There are the eerie places in Ontario that most of us know about. Toronto has The Distillery District, Casa Loma, theatres, University of Toronto buildings, the Don Jail and countless places with ghostly stories galore. While there are numerous hotspots worth exploring in the city, there are many more right across our province. Small towns also have their fair share of spirited stories, and not all are necessarily scary. In fact, some can feel comforting.
Angel Morgan (paranormal investigator, medium and animal communicator) tells us unexpected brushes with the paranormal world are usually harmless. Hollywood films convince us otherwise. She tells us it’s really the spirits wanting to be seen or heard and not forgotten. Good to know!
So, what else should we know? Whether you’re intentionally seeking out the ghost stories or happen to stumble across them naturally, Angel reminds us to be respectful – not just of potential paranormal encounters but also of the place itself. “The locations hold a lot of history and stories but be mindful of the current situation, especially when it comes to private property and businesses.”
If you’re planning a fall road trip and are curious about where the spirits roam, you may just want to put these on your must-visit list…
Belleville is considered one of the most haunted towns in Ontario according to Angel and there’s no shortage of paranormal activity here, with a history of séance events dating as early as the 1800s. It’s said that several houses in the town took turns asking spirits to show themselves. The house at 11 Charlotte Street is said to have been owned by a railroad engineer who brought over two sisters from Scotland who he believed were connected to the spiritual world. Visitors to the town can actually book a ghost walk with a local resident to visit several hotspots. Interestingly, some visitors have reported taking photos on their phones during the walk only to return home and not be able to locate the photos on their devices.
Cobourg has a haunted hotspot in The King George Inn. Angel had mentioned the location is definitely a hotspot for paranormal activity in this town. She explained the location was once a county jail in the early 1900s and was active for about 90 years before it became an Inn. For those who are curious, you can check into one of the jail cell guest rooms. People who have stayed have reported door slams, objects moving and unexplained noises. But don’t worry, there are fully renovated rooms too!
But there’s more to that story. Angel had mentioned she had made a stop at this Inn while passing through on her way to a paranormal investigation. She needed to take a break, and Cobourg was the midpoint to her final destination. “When I checked in, I could immediately feel something,” said Angel. “There was a lot of anger on the men’s side of the jailhouse.”
Thankfully, her guest room was on the women’s side of the former jail and, to her surprise, had a much different feeling from the men’s side. “It was such a strangely beautiful feeling, and I immediately thought this was going to be such a cool stay!” said Angel. “That night, I could sense the women coming into my room. I told them that I was open to hearing their stories. But the jail cell felt so creepy that I had to leave my phone light on because I didn’t want to be fully in the dark.”
Angel recounted the experience as she saw the spirits of the women crying. She saw one woman who was pregnant and a few who were abused. She opened herself to learn their stories. One woman who deeply moved her was blamed for the abuse that happened to her and ended up in an asylum, then in the jail.
All night the stories kept coming, and Angel realized that what she does for a living isn’t just about how cool it is to communicate with those who have passed but about learning their stories of a time and place. “A lot of times ghosts come around because they want to tell you their stories. They don’t want to be forgotten,” said Angel.
Angel mentioned that she didn’t recall falling asleep, but when she woke up and heard the birds outside, she felt at peace. “I looked out the window to the courtyard, and I almost started crying. This was the view from their jail cells. I had never felt anything like that before,” said Angel.
The Georgina Pioneer Village (Keswick) is the location of several historic buildings dating back to the 19th century with a really juicy haunted history. One of them is the Noble House. Originally a doctor’s house, it was slated for demolition before the town’s historical society saved it. But the paranormal activity is tied to a mysterious young girl whose spirit has been witnessed many times by staff and visitors. Her playful presence is felt on the grounds. She’s even greeted visitors with a faint “hello”.
Bon Echo Provincial Park is a place where Angel has experienced many Indigenous spirits of the land. Not only is the natural setting peaceful, but there are over 200 pictographs painted along the cliffs. It’s sacred land, and some say you can feel the spirits next to you. Interestingly, we also learned that long before it became a provincial park, Flora MacDonald Denison, who was a teacher, a dressmaker and a writer, was on a trip to the area in 1910 when she and her husband learned that a house was for sale. Its owner was a dentist whose young son had died tragically. She envisioned a place that welcomed artists and thinkers in a natural setting and opened an Inn welcoming people, including Frank Lloyd Wright and members of the Group of Seven.
Flora was also a practising spiritualist and would often host séances here. “They used to do the biggest séances in Canada here,” said Angel. “The story is that she was channelling this poet named Walt Whitman, so in his memory, Flora had a memorial dedicated to him that is still on the side of the cliff with an inscription.” When she passed away, her ashes were placed in an urn and deposited in Mazinaw Lake near the famous Whitman memorial. While the Inn went through a few changes over the years, it burnt to the ground in 1936 after being struck by lightning.
