Human remains have been found near Orangeville, Ont., but police have not linked the discovery to the case of a missing woman who vanished a week ago.

Officers were called to a rural area on Sunday morning after 9 a.m., when a person walking their dog discovered the remains.

"The coroner has attended the scene and has confirmed that the remains are human. A post-mortem examination will be conducted at the office of the chief coroner at a later date and time," said Ontario Provincial Police Const. Jonathan Beckett.

"We have been in contact with the Varaschin family regarding the discovery," said Beckett, who added that the family has asked for privacy.

OPP Const. Peter Leon wouldn't comment on the gender of the remains.

Around noon, a medical examiner arrived on scene. The remains were not immediately removed from the wooded area, as officers scoured the scene and surrounding area.

Nearly 10 hours after the discovery, police removed the remains from the isolated, wooded area.

At the scene, investigators dressed in protective suits so they would not contaminate the area.

Sonia Varaschin, a 42-year-old nurse, was last seen a week ago.

Her blood-stained car was found abandoned in Orangeville last Monday. Blood was also found in and around her nearby home, and police have been searching for blood-stained bed sheets that were removed from the home.

Varaschin was reported missing after she failed to show up for her shift on Monday morning. Police say foul play is suspected in the case.

The scene of the discovery is about 12 kilometres from Orangeville.

The case has gripped the small Ontario community, where many locals know each other.

Local resident Leslie Cairletti said she was in the area yesterday and smelled something as she jogged by. However, she said she didn't alert authorities.

"I don't know why I didn't call the police. I feel bad," Cairletti told CTV's Austin Delaney.

CTV Toronto's Sneha Kulkarni spoke to residents in Orangeville who said that the case has been the talk of the town for the past week.

Kulkarni said that the discovery of the remains sent ripples through the community on Sunday.

An autopsy on the remains will be conducted in the coming days.

Varaschin worked at a pharmaceutical company in Mississauga, but she had previously worked as a nurse.

Her family has asked for privacy during the investigation, and they did not comment on the discovery Sunday.