Then and now: inside Canada's biggest abandoned mansion worth millions

Discover Canada's largest abandoned mansion

Once set to be the largest mansion in Canada, this huge home has been left to rot for decades. Dubbed the Peter Grant Mansion, the property was to be filled to the brim with luxurious features, including a waterfall, small golf course, two swimming pools, an indoor boat garage, squash court and an observation lighthouse.

But today, all that remains is an empty shell left open to the elements. Via images captured by urban explorer Freaktography, we examine the fascinating history of this abandoned building and discover how a promising update could see this remarkable home finally finished.

Read on to take the tour and discovering its intriguing story...

The beginning of a dream

Peter Grant, the multi-millionaire owner of Grant Forest Products Corporation, began work on his dream home way back in 2005. He had made his fortune in wood after setting up his company in 1980; it soon became North America's third-largest supplier of oriented strand board.

Grant bought a 43-acre (17.4ha) plot of land on the picturesque shores of Lake Temiskaming in Northern Ontario, Canada, for CAD$110,000 ($80.5k/£61.5k) and made plans to build a 65,000-square-foot (6,038sqm) custom mansion.

Undone by the financial crisis

However, as Peter Grant's dream mansion neared completion, construction halted in 2008.

The global economic recession had financially crippled him and in 2009 – after filing for court protection from creditors, with roughly CAD$600 million ($439m/£335m) of debt – all of the company's assets, including the mansion, were put up for sale.

Sprawling grounds

The project was so far along when construction halted that most of its exteriors are complete, leaving the solid shell of the building standing.

Grant had planned for the building to serve as both his personal home and corporate office. After his company's 2009 downfall, the property sat idle until it was put on the market in 2010 for CAD$25 million ($18.3m/£14m).

A multi-millionaire's fall from grace

At the height of his career, Grant was Canada's 87th wealthiest person, with a net worth of CAD$381 million ($278m)/£212m) in 2004.

However, within a few years of his fall from grace, the remnants of his titular mansion-to-be had been snapped up by an unknown Toronto company. Still, there was hope that the mansion might finally be finished in accordance with its intended glory.

Discarded and empty

But the costs of completing the mansion and making it a home were estimated at at least CAD$1 million ($727k/£558k). The company that had purchased the property reportedly failed to pay taxes on it for three years running, so the town of Haileybury moved to put the proposed Peter Grant Mansion on the market.

However, in the final hours before the sale, the mysterious Toronto company paid their debts.

A shell of what it could have been

Despite this, the company did little to improve the property and sadly, many of the exterior spaces have been damaged by vandals, despite dozens of security cameras being installed to deter intruders.

As you can see, the interior rooms remain in an uninhabitable condition and many are littered with construction materials.

An abandoned, unused fireplace

Rather than the home it was conceived as, the mansion as captured by urban explorer Dave of Freaktography in 2020 before it succumbed to further damage, has an industrial feel to it. Doubtless, a result of being left abandoned for over a decade. The building is haunted by potential and the thwarted promise of what it could have been.

For example, what could have been a stunning feature fireplace surrounded by a brick wall has been left empty in this living area, yearning for a new owner to come and make use of it.

Discarded furniture

Much of the building's glass exterior has been damaged by vandals, although there are places where it remains untouched. But in a room that should have been filled with luxury furniture, all that's left in this particular space is a single discarded chair.

A winding, graffitied corridor

Heading further inside the sprawling home, there are multiple winding corridors leading to a number of vast rooms boasting floor-to-ceiling windows.

This curvy corridor has been subject to graffiti by vandals, who forced their way into the long-abandoned mansion. Sadly, today the damage is even worse.

Nature is reclaiming the property

Despite the home's sad state, it requires only a little imagination to envisage how amazing the mansion could have been, had it been finished.

The statement stone walls are complete, though this corner has been left without flooring and has a red cross beside one of the doors and you can see evidence of damp forming on the floor.

Unfinished floors

As with much of the rest of the house, the floors are still unfinished along this long corridor. The plywood is exposed, the electrical wiring has not been completed and many of the walls remain incomplete.

However, one can easily imagine this stylish brick wall serving as a focal point of the home.

Discarded building materials

At the turn of each corner, you'll find equipment leftover from when the mansion was still being built. This small empty alcove had the potential for many purposes but is instead being used merely as a storage space for old materials.

Do not enter

Heading further into the home, a foreboding vibe is set by a message of "Do not enter" alongside this corridor entrance.

Whether left by the long-vanished building crew or the vandals who've since prowled the property, we're not sure we'd walk any further along the wooden corridor, no matter how luxurious it seems!

Unfinished business

The swimming pool is hidden in the depths of the unfinished mansion. Instead of being filled with turquoise waters, as planned, it now contains debris and discarded wood left over from the abruptly curtailed works.

Peter had envisaged the building serving as both his home and workplace and this pool could have been the perfect place to unwind after a hard day's work.

The swimming pool

One of two indoor swimming pools in the building, it's not hard to imagine how luxurious the finished room might have been.

A small, curved set of stairs would have led into the shallow end of the pool, while windows offered views out across the scenic lake.

A grand staircase

The ultimate fixer-upper, every corner of the home needs a helping hand. Towards the back of the pool room sits this spiral staircase.

The Peter Grant Mansion could have been a work of art; instead, it's a concrete shell in dire need of a big cash injection to realise the architect's vision and turn it into a luxury lakeside home.

