Top 10 Fascinating Haunted Places in Canada

Haunted places in Canada

Updated On: December 11, 2023 by   Dina EssawyDina Essawy

Haunted places are one of the most adventurous tours that people feel excited to try. When creepy stories are related to real places that one can visit, it is the scariest experience to go through. Canada is one of the countries that have various haunted places. Some of these places are mentioned in tv shows, Youtube videos or even movies and series. Here is a list of the top 10 haunted places in Canada:

Tranquille Sanatorium, Kamloops, B.C.

It is one of the top haunted places in Canada. The story of this place goes back to the 1890s when wealthy families started taking in people infected with tuberculosis on two ranches. Sick people were allowed to stay in tents and small buildings. The B.C Society for the Prevention and Treatment of Consumption and Other Forms of Tuberculosis raised funds and built a tuberculosis hospital called the Kind Edward Memorial Sanatorium. 

Later, they expanded the hospital due to the high demand. They used underground tunnels to transport dr goods. However, there are some scary stories about death at Tranquille. Tranquille Farm Fresh is the company that offers a scary tour called “The Escape From Padova”. It is an hour of a terrifying tour in the abandoned tunnels where the visitors hear scary stories while in the dark. 

Craigdarroch Castle, Victoria

Top 10 Fascinating Haunted Places in Canada
The beautiful Craigdarroch Castle against the night sky in British Columbia, Canada

Another one of the haunted places in Canada, it was completed in 1890. it was built as a home for coal baron Robert Dunsmuir. The wealth he gathered is reflected within the castle’s four floors of exquisite glass, intricate woodwork and lavish Victorian-era furnishings. Tragically Robert died before its completion, so only his wife Joan and a few of their family ever lived on the first 28-acre estate. From the time of Joan’s death in 1908, the castle has been changed to the Craigdarroch infirmary, Victoria College, board of education offices, The Victoria Conservatory Music and at last today as a museum. 

Visitors to the museum always have the sense of not being welcome with a way of distress and anxiety and skill a spread of strange phenomena. Cold gusts of air will be felt throughout the building even on the warmest of summer days. Some visitors claim to own seen some artefacts levitate, have heard the faint weeping of an unseen child echoing through the hallway, and even claimed to possess been pushed from behind once they are on their lonesome. On many occasions, the smell of candle wax flew through the halls although no candles are being burned. But even more chilling than these mysterious phenomena are the encounters that some patrons had with the residents’ spirits. 

During the initial restoration of the building, one worker spied on one woman who began to descend one of the castle’s stairways wearing satin shoes and trailed by a gorgeous flowing gown. He observed because the woman began to move around the stairway, only the remainder of the girl never appeared and therefore the ghost has gone. 

Another incident happened in 2011 when a visitor witnessed a person ascending a group of the castle’s creaky stairs. Believing it had been an employee, he went after the person. But when he reached the highest he found that the trail was blocked by a door manufactured from solid wooden glass. the person on the steps disappeared at a dead end where no living human could have been capable of it. 

Although all the museum staff officially denied the existence of any ghosts or any variety of paranormal activity. they need been known to share stories of the museum’s numerous ghostly residents, which include a lady in white standing alone within the castle ballroom, a maid in an exceedingly Victoria style uniform, a touch girl who is understood to haunt the basement and two soldiers who reside within the bedroom that was once an infirmary. As you tour the building, it’s hard to not notice the character of its odd and disturbing decoration. 

The castle has been discovered by the movie industry thanks to its eerie atmosphere and Victorian theming. In recent times, it became the best setting for the horror movie “The Boy” additionally as its sequel. it’s said that one of the spirits that has the strongest presence at the castle is the original lady of the house, Joan, whose spirit occupies the second-floor suite of rooms where she stayed the bulk of her final years. Mrs Dunsmuir seems actively protective of this space and it’s known to break and rearrange the room’s contents if to not her liking. At times, the sound of the Dunsmuir’s Steinway piano has been heard long after the castle was closed for the night. The sad scary melodies are said to be played by Robert Dunsmuir himself, playing his lovely Steinway Piano within the house that he has never had an opportunity to inhabit while he was alive. So, it seems fitting that two of the foremost prominent residents of the house could also be the Dunsmuir’s, spending their afterlives within the castle that they were unable to enjoy together while they were alive.

Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Banff, Alberta

Top 10 Fascinating Haunted Places in Canada

Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is one of Canada’s most outstanding hotels, but it’s also said to be one of the most haunted places in Canada. It was built in 1888 by the Canadian Pacific Railway. It has received guests for over 125 years. Various scary stories have been mentioned about the Castle of the Rockies including many guests seen passing through its doors. 

While building the original wooden hotel, there was a room without any windows or doors which was a mistake from the contractor who didn’t notify the owner about this room. They discovered the room after a fire in 1926. Since then, ghosts are seen walking in the hall outside the room. Room 837 is another room in the hotel where a family has been murdered. The door of this room was completely blocked after this tragic murder and became part of the walls. However, guests reported they see ghosts outside this room, most probably the family members who have been killed.

There is another haunting story about the burning bride. It was a bride in her gown walking down the stairs to the ballroom when her dress caught the fire from the candles on the stairs. She fell down the stairs as she was frightened, but her neck got broken and the bride died immediately. Some guests said that they sometimes see a bride in her gown dancing in the ballroom while her dress with flames on her dress. Some of the staff as well reported that they sometimes see her on the stairs exactly where she stood before falling.

As well, the bellman Sam Macauley is the most famous ghost in the hotel. He used to work in the hotel in the 60s-70s. No one knows how or when he died. However, he is seen a lot in the hotel in that time’s uniform, helping the customers guide them through or hold their bags. It is said that he gets disappeared once you try to speak to or tip him.

Other stories are about a ghost of a bartender who has been seen by the guests and the staff as well. He advised the guests not to drink anymore as they got drunk and go to their rooms. There is also the ghost of the headless man playing the bagpipes.

Keg Mansion, Toronto

The mansion was built in 1867. It was once the home of The Masseys which was one of the most well-known families in the city. Lilian who was the only daughter of  Hart and the responsible one for the mansion dies in 1915 after 6 years of her husband’s death. It is said that there was a maiden who loved Lilian a lot. Upon Lilian’s death, the maid got depressed and was found swinging over the hall near the stairs. It is reported that the ghost of the maid has been seen on the second floor. There are two stories about the reason behind the maid’s death. The first reason is believed to be out of grief after Lilian’s death. The second reason is that there was a secret affair between the maid and one of the married family members and that the maid was afraid of the secret being exposed so she committed suicide. 

Fairmont Chateau Laurier, Ottawa

Top 10 Fascinating Haunted Places in Canada

It is one of the most gorgeous hotels in Ottawa. The construction was completed in 1912. A grand opening was scheduled but unfortunately Charles Melville Hays the delegate for the hotel along with many of the guests who planned to attend the opening was lost at sea aboard the Titanic. It is said that Hays was seen walking through the hall. Some guests reported that they have heard a rattling noise as well. Some of the staff said that sometimes the furniture has been moved after leaving the room.

that have spirits attached to them. The other two ghosts are a little girl with a red balloon and a small man with red hair. The small man is known to frighten women in the restroom. Meanwhile, the spirit of the little girl is said to be lost and looking for her mother.

The Old Spaghetti Factory, Vancouver 

Top 10 Fascinating Haunted Places in Canada
VANCOUVER, CANADA – AUGUST 8, 2017: Interior of Old Spaghetti Factory in Gastown. It is an Italian-style chain restaurant in the United States and Canada.

The Spaghetti Factory is known for its unique locations most of which are on historical buildings. It is located in the Gastown district of Vancouver, Canada. It opened its door in 1970. It is believed that in the early 1900s, there was an accident that claimed the lives of a few people including a little boy who was said to haunt the location. The boy’s ghost is known for running around the restaurant at night pending cutlery and moving chairs on top of tables. Some of the staff reported seeing the boy running around the restaurant and hiding under tables.

