Plaques and markers make Ontario's history come alive by telling the story where it happened. By marrying history with geography, plaques enrich Ontarians' sense of place. They also introduce newcomers and visitors to the unique character of each region of the province.

The range of subjects commemorated is impressive – from mining rushes to the invention of the socket head screw … from the typhus epidemic of 1847 to the discovery of insulin … from the oldest wooden lighthouse on the Canadian shore of Lake Erie to the Knesseth Israel Synagogue in Toronto ... from the Icelandic settlement in Kinmount to the Japanese-Canadian road camps … from Underground Railroad conductor Harriet Ross Tubman to War of 1812 heroine Laura Ingersoll Secord. Popular culture is also well represented – "Jumbo" marks the spot where a beloved circus elephant died; "Beautiful Joe" commemorates an internationally successful novel about a dog; Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae is celebrated for his famous poem "In Flanders Field."

In 1956, the Archaeological and Historic Sites Board of Ontario began erecting plaques to stimulate public awareness of, and pride in, Ontario's past. In 1974, the Sites Board was incorporated into the Ontario Heritage Foundation. The Foundation (which became the Ontario Heritage Trust in 2005) assumed responsibility for the Provincial Plaque Program, working in partnership with heritage-minded individuals, community groups, non-profit organizations, municipalities and corporations throughout the province.

Over the years, the variety of subjects commemorated by plaques has increased. Early plaques concentrated on the founding of communities and the province's political and economic heritage. Today, they cover a much broader range of subjects, including science, nature and culture.

The Provincial Plaque Program also identifies important heritage subjects that received little attention in the past – the contributions of women, First Nations, Franco-Ontarians and other cultural groups in shaping our society. Since 1982, the Trust has provided both French and English text for all new and replacement plaques. But plaques may also be created in additional languages (e.g. Mandarin, Mohawk, Braille, Gaelic, etc.).

• How to apply for a provincial plaque
• How to apply for a local marker