Do you believe? Report compiles 25 years of UFO sightings in Canada

Saturday, August 16, 2014, 5:21 PM -

The truth is out there -- or so one group out of Winnipeg wants us to believe. 

A group called Ufology Research has released the results of its 25-year-long study of Canadian UFO reports. 

In it, researchers say nearly 15,000 celestial oddities have been spotted since the group began collecting data in 1989.

"Coincidentally, this almost exactly matches the total number of UFO reports collected and analysed by the United States Air Force Project Blue Book during its official run of less than 20 years from 1952 to 1970," said the group in a blog post. 

Research co-ordinator Chris Rutkowski says the group's work doesn't provide absolute proof about the existence of extraterrestrials, but raises questions. 

"This is simply a phenomenon that's real, that people continue to report,'' Rutkowski said in an interview with The Canadian Press Press after the study was released Friday. "And I believe that science should take a better look at what's going on because the (data) suggests the phenomenon isn't going away.'' 

The study shows a growing number of unexplained sightings over the years. 

The "hot spot" cities with the most sightings were Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Calgary. 

The majority of sightings were spotted between 10 p.m. and midnight, and usually in July and August. 

About three per cent, or 467 cases, were close encounters, including alleged alien sightings and abductions. 

SEE ALSO: UFO SPOTTED IN TORONTO

"Regardless of one’s belief in the 'reality' of UFOs (however that may be construed), studies such as ours affirm that there is a persistent phenomenon that deserves further scientific study," concluded Rutkowski . 

Do you believe in extraterrestrial life? Let us know in the comments below!

With files from The Canadian Press