Some of the best-known Canadian UFO sightings over the years

A souvenir hoodie is displayed at the Shag Harbour Incident Interpretive Centre in Shag Harbour, N.S., on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

OTTAWA — Following the release of a new UFO report, here’s a quick look at some of the best-known Canadian cases of unusual sightings in the sky:

May 20, 1967, near Falcon Lake, Man.: Stefan Michalak, who claimed to have encountered a landed UFO while prospecting for minerals, was allegedly burned by a blast of hot gas or air.

Oct. 4, 1967, Shag Harbour, N.S.: Witnesses reported seeing a row of lights descending and entering the water. Emergency crews, including the RCMP and the Coast Guard, responded under the assumption of a plane crash, but no wreckage was found.

Oct. 26, 1978, near Clarenville, N.L.: Several witnesses, including an RCMP constable, reported seeing an oval-shaped object over the harbour. No material evidence was found.

Nov. 7, 1990, Montreal: A large oval-shaped luminous phenomenon was observed in the evening over the rooftop pool of the Bonaventure Hotel by about 40 witnesses including journalists and police officers. Air traffic controllers confirmed there was no radar activity in the area.

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Dec. 11, 1996, Yukon: At least 31 people in four different areas of Yukon reported seeing a row of lights in the sky, which many described as resembling a spacecraft. The phenomenon was later observed by several others in different locations.

(Source: Management of Public Reporting of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena in Canada. Report of the Sky Canada Project from the office of the chief science adviser of Canada, June 2025)

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2025.