In 2012 a female server was closing up the restaurant and resetting tables when a boy ran past her. All the customers left the restaurant. She followed him. He ran under a table then, he turned around and looked up at her. When she looked at his face, she saw that his eyes’ sockets were empty. She reported what she saw to the manager and quit. 

Trolley number 53 in the restaurant is said to be haunted by a tram conductor who may have died in an accident. It is believed that the man along with the boy is part of four spirits haunting this location. A psychic medium was brought to the location. She identified the ghost of the little boy as Edward. She claimed that the restaurant is decorated with artefacts that have spirits attached to them. The other two ghosts are a little girl with a red balloon and a small man with red hair. The small man is known to frighten women in the restroom. Meanwhile, the spirit of the little girl is said to be lost and looking for her mother.

Hockey Hall of Fame, Toronto

Top 10 Fascinating Haunted Places in Canada

It was built in 1885 and originally housed the Bank of Montreal. Later in 1993, the Hockey Hall of Fame moved to this building. The story goes back to 1953 when an employee named Dorothea shot herself on the second floor of the bank. The 19-years girl died in the hospital the next day. Then, it is reported to the branch manager named Rowena Brook that the workers started experiencing strange incidents right after Dorothea’s death. 

Workers witnessed lights would turn on and off, and doors and windows would open and close on their own. They sometimes heard footsteps while there was no one around. Some workers also reported that when they left their desks for a few minutes, they found the desks disorganized when they came back. The strong presence of the spirit was there in the second-floor bathroom. They felt like someone was watching. Finally, the bank moved to another place. 

Still, the guests and the employees in the Hockey Hall of Fame reported the same feeling of not being alone in the place. A young boy also reported that he saw a lady with long, dark hair walking in and out of the wall. Also, one of the guests reported that during a tour on the second floor, he went to the restroom and he heard a terrifying scream coming from the women’s restroom. However, everyone around near the same place where he has heard nothing.

Plains of Abraham, Quebec City

Top 10 Fascinating Haunted Places in Canada

The plains of Abraham witnessed one of the most popular battles in the history of Canada between the French and the English in 1759. The commanders of both groups died along with over 1000 souls in one day from both sides. Throughout the years, people reported seeing ghosts of soldiers in the uniform and sometimes smoking as well, especially around September 13 which is the anniversary of the battle. Many tourists also reported the cannons being fired at night. 

West Point Lighthouse, O’Leary, P.E.I.

The West Point Lighthouse was built in 1875. The bottom floor was used as a reception, the first two floors were part of the keeper’s residence and the second floor consisted of two bedrooms. There were two keepers for the lighthouse. The first one was named William Anderson MacDonald, who worked as a lighthouse keeper from 1876 to 1925. He was married and had eight children who lived on a farm two miles away from the lighthouse in winter but they spent summer in the lighthouse. After  MacDonald’s retirement, they lived on the farm.

The second keeper is named Benjamin MacIsaac. He lived with his wife and 15 children on a farm a few miles away from the lighthouse as there was not enough space in the lighthouse for the whole family to live. He retired when the lighthouse became automated in 1963. 

The Lighthouse is turned out to be part of the West Point Lighthouse Inn and Restaurant. Customers reported witnessing the ghost of MacDonald. The staff as well reported abnormal happenings including lights being turned on and off, voices coming out of nowhere and cold spots. Other guests noticed a ghost of a burning ship nearby Northumberland Strait. In 1992 nine people witnessed a sea serpent that had a long, slim neck and was covered with dark reddish-brown fur. 

Maritime Museum of British Columbia, Victoria

The museum was located at a courthouse built in 1889 from the mid 1960’s, but had to move to a new and its current location in 2014. The former museum building is one of the most haunted buildings in Bastion Square. It was formerly a courthouse that included Victoria’s gallows. It is said that the bodies of the hanged people are buried under the building. Judge Begbie, called the Hanging Judge, who presided over the hangings along with former prisoners is believed to haunt the place. Some witnessed a ghost of a thin bearded figure, Begbie, moving down the stairs at the old entrance of the museum. As mentioned, the Maritime Museum of BC is now in a smaller storefront location at 744 Douglas St. and is most definitely worth a visit.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *