How to Access Catholic Archival Records

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Find Sacramental Records

We preserve the records of the Archdiocese of Vancouver, including some microfilm copies of sacramental registers.

To obtain an official sacramental certificate (baptism, confirmation, marriage, or burial), you must contact the parish where the sacrament took place.

If the sacrament occurred outside the Archdiocese of Vancouver (e.g. Kamloops, Nelson, Prince George, or Victoria), please contact the diocese where the sacrament took place.

Under British Columbia privacy legislation, access to sacramental records is limited to:

• ‍The individual named on the record
• A parent or legal guardian (for those under 18)
• A person with written consent

Records only become publicly accessible after the following time periods:

• Baptisms: 100 years‍
• Confirmations: 100 years
• Marriages: 75 years
• Burials: 20 years  

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Inactive Parishes

We hold records for some inactive or defunct parishes, including:

• Notre Dame de la Paix (New Westminster)  
• St. Margaret’s Parish (Ocean Falls)  
• St. Mary’s Parish (Mission)  

For other inactive parishes, please contact the nearest active parish:

Spanish Catholic Mission
Contact: Our Lady of Sorrows, Vancouver
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Vietnamese Catholic Mission
Contact: St. Joseph Parish, Vancouver ‍

103 Korean Martyrs
Contact: St. Andrew Kim Parish, Surrey

‍St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish
Contact: St. Mark Parish, Vancouver

For records from former military chapels, contact the Military Ordinariate of Canada.

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What We Do Not Hold

Our Archives Office does not hold all types of records. Please see below for where to direct your request:

Birth and death certificates
Request through the BC Vital Statistics Agency  

Catholic school records
Contact the Catholic Independent Schools of the Vancouver Archdiocese (CISVA)  

Residential school records
Contact the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation  

Records from other Catholic dioceses in British Columbia
Contact the appropriate diocese directly  

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Adoption Records (Catholic Children’s Aid Society)

The Catholic Children’s Aid Society operated from 1905 to 1973 and provided child welfare services within the Catholic community.

The Archdiocese of Vancouver does not hold adoption records from this organization. When the Society was dissolved in 1974, all records (including adoption records) were transferred to the provincial government.

To request adoption records, please contact BC Vital Statistics, which manages access under provincial privacy legislation.

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Genealogical Research

We are a closed archive facility with limited capacity to conduct genealogical research on behalf of individuals. Researchers may request access to records that are open to the public based on the following timeframes:

• Baptisms: 100 years  
• Confirmations: 100 years  
• Marriages: 75 years  
• Burials: 20 years  

If you are unable to locate a record through the appropriate parish or agency, please submit a request to search the archives below.

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Research Visits

We welcome authorized researchers by appointment. To request a research visit, please submit a written request by email or mail addressed to the Archives Office. Requests must include:

• A description of your research topic  
• At least one letter of reference (from a parish priest or related institution)  

All research is conducted on-site. Access to materials is subject to the discretion of the Archdiocese of Vancouver.

Fees:

• Black and white photocopies: $0.50 per page  
• Colour photocopies: $1.00 per page  
• Digital scans: $5.00 per image (processing time may apply)  

No flash photography is permitted.

Researchers are responsible for obtaining copyright permission where required. Where the Archdiocese holds copyright, materials must be properly credited.

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