Preserving the National Registration File

The National Registration File from the Second World War is arriving at Library and Archives Canada (LAC). Statistics Canada is transferring the records to LAC in batches in June and July 2025.

We are working with care to preserve these valuable records and are temporarily pausing public access during this process. Due to years of use and the deteriorating nature of cellulose acetate film, this important collection is in poor physical condition. To prevent further damage, the records must be stored in cold storage at -10ºC. This will give LAC specialists time to develop a plan to ensure that digital copies of these records remain accessible in the future.

These records are a rich source of demographic information on Canadian individuals, even more detailed than census records. In August 1940, the Department of National War Services initiated a national registration of all persons in Canada aged 16 and older (with some exceptions). Newfoundland conducted a similar registration beginning in 1942. The resulting National Registration File includes approximately eight million questionnaire cards, which were later imaged on microfilm. The questionnaires provide details such as address, age, date and place of birth, general health, and occupation. For immigrants to Canada, the forms also record key details such as the year of arrival and the country of birth of their parents.

To make these archival records searchable and visible online, they must be:

• Assessed — we will assess the stability of the microfilms to determine whether they can be circulated without permanent damage and whether their content remains legible.
• Added to the collection — we will assign reel numbers and storage location, create archival descriptions and add entries in Collection search.
• Accessible — we will determine the best approach for digitizing and providing access to the files.

Thank you for your patience as this process moves forward. We will be updating this page with new information as it becomes available, so please check back regularly.