Project Second Storey

Project Second Storey was an interdepartmental committee set up on 22 April 1952, under the Defence Research Board, to settle the Canadian government's position on UFOs [S1]. It began as Project Theta [S2]. It was chaired by Peter Millman of the Dominion Observatory, a skeptic who thought the project a waste of resources [S3]. Wilbert Smith of Project Magnet sat on it [S4]. At its fifth meeting, on 9 March 1953, the committee concluded that the evidence did not warrant a full investigation [S4]. Minutes survive in the Arthur Bray fonds at the University of Ottawa [S2].

Sources

[S1] "Project Second Storey" (Wikipedia) URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Second_Storey Accessed: 2026-09-18 Claim: Founded 22 April 1952 under the DRB

[S2] Matthew Hayes, "Canada, UFOs, and Wishful Thinking" (ActiveHistory.ca) URL: https://activehistory.ca/blog/2017/02/10/canada-ufos-and-wishful-thinking-2 Accessed: 2026-09-18 Claim: Began as Project Theta; five meetings' minutes survive

[S3] "UFOs in Canada" (The Canadian Encyclopedia) URL: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/ufos-in-canada Accessed: 2026-09-18 Claim: Millman chaired and was skeptical

[S4] Timothy Good, "Above Top Secret," ch. 8 (reproduced) URL: https://www.stealthskater.com/Documents/Smith_03.pdf Accessed: 2026-09-18 Claim: Membership including Smith; conclusion

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