: a white bird soaring over mountains and a river under the words “Vancouver U.S.A.” with the cheery motto “a colorful past – a bright future.”  The flag was adopted in 1993 and was meant to announce Vancouver’s arrival as a “world‑class city.” Yet when vexillologist Ted Kaye, the Portland flag nerd who literally wrote the book Good Flag, Bad Flag, looked at it, he politely called it “far from world‑class”. He pointed out that if you have to write your city’s name on your flag so people know what it represents, then you’ve missed the point.

Why change the flag now?

Councilmember Ty Stober explains that the new flag project is part of a broader re‑branding effort to give Vancouver a distinct identity. Vancouver is no longer just Portland’s suburban cousin; we’re a rapidly growing urban city. Residents and newcomers have been asking for a new flag for years. As Stober put it, “now is the right time to be creating symbols that truly define who we are”.

The design process

The city launched a competition earlier this year and received 138 public submissions. A committee of seven volunteers reviewed every entry using Kaye’s five principles of flag design: simplicity, meaningful symbolism, no more than three colors, no lettering or seals, and distinctiveness. After consulting with the North American Vexillological Association and even combining elements from multiple entries, the committee selected six finalists. These dark green, dark blue and white designs incorporate forests, rivers, Fort Vancouver’s blockhouse and the meandering Columbia River.

On Oct 4, the city hoisted all six designs at City Hall so residents could see how they fly in the wind. Residents had until Oct 10 to provide feedback through a survey, and the committee will choose the winning design by the end of October with council adoption expected in November. The goal isn’t just to pick a pretty flag, it’s to choose a symbol everyone can feel proud of.

What makes a good flag?

Kaye’s book Good Flag, Bad Flag lays out clear guidelines: keep it simple enough that a child can draw it from memory, use meaningful symbols, choose only a couple of colors, avoid words, and make sure it’s distinct. Vancouver’s current flag breaks almost every rule: it uses five colors, writes the city’s name across the top and crams in a bird, mountains, a sun and a river. The new finalists, on the other hand, all use simple shapes and negative space to evoke the Columbia River and our evergreen surroundings.

While some locals worry that changing the flag erases history or wastes money, Kaye argues that a well‑designed flag is an investment. It creates civic pride and signals to the world that Vancouver is confident and forward‑looking. Whether you’re selling a house or selling a city, branding matters.

Community engagement

The contest has sparked a wave of civic engagement. Many residents admit they didn’t even realize Vancouver had a flag, so the process has been as much about education as it is about design. As Stober notes, the new flag will have more ownership because the community helped create it. That’s exactly what good branding does, it gives people a stake in the story.

Above: Vancouver’s current flag adopted in 1993. Ted Kaye calls it “disappointing” because it uses too many colors, includes text and symbols that are not distinct.

The finalists at a glance

The six Vancouver new flag designs fall into three general themes:

1. Fort Vancouver & Arrowhead – Several flags feature a stylized blockhouse or an arrowhead pointing upwards. These designs nod to the city’s origins as a fur‑trading outpost and its future trajectory. The V‑shaped chevron also forms an abstract “V” for Vancouver.

2. River curves – Some finalists use sweeping curves to represent the Columbia River and Vancouver’s waterfront transformation. Thin white lines act like roads or pathways, symbolizing connectivity.

3. Minimalist geometry – A few proposals reduce the idea of Vancouver to simple shapes and two colors, giving the flag a modern, timeless look. These follow Kaye’s guidance that a flag should be easily recognized from afar.

Regardless of which design wins, the Vancouver new flag designs share a common palette of dark green, blue and white, colors that reflect our forests, rivers and fresh identity. The committee may still tweak the winning design to ensure it flies well and meets accessibility standards.

Why this matters for “the Couve”

As someone who helps people plant roots here, I care about how Vancouver presents itself. A clear, cohesive brand makes it easier to tell our story to new residents and businesses. When I show homes to clients relocating from Portland or Seattle, I get asked about quality of life, community pride and what makes us unique. A memorable flag might seem trivial, but it signals that we take our identity seriously.

There’s also a practical lesson for homeowners: simplicity sells. When you prepare your house for market, decluttering and highlighting a few strong features makes a stronger impression than cramming every detail into one space. The same goes for flags. The Vancouver new flag designs show that less really is more.

What’s next?

The council will vote on the final flag in November, so stay tuned. In the meantime, take a moment to look at the finalists and share your thoughts. This is your city, your story and your chance to help shape a symbol that will fly over “the Couv” for decades. Whether you love the arrowhead, the wavy river or the minimalist stripes, the Vancouver new flag designs remind us that we are not just a suburb, we are a city with our own voice and vision.

Got questions about Vancouver’s neighborhoods or how this branding refresh could affect property values? Drop me a line. I’m always up for chatting about real estate, flags or the best place to grab a bite after a hike.