Real Haunts: 5 Haunted & Cursed Places in Canada

Looming at the edge of the Kamloops border in British Columbia is the once abandoned Tranquille Sanatorium. Built in 1907, its original purpose was to treat patients with Tuberculosis, which it did until 1958, then it was used as a site for the mentally ill and disabled until the building was closed permanently in 1983.

People visiting the site have reported hearing the voices of kids playing, kids crying, and mysterious orbs near the entrance. An apparent overwhelming sense of eeriness hangs over the multiple buildings, which have mysterious tunnels connecting many of them underground. The site is currently operated by Tranquille Farm Fresh, which offers tours of the site, and even an escape room of sorts in the abandoned tunnels for Halloween.

Some refer to Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel as the Canadian version of the Overlook Hotel, a sprawling and beautiful hotel that may also be one of the most haunted places in Canada. Built by the Canadian Pacific Railway, the location opened in 1888 and quickly became known for the beautiful scenery that included the mountains and Banff National Park.

However, it also has a darker side, as many visitors and staff have been witness to some very terrifying and bizarre ghost sightings. People have reported seeing a retired head bellman named Sam McAuley walking the hotel, still dressed in full uniform. The most famous and creepy sighting, though, comes from the 1930s, involving a woman who died on her wedding day at the hotel, tripping and falling down the staircase. The ghost of this woman has been seen moving up and down that same staircase, still tragically dressed in her wedding dress. She has become so famous that she even got her own postage stamp and 25-cent coin in 2014!

Ranked #9 on the website Lonely Planet’s list of the world’s spookiest buildings is the HI-Ottawa Jail Hostel. Located in Ottawa, Ontario, this building housed the Carleton City Jail from 1862 until 1972. The maximum-security prison had it all, from very small and cramped cells, no windows, and even public executions. Many of the prisoners died here due to the horrific conditions, with a lot of them being buried on-site, making it a very large cemetery as well.

Hostelling International bought the building in 1973 and while obviously a tourist attraction, you can now spend the night if you dare. Beyond the usual report of knocking and footsteps that are part of many haunted buildings, the most common report from visitors is an apparition of a man standing at the foot of their beds clutching a Bible. It is thought to be the ghost of Patrick James Whelan, who was hanged for assassinating politician Thomas D’Arcy McGee.

Definitely a pasta meal with a twist, the patrons and staff at this restaurant have reported seen at least four different ghosts over the years. Opening in 1970, The Old Spaghetti Factory, located above an old underground railway track in the Gastown neighborhood in Vancouver, it is filled with wonderful artifacts and antiques, including an old trolley car, once part of the British Columbia Electric Railway Company’s fleet of electric trams.

Installing the trolley car in the restaurant came with an unexpected passenger, the apparent ghost of a train conductor, seen many times over the years on the steps of the trolley car. However, he is not alone. Other ghosts seen over the years include a mischievous spirit known as the Little Red Man, a young boy named Edward (whose name was discovered by a psychic) who has been seen running around the restaurant with empty eye sockets, and a little girl holding a balloon at the front window. Once the girl apparently even spoke, saying she was waiting for her mother.

Located on the south shore of the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Oak Island has been wrapped up in mystery and intrigue stretching back to the 1800s. Treasure hunters have been visiting the island in search of the mysterious riches said to have been buried there, but as many have found out over the years, this is not your average island, and it is very unwilling to give up its supposed bounty.

Now made famous by the hit show on the History Channel called The Curse of Oak Island, where two brothers continue their search for the mysterious treasure, the details and history have been laid out for all to see. But a supposed curse placed on the island, stating seven men will die searching for treasure, still hangs over everything that goes on there. To date, six men have died with many more experiencing feelings of dread and fear, especially around the famous Money Pit, where both lives and money have been lost.

Feature image by Peter H from Pixabay.