TORONTO – A museum where dolls blink their eyes and cry softly. Soldiers who died on the battlefield and now roam parks looking for their way home. And a jail-turned-hostel where tourists still hear inmates crying or find scattered clothes.
While Canada is a relatively young nation, it has its share of tales of paranormal activity.
To mark Halloween, Global News takes a look at some of the most popular areas of the country with ghost sightings.
View Interactive map: Canada’s haunted hotspots in a larger map
The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Alberta: Showcased in front of a beautiful backdrop of the Canadian Rockies is this picturesque hotel with a notorious history. For generations, Canadians have told stories of a disappearing bellman named Sam and a bride who allegedly died after falling down a flight of stairs, both of whom apparently still appear in hotel now and then.
Vogue Theatre, Vancouver: This 1940s theatre has two ghosts, according to employees who haven’t been scared away by the heritage site’s history. One ghost allegedly paces back and forth in the downstairs dressing room, where staff hears footsteps and the opening and closing of doors while another nearly fits in with the crowd in the seating area, donning a white tuxedo and black bow tie.
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Bytown Museum and the HI-Ottawa Jail Hostel, Ottawa: This hostel for travellers making their way through Canada’s capital city may have a first-hand look at history while making a pit stop at this former jail. A quick glance at the hotel’s ratings on TripAdvisor and other hotel rating sites shows guests have encountered some terrifying incidents, from sounds of incorrigible crying at night to returning to a room with items mysteriously moved out of place.
At the Bytown Museum, ghost trackers say six ghosts roam the old building, known as one of the most actively haunted places in Canada. One ghost allegedly types his name on one of the museum’s computers. Visitors in the doll exhibit say they’ve heard the faint sound of crying in the room along with seeing the dolls’ eyes blinking.
Casa Loma, Toronto: Ghost hunters have spent plenty of sleepless nights in this old Toronto fortress in an attempt to verify or dispel the countless reports of supernatural activity within the castle’s walls. Local newspapers have even bought into the stories of hauntings: visitors say they’ve seen apparitions in the windows, in the stables and walking through the hallways of this historical site.
Fort York, Toronto: Tours to this downtown fortress may include a quick glimpse of a guard who still haunts the barracks. Those who have taken part in nighttime lantern tours say they’ve seen a female ghost wandering the fort as well.
Plains of Abraham, Quebec City: In 1759, thousands of fallen soldiers were left to die following a bloody battle between the French and the British. Visitors wandering this park say they’ve seen ghosts crawling through tunnels, and some even say they smell cannon sulfur and the chill of ghosts walking by.
Caledonia Mills, Nova Scotia: Urban legends about this farm spook visitors from walking its grounds. Once the family that owned this farm adopted a mysterious little girl, fires would light spontaneously, doors would fly open and close and strange voices were heard. The farm still remains but storytellers say the girl still roams the property. Visitors are warned not to take anything with them – and for those who do, the story goes that unexplained fires start in their own homes.
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