How the GTA is observing Queen Elizabeth II's funeral Monday

The world is saying goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II at her funeral on Monday.

The longest-serving monarch in British history died on Sept. 8 at Balmoral Castle. A state funeral will be held at Westminster Abbey for the Queen, which is expected to be thousands of guests, including Canadian dignitaries led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The Queen will be interred at Windsor Castle with her late husband, Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh.

In Canada, Sept. 19 has been designated National Day of Mourning to honour the monarch who was the country's head of state for 70 years. While it is not a statutory holiday in Ontario, Premier Doug Ford encouraged residents to reflect on the life of the Queen, specifically urging them to observe a moment of silence at 1 p.m. on Monday.

Several municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area have made plans to commemorate the Queen's funeral on Monday.

TORONTO

The city says its officials and staff will observe a moment of silence at 1 p.m. in the city hall's Peace Garden, which was dedicated by the Queen during her 1984 visit.

Also, beginning at 1 p.m., the bell at Old City Hall tower will toll 96 times, once per minute.

Meanwhile, TTC vehicles and the city's ferries will pause for 96 seconds in honour of the Queen. In addition, the city says its ferries will sound their horns at the start and end of the tribute.

As part of the National Illumination Tribute Initiative, the Toronto sign in Nathan Phillips Square and the Princes' Gates at Exhibition Place have been lit in royal blue since the Queen's death and will continue to be illuminated in that colour until Sept. 19.

Residents who want to send condolences can sign a book of condolences online or in-person at the city hall and civic centres until the end of the day on Sept. 19.

For the first time ever, all four Mirvish theatres in Toronto — the Royal Alexandra, the Princess of Wales, the CAA Ed Mirvish and the CAA — will turn off their marquee lights for the entire day on Monday, Sept. 19 in honour of Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral.

The digital billboards above the marquees of the Princess of Wales and the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatres, which usually display images of the productions playing in them, will also be solely devoted to displaying photos of the Queen’s life.

Both the Royal Alexandra, which opened in 1907, and the Princess of Wales, which opened in 1993, are Royal theatres, meaning they’re named with the permission of the British Royal Family.

The Royal Alexandra Theatre is named after Queen Alexandra, wife of King Edward II. Her husband, who was the son of Queen Victoria, ascended to the throne in 1901. Before then, he was known as Prince of Wales and Alexandra was Princess of Wales.

The Princess of Wales Theatre was named after the title which is given to the wife of the Prince of Wales, and in honour of Diana Spencer who held the title at the time of the theatre’s opening. A framed, hand-written letter that Diana wrote to Ed Mirvish to acknowledge the naming and to thank the Mirvish family is on display in the theatre’s lobby.

MISSISSAUGA

There will be large media screens set up at Celebration Square which will stream the funeral of the Queen starting at 6 a.m.

City operations, including MiWay buses, will pause for 96 seconds at 1 p.m. and observe a moment of silence. The Civic Centre clock tower will also be dimmed on Monday evening.

For Mississauga residents who want to send messages, a book of condolences will continue to be available at the Mississauga Civic Centre until 9 p.m. Monday.

BRAMPTON

The city is hosting a community candlelight vigil at the steps of City Hall in Ken Whillans Square at 8 p.m. on Sunday.

On the day of the funeral, the city will broadcast the funeral in Garden Square beginning at 6 a.m. As well, Brampton Transit vehicles will observe a moment of silence at 1 p.m. for 96 seconds to pay tribute to the Queen.

The local branches of the Royal Canadian Legion will be holding a service of remembrance at 10:55 a.m.

Royal Canadian Legion Branch 15 will host the ceremony at the Memorial Square Cenotaph in Ken Whillans Square, while the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 609 will do it at their office in Bramalea.

Residents who wish to pay their respects are still invited to sign a book of condolences in the city hall atrium or online.

PICKERING

The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 606 will hold a ceremony in honour of the Queen the day before her funeral. The legion will lay a wreath for the monarch at the cenotaph in the Pickering city hall courtyard.

The ceremony will include a parade which will begin at Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex and make its way to the cenotaph through Esplanade Park. The ceremony is set to start at 10:45 a.m. on Sunday.

The city says most of its facilities will be closed on Monday, excluding the library and the Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex. The city adds the main television in the complex's lobby will show the Queen's funeral.

City Hall will continue to be lit in blue until the end of the funeral.

BURLINGTON

The City of Burlington says there will be a public viewing of the Queen's funeral on Monday hosted by the Burlington Performing Arts Centre. Doors will open at 5 a.m.

Residents coming to the centre are encouraged to sign a book of condolences.

The city says it is observing Sept. 19 as a one-time holiday in honour of Queen Elizabeth II. City Hall and other non-essential city services will be closed on Monday. Click here to see a list of what services are impacted.

OTHER MUNICIPALITIES

• In Oakville, the city says Oakville Transit buses will pause for 96 seconds to pay tribute to the Queen. It adds that it will notify residents through its social channels about Britain’s nationwide moment of silence (approximately 3 p.m. ET Sunday) and the province’s 1 p.m. moment of silence on Monday for anyone who wishes to participate. Oakville's town hall will be lit royal blue until sunset on Monday in honour of the Queen.

• City of Markham staff can observe a moment of silence at 1 p.m. The city says a book of condolences is available to the public online and at Markham Civic Centre on Monday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

WHERE ELSE CAN YOU WATCH

CTVNewsToronto.ca and CP24.com will have full coverage of the funeral beginning at 4 a.m. Monday. CTV News chief anchor and senior editor Omar Sachedina will lead the coverage live from London.

Sachedina will be joined by a roster of correspondents, including CP24 Breakfast anchor Nick Dixon.