Canada has joined the growing list of countries that are taking UFOs seriously. The Office of the Chief Science Advisor of Canada has launched a study into unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs), also known as UFOs, and will release a public report by mid-2024, reports ctvnews.ca.
The study, called the Sky Canada Project, is the first known official Canadian UFO research effort in nearly 30 years. It was revealed by a document obtained by CTV News through an access to information request.
According to the document, the study aims to “provide an evidence-based analysis of UAP data and reports collected by various organizations” and “identify potential scientific explanations for a subset of UAP events.”
The study will also explore the potential implications of UAPs for national security, aviation safety, scientific innovation and public perception.
The document states that the study will collaborate with various stakeholders, including Transport Canada, National Defence, Public Safety Canada, NAV Canada and other federal departments and agencies.
The study will also consult with international partners, such as the U.S., France, Chile and Japan, which have conducted or are conducting similar investigations into UAPs.
The launch of the Sky Canada Project comes as Canadians are reporting more UFO sightings than ever before. According to Chris Rutkowski, a Winnipeg-based researcher who has been documenting UFO reports in Canada since 1989, there were 1,243 sightings reported in 2020, up from 849 in 2019.
Rutkowski said that some of the factors behind this increase may include more people staying at home due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and paying more attention to their surroundings; more media coverage of UFO-related stories; and more awareness of how to report UFO sightings online.
Rutkowski also said that some of the sightings may be explained by natural phenomena such as meteors or satellites; human-made objects such as drones or balloons; or misidentification of conventional aircraft or lights.
However, he added that some cases remain unexplained and deserve further investigation.
“I think it’s important for science to take a look at this phenomenon because it’s been happening for decades,” Rutkowski said. “There may be something new that we can learn from it.”
He also welcomed the Sky Canada Project as a positive step towards shedding more light on UAPs.
“I think it’s great that Canada is finally taking this seriously,” he said. “I hope that they will share their findings with the public and with other researchers who are interested in this topic.”