Heading upstairs

Ascend the spiral staircase to the mysterious first floor and you'll discover the upper level is just as barren as below.

Its concrete walls are decorated solely by a small graffiti mark left by one of the many visitors who have passed through uninvited over the years.

Hazardous spaces

Along with the spiral staircase, an empty lift shaft suggests what would have been an alternative way to reach the deepest corners of the sprawling mansion.

However, with the elevator itself not having been installed before works ceased, all that remains is a plywood box surrounded by unfinished walls. It's more of a hazard than anything.

Dirt and debris

With the contractors seemingly having upped and left in a hurry, many of the rooms are littered with the building materials of yesteryear.

For the most part an empty shell, only the stunning wood-panelling on the back wall offers a hint of the intended vision for this abandoned room.

The upper level

The upper floor is even more empty than the lower level. This huge atrium boasts towering ceilings and is flooded by light from the huge windows. However the walls are yet to be finished.

One can't help but wonder what material would have been used?

Spiralling repair costs

This hallway was set to be a real focal point of the home. However, left draped in plastic sheeting and with a bare staircase, there's nothing opulent about it.

What's more, the window has been damaged, only increasing the bill for repairing and completing the home, which at the time of its sale was in upwards of CAD$1 million ($727k/£558k). Nowadays it's much more...

An impressive spot

The upper level still offers hardy visitors some panoramic views. A peaceful spot amongst the debris and decay, this space would have been sure to impress Grant's guests.

Evidence of life

However, further along the corridor the chaos and mess returns. This small room is dotted with dirt and debris left by the vanished workers.

On the other side of the wall we can spy rare evidence of life: a small green mug perched upon an upturned table.

A playground for the rich

Conceived as a playground for the super-rich, the home ended up a partly-finished relic of hubris.

The massive mansion was supposed to come complete with a massive boat dock. Frozen over with ice during the winter period, the space is left wasted and unusable.

Heading outside

From the outside the effects of the neglect are clear to see. Peppered with overgrown grass, this courtyard space has definitely seen better times.

But, it has the potential to be so much more...

Dried up

This was intended to be a flowing waterfall, but has long since dried up. Starved of necessary electricity, the outside area is only a shadow of what it could have been and has been left to decay for years.

Plenty of potential

However, if you look up, the main building is complete, with wood cladding on the exterior offering a taste of what to expect inside.

And even in this state, it's possible to get a sense of the property's limitless potential.

A new future

But, things are finally looking up for the abandoned mansion. In 2022, Texas-based entrepreneur Chris Fischer started the process of buying the house for an undisclosed amount after he saw it on Freaktography's tour. The purchase agreement went into place in August of 2022 under a seller take-back agreement. This is where the seller carries the financing. As Chris says: "There is not a bank in Canada or the USA that would finance the property due to the current condition."

With such a huge project on his hands, a Facebook page was set up to share his plans and updates for the mammoth renovation.

Visionary dreamer

Thanks to years of neglect, the mansion is now a massive fixer-upper for Fischer, but as a self-proclaimed "visionary dreamer" and "maverick", he believes that he can do whatever he puts his mind to. Plus, he has roped in his family to assist him with the work.

In a recent Facebook video, he said there's a lot going on behind the scenes with organising funding and finding investors to help with the cost of the work. Another post says: "Why do people think restoring a 65,000 sq. ft. vandalized masterpiece and 43 acres of wild overgrowth happens with a snap of the fingers?" We’re talking financing, planning, sourcing everything from generators... to elevator parts and graffiti removal methods."

Pitching a TV show

Fischer is hoping to gain more traction with the project by starring in a reality TV show that will follow the ins and outs of his mammoth renovation journey. The series, which will be called Mansion Impossible, will follow the businessman and his family (pictured), as they tackle the various stages of the project, which will undoubtedly take years to complete.

"It's spooky, scary, destroyed. It's a mess," said one of the producers Theresa Kowall-Shipp describing the current state of the house. She and another Toronto-based producer David Woodside are currently in pre-development with the LA-based production company RiverRock Real. They hope to attract a broadcast network to air the show once it's finished.

A gigantic project

The team has said the series "will unravel the real-life story of this monumental resurrection, combined with family friction and ‘fish out of water’ challenges, as they plant their Texas flag in Northern Ontario."

With Fischer based in Texas and travelling between his home and the site, it seems there is still a problem with vandalism with new graffiti appearing on walls despite the ongoing work towards restoration. In fact, Chris says that: "Easily five to six million US dollars in damages has occurred in the past four to five years. Every one of the 106 massive windows has been destroyed, either shot at or smashed from the inside."

Extensive damage

He goes on to say: "Wire has been stripped, and the materials that were on site have all been stolen... the entire custom dock system stolen, street lights along the water front stolen. The graffiti is a sight to see, on the inside there are few spaces that have not been completely tagged. The show is called Mansion Impossible because of the extensive damage."

Due to the vandalism and disrepair Chris says it could take up to five years to restore the mansion, with estimated completion costs being in the region of $12 to $14 million, that's around CAD$19.3m/£10.7m.

Uncertain future

With the future of the mansion up in the air and no confirmed plans for its transformation, we hope that Chris and his family can save this important Canadian landmark.

We certainly can't wait to see what Chris does with this remarkable residence and we're sure Mansion Impossible will be well worth a watch.