Far up in the northern reaches of British Columbia, where the wilderness thickens and roads fade into gravel, lies a town unlike any other. Kitsault, established in 1979, was created as a model mining community—an ambitious, self-contained paradise in the heart of Canadian nature. It had everything: a hospital, school, shopping center, library, movie theatre, and rows of modern homes. It was ready to thrive. And yet, just 18 months later, it was entirely abandoned.
The story is as brief as it is haunting. Built by AMAX Canada to house workers for a nearby molybdenum mine, Kitsault grew quickly to over 1,200 residents. But in 1982, the molybdenum market collapsed. The mine was shut down. The jobs vanished. Everyone left. And the town—still brand-new—was left completely intact.
Unlike traditional ghost towns, Kitsault was never ruined or ravaged. The homes still stand, some furnished. The power still works. The heating systems still hum. For decades, it was privately owned and sealed off from the public. It became a time capsule—perfectly preserved, unnervingly quiet.
In 2005, Indian entrepreneur Krishnan Suthanthiran purchased the entire town for under $7 million CAD, with dreams of transforming it into a hub for wellness, research, or creativity. While some attempts were made—occasional events, private conferences—Kitsault remains mostly dormant, kept in pristine condition, but devoid of residents.
Today, Kitsault is one of Canada’s strangest urban anomalies. It’s not open to general tourism, which adds to its intrigue. Those lucky enough to visit describe it as stepping onto a movie set after filming has ended—no chaos, no decay. Just silence, perfectly intact.
In a world where abandonment usually means ruin, Kitsault is different: a place waiting to be reawakened, its streets swept, its lights still glowing. A dream paused mid-sentence.
