Ghost Signs of Toronto Walking Tour

About the Tour

Uncover the hidden history of Toronto’s ghost signs and advertising relics that reveal how early Canadian commerce used imagery, typography, and emotion to persuade purchases and influence a national identity. Learn how to spot these disappearing relics and become a ghost hunter of the signs of Toronto’s past.

This tour was developed and will be led by Stephan Petar. Stephan is an award-winning publicist and Heritage Toronto Award-winning writer. His passion for ghost signs started during 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. Stephan enjoys wandering Toronto where he always manages to discover something new.

Further Information

This tour runs rain or shine and lasts approximately 90 minutes. Please wear comfortable walking shoes and consider bringing sunscreen and water to make your tour as enjoyable as possible.

This tour is approximately 1.1 kilometers in distance and takes place predominantly on paved city sidewalks and streets. There are some unpaved portions of the route that take place in a city park.

If you have any questions prior to the tour, please contact us at
[email protected]. If you have any issues finding the group on the day of the tour, you can reach staff on-site at (647) 542-3450.

This tour uses individual audio headsets. All registered participants will be provided with an individual headset that will allow you to hear the live tour guide throughout the tour.

If you share our passion for accessible and inclusive heritage programming, we invite you to make a donation while on the tour to help fund one of our next walks. Staff can accept donations via cash, credit, or debit card onsite, and gifts of $20+ will receive a charitable tax receipt.