This time of year ghost stories flourish. If you’re looking to come across the real deal, check out these national haunts deemed the spookiest in Canada. That is, if you dare.
Bytown Museum, Ottawa, Ont.
This small museum, located along the Rideau Canal just below Parliament Hill, is one of Ottawa’s oldest buildings. Visitors have reported perfume-like smells in certain rooms, lights flickering on and off, and heavy footsteps that seem to follow visitors around.
Fort Garry Hotel, Winnipeg, Man.
Located in downtown Winnipeg, this grand hotel was built in 1913 by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. Guests will enjoy the hotel’s luxe amenities and, if reports are true, may see a little something extra – guests have reported some hair-raising activity in room 202.
Gibraltar Point Lighthouse, Toronto, Ont.
Completed in 1808, this lighthouse is located on the Toronto Islands and is said to have a stubborn tenant. It’s rumored that the lighthouse’s first keeper, J.P. Mueller, was murdered there and on misty nights some say his ghost can be heard moaning.
Chateau Laurier, Ottawa, Ont.
Another Grand Trunk Railway hotel, the Chateau Laurier was built between 1909 and 1912. Just 12 days before the grand opening, Railway president Charles Melville Hays died aboard the RMS Titanic when it sank on April 15, 1912. Guests have reported seeing the ghosts of Hays and a small child, although the two hauntings are unrelated. Guests have also reported unexplained sounds, shaking in the hotel and have felt like they are being watched from the minute they check in.
The Plains of Abraham, Quebec City, Que.
This historic landmark was the stage for the Battle of the Plains of Abraham on September 13, 1759, the most pivotal battle in the Seven Years War. With the blood of thousands shed on the fields, it’s no wonder that this locale is one of the most haunted in Canada. Visitors to the tunnels next to the park have reported smelling cannon sulfur and felt a chill, while others have reported seeing the ghost of a soldier who died that day.
Banff Springs Hotel, Banff, Alta.
Another of the old rail hotels, the Banff Springs hotel was constructed in 1888. Those visiting who are faint of heart should stay in a room far from 873 – where it is said a family staying at the hotel was murdered. Although the room is no longer in service, guests have seen a child’s bloody fingerprints on mirrors and the family roaming the halls. A ghostly bride and the ghost of a deceased bellman can also be found wandering the hotel. The hotel denies the hauntings.
Craigdarroch Castle, Victoria, B.C.
Built in the 1890s by a wealthy coal baron and his wife, this mansion boasts 39 rooms and what some might consider the most lavish stained glass in Canada. Visitors have reported seeing the ghosts of children in the bedrooms, a mysterious white woman standing in the window, and have heard the piano playing by itself.
