The Queen's mark on Canada: Here's a look at the many places named after her

One of the many ways Queen Elizabeth left her mark on Canada is in the sheer number of places named after her: more than 70 schools, parks, roads and other sites, according to Statistics Canada databases. 

Even before her 70-year reign as British monarch and Queen of Canada began in 1952, a handful of locations were named for then-Princess Elizabeth, including schools in southern Ontario, New Brunswick and Quebec.

Most places bearing Queen Elizabeth's name are in southern Canada, with the bulk in Ontario.

In the Arctic, you'll find the Queen Elizabeth Islands, an archipelago that includes Ellesmere Island. Formerly known as the Parry Islands, they were renamed after the Queen's coronation in 1953.

More than 170 kilometres of roads also carry her name, including two Queen Elizabeth Ways: one in Iqaluit and one in Winnipeg. A third Queen Elizabeth Way, the Ontario highway that runs from Toronto to Fort Erie, Ont., was named after the Queen Mum, Elizabeth's mother. 

There are dozens of public schools and educational facilities named for the late monarch, vastly more than any of the other British monarchs who have reigned since Canada's confederation.

Elsewhere in Canada, you'll find sports fields, tennis courts, theatres, mountains and hospitals named after Elizabeth.

Some of those places held commemorative events in recent days, including Princess Elizabeth Elementary School in Magog, Que.

Last Friday, the school — which opened in 1952, shortly before Elizabeth's ascension to the throne — held a celebration where students learned about the legacy of its namesake. They also took photos with a portrait of the young princess that still hangs in the school's entrance.

"She was a mechanic, and she participated in the war effort, and she was really kind of a role model," said principal Mark Warnholtz.

An upgrade from Prince to King? 

A handful of sites in Canada — primarily parks and schools — are named after King Charles (or Prince Charles, as he was known until last week). CBC News reached out to a number of those places to see if they might consider upgrading their name to "King."

Some said it was too soon to have that discussion. After all, Charles's as-yet-unscheduled coronation is likely months away.

Others plan to stick with the names they have, such as Prince Charles Public School in Brantford, Ont., which was named in 1950 when the prince was just two years old.

"At this time, there are no plans to change the name of the school. Its name reflects both a snapshot of our local history in terms of when the school opened, while also marking a significant moment in time for the Royal Family," said Jenny Gladish, a spokesperson for the Grand Erie District School Board.

She pointed out that the city also has a Princess Elizabeth Public School, which opened just prior to the Queen's ascension, and has kept its name since.