Improved online access to historical records

We continue to review our web content and make it easier to find historical records online. This often means that we are moving content from our legacy and stand-alone databases or web pages into our federated search tools, Collection Search or Census Search.

We’re committed to communicating these changes with our users to make the transition to the new access model as seamless and easy as possible. Here are a few examples of how we’re doing this:

Census access update

• We have finished integrating Schedule B to the 1851 Census returns, Schedules 2–9 to the 1871 Census returns, and Schedule 2 to the 1901 Census returns into Census Search. Previously, users had to sift through this information on separate web pages.
• Census schedules are the copies of the specific census questionnaires that offer valuable insight into what the census records really tell us about the lives and work of the people listed therein. Each census had several different questionnaires and therefore several different schedules. You can find the respective census schedules in the digital viewer for each year.
• This work concludes the migration of census records and supporting documents into Census Search.
• This means that in the coming weeks, we will be closing the previous, standalone census web pages and related databases from the Census of 1825, Lower Canada, to the Census of the Prairie Provinces, 1926.
• If you visit the old databases and web pages, you will be redirected to Census Search.

British military (RG8) files update

• We have migrated the British Military files (RG8) into Collection Search. These were previously only available through outdated web pages.
• This record group covers a wide range of military and naval topics—like Canadian militia, the War of 1812, and the Rebellion of 1837—and civil topics like roads, bridges, and public buildings. They are indispensable primary sources for research into military and civilian life between 1759 and 1906 in the territories that would become Canada.
• You can learn more about these records and how to access them through the new help page.
• In the coming weeks, users of the outdated British Military web pages will be redirected to Collection Search.

Much of this work is related to addressing older databases that are built on technology that has reached the end of its service life. Rest assured that you will still be able to access all this data through Collection Search or Census Search, where it benefits from regular data cleanup and standardization, making it more accurate and reliable. You can even create an account on our website and save links to records that interest you.

As our digital collections grow, we’re doing what we can to make sure that these resources are accessible and well-maintained. You can find more information about our work to keep improving your online experience on our website here.