Exclusively French from 1916, Sacred Heart College was the centre of education for young Franco-Ontarians for decades since it was the first, and for a long time, the only institution of higher learning in Northern Ontario.

[3] A plaque was erected by the Ontario Heritage Trust, an agency of the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, at Notre Dame & Kathleen Streets, Sudbury: Sacred Heart College The Society of Jesus opened a classical college at this site in 1913.

Sacred Heart College played a major role in the development of the Franco-Ontarian community of northeastern Ontario.

Refusing to take sole credit for the flag, its creators hoped that the Franco-Ontarian community would claim it as their own and a committee was formed to promote it.

The flag was adopted as a unifying symbol during times of struggle and resistance, such as the Penetanguishene school crisis of 1979 and the SOS Montfort campaign in Ottawa in 1997.