Queen Elizabeth Way - Name and Signage

Name and Signage

The Queen Elizabeth Way was named for Queen Consort Elizabeth, the wife of King George VI who would later become known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. In 1939, the royal couple toured Canada and the United States in part to bolster support for the United Kingdom in anticipation of war with Nazi Germany, and also to mark George VI's coronation as king. The highway received its name to commemorate the visit, and it was unveiled as the King and his consort drove across Henley Creek in St. Catharines on June 7. Originally, the entire length of the highway featured stylized light standards with the letters "ER", for Elizabeth Regina, the Latin equivalent to "Queen Elizabeth". While mostly removed, they remain in place on three bridges along the route of the highway: in Mississauga over the Credit River, in Oakville over Bronte Creek, and in St. Catharines over Twelve Mile Creek. A short section of Highway 420 and Falls Avenue in Niagara Falls also features these light standards.

The markers identifying the QEW have always used blue lettering on a yellow background instead of the black-on-white scheme used on other provincial highway markers. They originally showed the highway's full name only in small letters, with the large script letters "ER" placed where the highway number is on other signs. In 1955 the sign lettering was changed to "QEW". Trailblazer markers, indicating routes "to QEW," switch the colours to yellow on blue.

Because the highway curves sharply around the lakehead of Lake Ontario, its directions are not signed with cardinal directions, as is the case on all other Ontario highways. Instead, designated control cities are used to indicate the direction of travel. QEW Toronto is used consistently for the direction toward Toronto. In the other direction, the highway is signed QEW Hamilton from Toronto to Burlington, QEW Niagara from Burlington to Mountain Rd in Niagara Falls, QEW Fort Erie from Niagara Falls to Gilmore Rd in Fort Erie, and QEW Bridge to USA from Thompson Rd to Central Ave within Fort Erie.

The QEW is not publicly referred to by any route number, but the MTO has referred to it as both Highway 1 and Highway 451 in annual reports and other internal documents.