From the frozen skies of Canada to the lights of Manhattan, unidentified aerial phenomena are being reported at unprecedented rates. Is something changing in our skies?
Something is happening above us. Across North America, reports of unidentified flying objects are surging to levels not seen in years. In Canada, more than 1,000 UFO sightings were reported in 2025. In New York City, witnesses are capturing strange luminous orbs flying in triangular formations over Queens. The question on everyone is mind: what is going on?
Canada: 1,000+ Sightings in a Single Year
The 2025 edition of the Canadian UFO Survey, released this week, documents 1,052 UFO reports across Canada — the highest number since the COVID-19 pandemic and a significant jump from 1,008 in 2024 and just 570 in 2023.
“The number of reports in a given area is related to population, of course we get more reports from Ontario, Quebec and B.C., but there are some irregularities,” said Chris Rutkowski, research coordinator for the Canadian UFO Survey. “For example, Manitoba and Newfoundland had significant increases in UFO numbers, whereas in Alberta and B.C. we saw decreases in numbers. Why? We are really not sure, but it really proves that there is more to the UFO phenomenon that bears more understanding.”
Ontario led the pack with 30 per cent of total reports, Quebec claimed about 20 per cent, B.C. had 13.5 per cent and Alberta had roughly 11 per cent. Out of all 2025 reports, only 3.42 per cent were classified as “unexplained.”
Rutkowski also noted that one in ten Canadians believe they have seen a UFO. “It cuts across all demographics, and all areas of Canada,” he said. “If you have seen a UFO, you are definitely in very good company.”
The peak year for Canadian UFO reports remains 2012, with 1,982 sightings since the survey began in 1989. But the recent surge has researchers taking notice.
“Over the past few years and certainly after the pandemic, after that point people started taking a renewed interest and I would imagine some of that renewed interest came from some objects flying in the sky,” Rutkowski explained.
NYC: Triangle Orbs “Chasing” Over Queens
While Canadians were documenting their sightings, residents of New York City were looking up at something unusual of their own. A Reddit user in Queens captured footage of three mysterious, luminous orbs flying in an erratic, triangular formation over the city on March 8th.
The user, Charlie Correa, said the objects appeared to be “chasing each other” before he began recording the 18-second clip at approximately 8:30 p.m. The footage shows three faint, luminous orbs traveling across the night sky in a mostly triangular formation.
While some have speculated the orbs could be drones, birds, or other mundane explanations, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) acknowledged that it documents UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) sightings reported by pilots, though the agency declined to comment on this specific incident.
UFO sightings have been on the rise in New York, with 66 reported in the first half of 2025 alone.
What Is Driving the Surge?
The increase in sightings coincides with a broader cultural and political shift toward taking UFOs seriously. Recent congressional hearings, government whistleblowers, and high-profile figures like Steven Spielberg speaking out have all contributed to a new openness about the topic.
Most sightings, according to researchers, have mundane explanations — aircraft, planes, satellites, planets, and other conventional objects that are misidentified. But a small percentage remain unexplained, and it is those cases that continue to captivate the public imagination.
As Rutkowski put it: “There certainly is a concern about people being a little watchful and wondering what is going on up there.”
Whether the surge reflects more objects in the sky, more eyes watching, or a combination of both, one thing is clear: the skies are getting more attention than ever before.
Read more about the Canadian UFO Survey on CTV News.
