The Lights of 1990 Over Montréal


It was in 1990 that everyone looked up to the sky in downtown Montreal to look at strange lights. UfOs?

A Little Recap

The lights of 1990 over Montréal was an unidentified flying object hovering over the French skies of Montréal in the province of Québec, Canada.

It was a moment where the city stood still and looked over the Place Bonaventure.

1990 Lights Footage

A Little History

The city of Montréal is over four hundred years old, closer to 484 discovered by the explorer Jacques Cartier back on October 2nd, 1535.

Inhabited by many First Nations families and in Ojibwe, the island of Montréal knew the name Mooniyang, meaning The First Stopping Place linked to their Seven Fires Prophecy.

Montreal 1990 Lights
Montreal 1990 Lights

The island itself is four thousand years old according to archeologists and belonged to First Nations, but its name that we know today means Royal Mount from 16th century French, Mont Real.

UFO Likes Poutine?

In 2017, the province of Québec led the way in terms of UFO sightings with 518 reports that the Canadian UFO Survey noted given by the UFOlogy Research of Manitoba.

The Canadian total concerning UFO sightings piled up to 1’101. Placing the French province ahead of everyone, Ontario followed with 241 sightings.


Montréal reported 74 UFO sightings while Toronto fell behind with 57 strange sky occurrences. Among those people were astronomy amateurs and people used to the sky and do observations.

The lights of 1990 over Montréal were quite unique. While it doesn’t prove that aliens are visiting La Belle Province, it shows that Canada has its fair share of UFO sightings.

The 1990 Incident

It was November 7th, 1990, at 7:20 pm when Montréal knew its most famous UFO encounter.

The first report happened on the rooftop of a building in a swimming pool by a woman who told a lifeguard who told a security guard and so on. What was the report you ask? The light-emitting object in the sky.

Montreal 1990 Lights
Montreal 1990 Lights

The reason for the Montréal sighting to be so popular is because reputable people witnessed the event such as police officers, reporters, RCMP officials. It happened in downtown Montréal. It is The Place Bonaventure Incident.

First on-site was the famous local newspaper, La Presse and the police. Soon after, the military responded, and so did officials work at the Dorval and Mirabel airports.

Montreal 1990 Lights
Montreal 1990 Lights

It didn’t take much time before NASA received a phone call, and yet, no one could explain the unidentified flying object is hovering overhead of the Montréal citizens. Then, CBC joined the pack of journalists.

The 1990 Object

The descriptions themselves could be quite alarming. A police officer described the UFO as a large and round metallic saucer projecting beams of light into the horizon.

The event itself lasted for three hours. All recorded occurring between 7:20 pm to 10:10 pm.


While a Montréal ufologist and ex-NASA scientists wrote a report what is now called The Place Bonaventure Incident, they might not confirm the alien presence.

“The existence of a highly unusual, hovering, a large silent object is indisputable.”

Still, they did write something that places Montréal among the top leading UFO sightings city of all time.

It wasn’t a crash, but quite a view.

Montreal 1990 Lights
Montreal 1990 Lights

It wasn’t a crash like in Roswell, New Mexico. It wasn’t a crash in Aurora, Texas. It didn’t happen a hundred years ago, but it appeared on television and happened above an urban and dynamic city in a highly dense populated place.

What to Think?

I was only five years old when the UFO sighting occurred in Montréal. I wish I could’ve been there and witness it.

UFO sightings are not as rare as we think but have no predictable trajectory. Do I want to know what it was? Yes. Most likely, it is to stay a mystery.

Personal Montreal 1990 Light Video

It is an adventure Montréal was lucky to have and is now part of its history.

Maybe one day, those lights come again, and we might finally know what they are. Hopefully, they are peaceful and kind.

The lights of 1990 over Montréal might happen once more and I hope it does so I can see them.

The OCD Ufologist
Alexa Wayne

Published by Arielle Lyon

I'm a full-time make-believer who loves the 80s and do lots of research on various topics. I'm a nerd to the core and a geek in my heart. I'm also Alexa Wayne.

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