There’s no denying the very spiritual feeling of Bon Echo that’s been tied to Indigenous stories rather than haunted ghost stories. Angel recommends taking a ferry ride to see the pictographs and the monument. “It’s quite phenomenal.” And if you’re on Mazinaw Lake, you might be interested in hearing the story of Mishibizhiw, the underwater panther guardian of the pictographs. There are also stories about the Mazinaw Lake monster that lurks in the water. Ask the locals.
Route 506 is both scenic and eerie, particularly on quiet evenings. “If you drive that road, especially in the fall season and when it’s foggy, they say that the Hollow will walk alongside your car,” said Angel. She also noted a particular hotspot at the end of the road by Highway 41. “You might actually see the Hollow staring from the bottom of the driveways of homes.”
The area also holds stories of the Church Grim. “At night people have seen his big red eyes,” said Angel. “When the settlers were first in the area, they would have built their church. Traditionally, the first person who died would become the sentinel of the grave, the community, and the church. That one person would then rest there for eternity.” But in this location, it is believed a black dog became the Grim. “There are so many stories about the Grim roaming around the grounds and serving as a protector.”
Otterville is a tiny community in Oxford County with big history. Early Quaker settlers made Otterville their home, but it was fascinating to learn that the community also helped shelter those who had escaped slavery by way of what we know as the Underground Railroad. The community became a safe haven for the families who had to start their lives all over again. It was also home to Canada’s first Black community cemetery and church.
The town also features a historic mill that dates back to the early 1800s. While there are no documented hauntings here, ghost hunters may want to turn their attention to the Otterville Jail instead.
Watson’s Mill Manotick is a site just outside of Ottawa, associated with tragic local history. One well-known story involves the late Ann Crosby Currier. In 1861, Ann was just 20 years old and newly married to Joseph Currier, one of the mill’s owners. During a visit to the mill, her dress became caught in the machinery on the second floor, tragically killing her. But according to local legend, Ann never really left. Over the years, visitors and paranormal enthusiasts have reported hearing footsteps and unexplained voices inside the old mill. There have also been reports of feeling sudden drops in temperature and mysterious tugging on their clothing.
Olde Angel Inn located in Niagara-on-the-Lake at the corner of Market and Regent streets, is said to have at least one spirit wandering the premises. The Inn is considered the oldest in Ontario (originally dating back to 1789, then known as The Harmonious Coach House), and the British-style pub was a popular and convenient spot along the waterways for travellers to stop in. The most famous story is about Captain Colin Swayze, who, while on a break from military duty, had planned to meet his sweetheart. Unfortunately, a US invasion occurred, and the Captain was killed while trying to conceal himself in a wine barrel in the basement.
Back in Toronto
Toronto’s High Park is a well-known hotspot for paranormal activity, and Angel tells us it is also considered a “portal” in the spiritual world. Many spirits roam this park, but she tells us they are harmless from what she’s experienced so far. She had spoken about an elderly man sitting on a park bench and children playing. There have been multiple sightings of a woman standing in the window on the second floor of Colborne Lodge.
Even for myself, I had visited one summer evening to enjoy Shakespeare in the Park. I had asked a friend to take a photo as I stood along a leafy path. When we looked at the photo, there was an image of what appeared to be an Indigenous man standing right behind me. Several people saw the photo, and there was no denying he was there.
Toronto’s famous Casa Loma has reports of unease within the underground tunnels to the stables. The air is still, and the walls feel damp no matter when you go. But October is always all decked out for Halloween so now is the time to go! Also, book yourself a tour of Casa Loma. There are definite hotspots throughout, but none that felt threatening – it has more of a happy but busy feeling from yesteryear.
The University of Toronto has quite a few well known stories, but the one that really stood out was Mr. Christie’s Mansion that overlooks Queen’s Park. Yes, the cookie mogul. The story was about how Mr. Christie had a mistress locked away in a secret room. Only one servant was known to have tended to her and kept her a secret until the woman mentally couldn’t take it anymore and ended her life. According to ghost tour guides, the room remains locked and is used as storage space. However, there have been reports of staff being locked in there on occasion.
The Distillery District definitely has its fair share of eerie spots, including Balzac’s coffee shop where there have been reports of the chandelier moving for no reason, a few ghost cats roaming the cobblestones, and objects moving on their own in shops. You can book a ghost walk at night here.
Stanley Barracks at Exhibition Place is rarely open to the public, but one October my friends and I attended one of Jaymes White’s Séance Experiences. Many things happened that night – unexplained hair touching, scents of cigarette smoke in the corridor, objects falling, cold spots and doors slamming. BTW, he’s holding séances in Elmvale near Ottawa this season. Highly recommend.
Have you ever had a paranormal experience in Ontario? Let us know!
