Ghost Signs of

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Become a ghost sign hunter!

Learn how to spot the fading painted ads that linger on Toronto’s streets—remnants of early Canadian marketing that used imagery, typography, and emotion to shape a national identity. Discover what these disappearing signs can tell us about Toronto’s past, and sharpen your eye for the hidden history still visible above our streets.

This tour will be led by Stephen Petar, an award-winning publicist and Heritage Toronto Award-winning writer. His passion for ghost signs started at a Doors Open Toronto event in the early 2010s. Since then, he has documented these signs worldwide on his Instagram @GhostsOfCanada from Canada to Greece, France, Sweden and more. A born-and-raised Torontonian, he is passionate about the city’s heritage and architecture.

Current or future events in the same event series will appear here.

Former T. A. Lytle & Co. / Scythes and Co. Ltd. factory building, built 1908, March 20, 2021

Rolph Clark Stone building, Dundas + Carlaw tour, June 17, 2018. Image by Herman Custodio.

Registration

This tour is provided for $8.00/person. The total cost is $10.05 (includes a $2.05 transaction fee). Please note that space is limited on our tours. You may not be able to join a tour group if you have not registered ahead of time through our website.

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Map heading – change value in settings

Accessibility

 This tour is approximately 1.1 kilometres and mostly takes place on paved city sidewalks and streets, with some non-paved urban parks. Ghost signs at certain tour stops are best viewed from a step or a dirt path. Streetcar tracks will need to be crossed on Dundas Street West as well.

Public washrooms are located at the first stop, Sorauren Park Fieldhouse, and the last stop, Henderson Brewing (for customers only).

FAQs

What should I do if I can’t find the group at the start location?+

Our staff and volunteers will be at the tour’s starting location 30 minutes prior to each tour. Please arrive at least 10-15 minutes prior to the start of the tour to allow time for check-in. Feel free to call us at (647) 542-3450 if you are having trouble finding the start location.

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