Sue St.Clair and Matthew Didier's Paranormal Blog

We are into the final three weeks of our online, experiment in remote viewing, which is open to the general public. For complete details on the experiment please visit the Paranormal Studies and Investigations Canada main website by clicking on the link.

Thanks to all those who have already participated, we have had a great response so far! Results will be made available in June.

Generally speaking, where are the best places for amateur ghost hunters to conduct a hunt?

Where ghosts are experienced of course!

Don't laugh........

It's amazing how many people go to places they assume are haunted based on things like Hollywood or fictional misconceptions as opposed to places where witnesses have actually reported experiencing ghostly activity.......

Basically, you visit websites, read books, and find places open to the public where ghosts are experienced and reported by people. For example, in Toronto, Old Fort York continues to be one of the most reported places where odd things are experienced... so it's a great place to start!

Some people may say things like, "But I can't go there at midnight to look for ghosts!"... which is silly, because you don't have to be there at midnight.

The best encounters at the fort have happened early morning (daylight), early afternoon, and around dinner time. Only two reports are from times when the fort is closed to the public.

Here's the thing... Ghost experiences happen at all times of day and night. The Hollywood myth of "only after dark" is only backed up by one truism...

If there was a ghost in a busy office tower, wandering the lobby... would those phantom footsteps be heard at 4:59pm... how about by a lone security guard at 4:59 am?

Obviously, one would get lost in the cacophony of day-to-day life... but the other would be VERY noticeable.

When it comes to apparitions or "seen ghosts", they as a rule tend to break light and are more often than not mistaken for a "normal person" until something tips the witness off... like odd dress, not responding to being spoken too, or "vanishing"... that last one is most common... so again, would you notice the "extra person" in a busy office lobby at 4:59pm? Probably not...

Now, in my opinion, some of the best sightings are indeed "daytime" sightings... and if someone did want to go to Fort York to have a look around, I'd suggest a rainy Sunday... chances are, you'll be pretty alone in the buildings (as tourists stay away because of the weather,) and staff are pretty good about letting people wander about on their own... provided they respect the buildings and the site. Not only are the entrance fees very cheap ($7.00 for adults, and only $3.00 bux for teens, and seniors), but you can also feel good about supporting a Toronto historic site while actively looking for ghosts.

RESCHEDULED For July 24th 2010 12:30 pm Due to G20 security concerns. Sorry for any inconvenience.

A free research class will be held at the Toronto Reference Library on Yonge Street, Toronto. The date set is Saturday, June 26th 2010 at 12:30 pm.

Robin Pyatt Bellamy (PSICAN researcher, and Toronto District School Board instructor) will be teaching the class, which will cover what resources are available at the Toronto Reference Library, and how these research resources will assist in a paranormal investigation.

There is NO cost for the course, but you MUST pre-register with Robin. You may contact her via email robin@triedit.net

This course is recommended for current investigators, but anyone serious about learning how to do background, and historical research while utilising all of the library system's resources is encouraged to attend.

Please note that this informal class is being offered by Robin only, and is not an officially scheduled event with the library. For further details, questions, and to pre-register please contact Robin directly via robin@triedit.net

Robin's website

Fort George, Niagara on the Lake, Ontario noted for its ghosts

Do you think some locations are more likely to have paranormal activity than others?

I'm thinking of a wall post to our Canadian paranormal Facebook group about the Niagara area in Ontario having a lot of reported paranormal activity per capita, and it seems by sheer volume of different types of reports like UFOs , and ghosts that it may be a more active location than others overall.

Why do you think some places are more likely to have activity? Ley lines, geologic make-up, tragic or rich histories, gateways to other dimensions or something else maybe that makes them more prone to paranormal activity?

There are lots of theories out there, but not any single one that explains paranormal hot spots.

As promised at our last update at the end of March more new updates, and articles have been added to the Toronto Ghosts Ontario Ghosts website. We love to hear your personal experiences with ghosts, and hauntings in the province of Ontario so please do keep sending them in. Your privacy will be protected, and witness comfort is our primary concern.

You may email us directly at submissions AT torontoghosts.org or submissions AT ontarioghosts.org

Essex County Nursing Home - New


Massey Hall - Updated


Backus Mill - Updated

Sault Ste. Marie - Feline Visitation - New

Chatham - Private Residence - New

Jackson's Point Resort - New

Toronto Bachelor Apartment 70s haunting - New

Enjoy!

I just saw an ad for a "ghost hunt" of sorts by a tour group that proudly displayed that it would feature, in all caps, "NO HISTORY TOURS" and "NO LECTURES".

It would also require you to use your own equipment and only be at "SERIOUS LOCATIONS".

Now, I do understand people wanting to avoid "dark tours" which are more strictly entertainment (kinda like a theme park's haunted house,) but when I do an investigation, I do want to be informed at SOME point about the history of the site, and if I was a newbie, I'd want some instructions... and if I'm paying a large fee, (roughly $30 per person per "event" at the place I saw,) I would hope to at least be able to look at/use/practice/find out about equipment and wouldn't expect to HAVE to bring my own... it's nice that I can, I 'spose... but...

Anyway, the question I really am interested in...

Is there a backlash I'm not aware of when it comes to open-to-the-public paranormal events with the general public in terms of being "taught" history or about the phenomena in general? Do people want to truly "go in cold" and just sort of discover blindly for oneself...?

I can actually understand this desire, but if I'm going to a "tour" or "event", I don't know if I (personally) would want this...

What say you?

(This is a LENGTHY post... but if you want, you can skip to the bottom and read the end question...)

I got into it recently with a fellow on Facebook who was horrified that The Ontario Science Centre was being used as the venue for a Harry Potter exhibit... basically, he wrote, and I quote...

