Exploring abandoned places raises ethical questions that anyone interested in Ontario's forgotten history should think about before heading out. Who owns this land? Is it safe to be here? Am I damaging anything by being here? Will my visit lead to problems for the landowner or for future visitors? These are not abstract questions. The answers have real consequences for the places we visit and for the broader community of people who care about Ontario's heritage.
This guide lays out the principles we follow at Ontario Exploration. They are not rules imposed by some external authority. They are practical guidelines born from experience, from watching how careless exploration damages sites, alienates landowners, and ultimately results in interesting places being demolished or sealed off. Responsible exploration is not just the ethical choice. It is the choice that preserves the opportunity for future exploration.
Respect Property Rights
The single most important principle of ethical exploration is respect for property rights. The vast majority of abandoned places in Ontario are on private land. The fact that a building appears abandoned does not mean that no one owns it or cares about it. Ontario's Trespass to Property Act makes it clear that entering private property without permission is illegal, regardless of the condition of the property.
In practice, this means that a great deal of exploration involves observing and photographing from public roads, trails, and waterways. This is perfectly legal and, honestly, is sufficient for most purposes. A photograph taken from a public road can be just as powerful as one taken from inside a building, and it comes without the legal and ethical complications of trespassing.
When you want closer access, ask. Many landowners are willing to let respectful visitors look around, particularly if you explain your interest in the history of the site. A polite request and a willingness to accept "no" for an answer will get you access to more places than any amount of sneaking around.
Take Nothing, Leave Nothing
The Leave No Trace principle applies as much to abandoned places as it does to wilderness camping. Do not take artifacts, building materials, or anything else from a site. Do not leave trash, graffiti, or any other evidence of your visit. Do not move things around to create a better photograph. Leave the site exactly as you found it.
This principle is harder to follow than it sounds. The temptation to pick up an interesting object, a hand-forged nail, an old bottle, a piece of machinery, is real. But every object removed from a site diminishes it for the next visitor. And in aggregate, the removal of artifacts from abandoned sites has stripped many locations of the details that made them interesting and historically informative.
The approach to a forgotten place is often as interesting as the site itself. Take time to understand the landscape around the ruins you visit.
Do Not Share Sensitive Locations
Not every location should be shared publicly. Some sites are fragile. Some are on private land where the owner tolerates low-key visitors but would be overwhelmed by a crowd. Some contain hazards that inexperienced visitors might not recognize. And some are simply better off not being widely known.
We are selective about what locations we publish. We do not share GPS coordinates for sensitive sites. We do not identify private landowners. We sometimes deliberately obscure the exact location of a site in our articles, providing enough information for a knowledgeable explorer to find it but not enough for someone to plug coordinates into their phone and drive straight there.
If someone shares a location with you in confidence, respect that confidence. The exploration community depends on trust. Breaking that trust by posting locations on social media is a reliable way to get sites closed, demolished, or vandalized.
Know Your Limits
Abandoned buildings are dangerous. Floors collapse. Roofs fall in. Stairs give way. There is no maintenance, no fire suppression, and no one to call for help if something goes wrong. If you choose to enter an abandoned building, and we generally recommend against it, you are accepting a significant level of risk.
Our safety guide covers the practical aspects of staying safe. But the ethical dimension is also important. If you are injured at an abandoned site, the emergency response may put first responders at risk. The resulting attention may cause problems for the property owner. And the incident may lead to the site being demolished or more aggressively secured.
Support Preservation
The best thing you can do for Ontario's abandoned places is support the organizations and individuals working to preserve them. Local historical societies, heritage organizations, and conservation authorities are often the only thing standing between a significant building and the wrecking ball.
If you discover a site that you believe has historical significance, consider reporting it to the local heritage committee or the Ontario Heritage Trust. Documentation, even simple photographs and GPS coordinates shared with the right people, can help make the case for preservation. Your exploration can contribute to the historical record if you share your findings with people who can act on them.