To successfully trace ancestors in Canada, you'll need to learn about the province's history to find the documents you need. Here's a look at some key dates in each Canadian province and how to contact the provincial or territorial archives:
| Province |
Date Formed |
Joined Canadian Confederation |
Civil Registration |
Provincial/Territorial Archives |
| Alberta |
1882 |
1905 |
1889; full compliance 1898 |
Provincial Archives of Alberta
8555 Roper Road
Edmonton, Alberta T6E 5W1
(780) 427-1056
www.cd.gov.ab.ca/preserving/
provincial_archives |
| British Columbia |
1866 |
1871 |
1872 |
British Columbia Archives
655 Belleville St.
Victoria, British Columbia V8V 1X4
(250) 387-1952
www.bcarchives.gov.bc.ca |
| Manitoba |
1870 |
1870 |
1882 |
Provincial Archives of Manitoba
200 Vaughn St.
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 1T5
(204) 945-3971
www.gov.mb.ca/chc/archives
|
| New Brunswick |
1784 |
1867 |
1888; full compliance 1920 |
Provincial Archives of New Brunswick
Box 6000
Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5H1
(506) 453-2122
www.gnb.ca/archives
|
| Newfoundland and Labrador |
1832 |
1949 |
1892 |
Provincial Archives of
Newfoundland and Labrador
Colonial Building
Military Road
St. John's, Newfoundland A1C 2C9
(709) 729-3065
www.gov.nf.ca/panl |
| Northwest Territories |
1870 |
1870 |
1925 |
Archives of the Northwest Territories
c/o Prince of Wales
Northern Heritage Centre
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
X1A 2L9
(403) 873-7698
pwnhc.learnnet.nt.ca/
programs/archive.htm |
| Nova Scotia |
1604, as Acadia; "New Scotland" established 1621 |
1867 |
1864; only marriages recorded 1877-1908 |
Nova Scotia Archives and
Records Management
(Public Archives of Nova Scotia)
6016 University Ave.
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 1W4
(902) 424-6060
www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm |
| Ontario |
1791, as Upper Canada |
1867 |
1869; full compliance 1930 |
Archives of Ontario
77 Grenville St., Unit 300
Toronto, Ontario 1B3
(416) 327-1600
www.archives.gov.on.ca |
| Prince Edward Island |
1769 |
1873 |
1906 |
Public Archives and
Records Office
Box 100
Charlottetown, Prince Edward
Island C1A 7M4
(902) 368-4290
www2.gov.pe.ca/educ/archives/
archives_index.asp |
| Quebec |
1608 |
1867 |
1926 |
Archives nationals du Québec
1012, avenue du Seminaire
CP 10450
Sainte-Foy, Québec G1V 4N1
(418) 643-8904
www.anq.gouv.qc.ca |
| Saskatchewan |
1882 |
1905 |
1878; full compliance 1920 |
Saskatchewan Archives Board
Murray Building
University of Saskatchewan
3 Campus Drive
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A4
(306) 933-5832
www.saskarchives.com
Saskatchewan Archives Board
Regina Office
University of Regina
Regina, SK S4S 0A2
(306) 787-4068
www.saskarchives.com |
| Yukon Territory |
1895 |
1898 |
1896; full compliance 1925 |
Yukon Archives
Box 2703
Whitehorse, Yukon
Territory Y1A 2C6
(403) 667-5321
www.gov.yk.ca/depts/education/
libarch/yukarch.html |