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"Sorry for the caps but THIS IS NOT SCIENCE! WHAT A BUNCH OF CRAP! What is wrong with the OSC...anything to make a quick buck!"
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I responded...

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"I have an idea! Let's make a tourist attraction about as dry as the average grade twelve science class! That will get young kids and parents interested in the topic! Well spotted! We must ensure that science is NEVER fun, NEVER presented to explain things that seem magical, and most importantly, a scientific educational/entertainment facility should NEVER fiscally viable!"
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Later, I also included this statement (after many...)

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"As a young'un in the early 1970's, Doctor Who got me into the ideas temporal physics... Star Trek got me into the idea of light-speed/hyper-speed travel... in the late 1970's, Doctor Who on TVO was "hosted" by Sci-Fi writer Judith Merril who would explain the concepts of both the "science" and occasionally the ethics behind the episode that aired. I could also add Close Encounters and Star Wars to various bits and bobs which led to...

Asking questions!

"How could this be possible?" and "How did they film this?"... See more

As a teen, in the 1980's, I then used the half-assed knowledge obtained from movies and TeeVee shows to make a complete ass out of myself with people who DID know more about the "real stuff" then me... but because of that, I learned... and ended up actually enjoying and pursuing a greater understanding (and education) in classical physics and mathematics... so I wouldn't look dumb anymore.

As such, I'm a TINY bit of a pedant on certain aspects of physics and generally nature as a whole... and have a low tolerance of those who ignore the findings of science and, as well, those evangelical non-scientists who can't see beyond their own preconceived dogmatic notions. (Eliminating "hypothesis" and "observation" from their mantras.)

NOW, why the bloody blue hell go into this?

#1: KID likes Harry Potter.

#2: KID wants to fly on a broom and play whatever the frig that game is.

#3: KID wants to make potions.

...in turn...

#1: KID still likes Harry Potter and drags parents to Science Centre putting more money in their coffers. (Hopefully, enough to convince them to do some much needed updating...)

#2: KID ends up seeing the exhibit and learning about green screen technology... belief in "magic" changes to awe of technology.

#3: KID ends up seeing the rest of the exhibits because parents drag him/her around... finds out about REAL potions (called "chemistry").

LAST: KID develops lifelong interest in science.

Think this isn't real?

Do something I've done... Ask the guys that work in JPL, NASA, Lockheed Martin... heck, even in my industry, medical instrumentation, "sci-fi" and "fantasy" has played a HUGE hand in getting people to work towards developing the "impossible" using, oddly enough, the possible...

Ergo: I think this exhibit is a VERY good thing!"
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OKAY, sorry about the RIDICULOUSLY long stuff here, but it got us thinking....

The Ontario Science Centre took some grief from this fellow about the Harry Potter exhibit...

I've heard people kvetch about The Beer Festival at Old Fort York...

Many people think Casa Loma in Toronto has no business displaying anything but early twentieth-century exhibits...

THESE points made, when we held the first Torontoghosts event in Y2K at Old Fort York, literally one-hundred supposed paranormal, folklore, and history buffs asked one question...

"Where is the fort located?"

They honestly did not know the location of the city's oldest buildings and easily, it's most historic and (yes) reportedly haunted spot.

WHERE am I going with all this?

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Do you feel it's right or appropriate to hold SEEMINGLY not-connected events at historic sites just for some exposure and income for those locations?
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Me, I'm obviously okay with it... provided it's not the ONLY event(s) offered at the site and false, faked, or bogus history isn't served to the masses and presented as "the truth" about the place. (I have zero tolerance for hoaxes.)

What say you?

We received the following report from the Gaspe region of Quebec in March 2010, although the experiences described have happened more than a decade ago. I find the description of the apparition as flashing white, and humanoid in shape very intriguing! While I have not come across any similar reports in the ghostly realm it does conjure up reports that are perceived as more alienish in nature. Sometimes how an event is labeled really does come down to the witnesses belief systems. One person's ghost may be another's demon, or Angel, or alien.

"I was 4 years old and I remember it as if it were just yesterday. I was living with my parents in a townhouse and even at that age Ii felt the creeps while there. I was in my room one day alone when I saw my grandmother sitting on the bed. I sat in front of her on a little chair and talked with her. She touched my hand, and to me everything seemed normal.

My father arrived from work for dinner and my sister was watching me so my father asked her where I was and she told him shes talking to someone or herself in her room. My father opened my door and asked me who I was talking to and I told him "Granny" he said" it cant be granny because shes been dead now for 6 months" I didn't know that. He got freaked out and brought me downstairs, and I never saw her again. Since that happened I've had several experiences I could never explain happen to me.

Once again i was very young around the same age as my other experience... My mother had left me alone outside while she had business in a big building and next to it was a very creepy abandoned house. There was a trail leading beside the house which led to the townhouse we lived in. I decided to go around the house and go home and my mother came out and found me and we went home together, but when I looked back at the creepy house I saw a figure of a person all lit up in white a flashing white and it was peeking behind the tree. I told my mother and she told me it was my imagination. Later when I was older it was about 6 pm when I looked outside behind the house and saw that very same thing, a human form lit up in white flashing zoom right past my house. Once again I told my Mom about it, but she didn't react.

Years went on and I never saw it again until I was 13 and I was listening to music in my room and doing home work and it was dark out. I always leave the blinds open and there again I saw it walk past my window. I didn't know what to do so i told myself it was my imagination. I am now an adult and I saw this very same figure where I live now passing by my back door and disappearing into nowhere.... 4 times in my life I have seen this..I would like to know what it is and why I saw it so many times."

Our thanks to the witness for sharing these experiences with us. It takes courage to do so, and in turn may provide comfort to someone else who has experienced strange things in knowing that they are not alone.