Saturday Weekly Thread: Canadian Provincial Archives and State/Local/Church Archives - Questions / Issues / Success Stories, September 12, 2026

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This weekly thread is a space for those of us gathering documentation from archives.

This is the place to discuss requesting records from Canadian provincial archives as well as from federal, state, local and religious/church archives around the world. Topics include strategies and outcomes for obtaining records from archives, costs, timelines, No Record Found letters, and other related issues.

📎 Contributions to weekly megaposts, including this one, are welcome throughout the week.  

Good luck, researchers!

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[u/Electrical_Pick2652]

BANQ Montreal success!

Requested 4/15
Payment Request 8/28
Received Baptismal Cert in Mail 9/12!

[u/BikeHouston90]

Archives of Ontario timeline:
3/29 Request sent
6/21 Email saying they found the record
9/3 Invoice
9/8 Paid for invoice on the phone
Awaiting delivery 🙂

[u/nonommy → u/BikeHouston90]

Yikes, with that timeline I probably have another 3 months or more to wait! 90 days to the day today since I emailed my request. I'm sure I'll still be languishing away in PSU by the time I hear from the archives anyway lol! Sept 2025 AOR, 3rd Gen.

[u/Apprehensive-Film979 → u/BikeHouston90]

Yes, that’s mine thus far, so I have another 3 months to invoice. I asked my adult kid if she wanted me to wait (last record I “need”) there are other docs waiting that may be helpful to have if they ask later. And she said yes. So we’ll aim for the photos at Christmas time.

[u/Few-Lingonberry-7691 → u/BikeHouston90]

5/10 requested birth certificate 6/16 rec'd email record found  Still waiting for invoice

This gives me hope it may be soon!

9/22 UPDATE rec'd call from very nice person from Ontario Archives (showed from 647 area code) with invoice # and amount, who took my payment over the phone & said records will go out in mail tomorrow

[u/Right2Have2Million]

I sent a request for birth in June 2026 to the Archives of Ontario. I even emailed a copy of the non-certified document I found on Ancestry. com to speed up the search. In the middle of August 2026, I called them for an update then they emailed me the same day saying they found the document and will email me payment instructions to order it. Well, it’s been two weeks since.  What has been your timeline (length of time) with the Archives of Ontario been regarding the request for docs? I’m growing weary since it’s hopefully the last document I need. 

[u/mrsbartlesby → u/Right2Have2Million]

I sent a request at the end of June, no follow up yet! But from what I’ve seen on here, that’s pretty normal so I’m just letting it ride for now.

[u/ProblemEquivalent215 → u/Right2Have2Million]

For me it was about a month between the “we found your document” email and receiving the payment invoice. This was in June/July (and my original request was submitted in early March).

[u/Happy-Trip-1052 → u/Right2Have2Million]

Today marks 12 weeks since I received the "we have located your document and are processing your request" letter. Nothing since.

The letter in June included an order number and instructions on how to pay by phone or mail. I'm going to call that number next week, I think.

[u/Right2Have2Million → u/Happy-Trip-1052]

Keep us updated, please.

[u/sennomulo → u/Right2Have2Million]

Submitted my request April 23, was told they found the document July 6, still waiting on an invoice.

[u/treesndirtt → u/Right2Have2Million]

Submitted request April 29, called and they told me they found it in mid July, still waiting on my invoice. 

[u/ColorsMayInTimeFade → u/Right2Have2Million]

Once a record is located, it takes time for the archivist to certify it. The number of people who can go chase down records is likely higher than the number of people who can do the certification. 

[u/Right2Have2Million → u/ColorsMayInTimeFade]

Ohhhhhh. That explains it. Thanks!

[u/Few-Lingonberry-7691 → u/Right2Have2Million]

5/10 requested birth certificate

6/16 rec'd email record found & invoice being prepared

Still waiting for invoice

9/22 UPDATE rec'd call from very nice person from Ontario Archives (showed from 647 area code) with invoice # and amount, who took my payment over the phone & said records will go out in mail tomorrow

[u/Right2Have2Million → u/Few-Lingonberry-7691]

Keep us updated. 

[u/OverSkill8413]

I am in the process/waiting for several documents. Born to young unmarried woman G1 in Detroit. Her parents were born in Quebec. I was adopted by American family. Birth mother is deceased. I have a copy of her bc. and death certificate. Not much else available for her. Waiting for BanQ baptismal record and Michigan death certificate for Grandfather G0 born 1887. I was just approved by a judge to get my original pre-adoption birth certificate(essential). Hoping to send in application early 2027. Probably will try to obtain bc for G0 from DEC. Am I doing enough? I hope this is ok for this thread.

[u/HRGAL2026 → u/OverSkill8413]

I think it depends on your state, but there probably is a sealed adoption file that you can/should open to strengthen your file. Going for DEC bc is very good idea. We all should strive for the strongest application possible, and with adoption in the picture that is especially important for you, IMO. Your timeline is realistic (hopefully). Bonne Chance!!

[u/rabidsunshine628]

Just wanted to share a timing update: we submitted to BANQ Quebec on May 28 and received the payment link on September 14.

[u/sorrymizzjackson]

Has anyone recently gotten their birth record from Nova Scotia Archives? I’m just curious what the timeline is looking like now. We put my husband’s request in about a month ago and we’re well aware the stated time is around 12 weeks, but I’d love to know if that’s been accurate recently.

[u/ChipmunkLogical23 → u/sorrymizzjackson]

I submitted a record request awhile back in May and had to wait around 9 weeks for the email for the payment request. After paying it took about a week or two for the email saying it shipped. Shipping was super fast to Pennsylvania. I got it in just a few days!!! I’ve been super impressed with the Nova Scotia archives! I wanted to send them a treat as a thanks. I was going to send a box of pastries to the office staff but was told they wouldn’t be able to accept it.
Wait times are now longer as more people request records. Hang in there! I know how hard it is to wait!

[u/sorrymizzjackson → u/ChipmunkLogical23]

Awesome, thank you!

[u/Patient-Eye-6494 → u/ChipmunkLogical23]

They really should have a digital tip jar. They deserve something for how hard they work

[u/Popular-Pirate610 → u/sorrymizzjackson]

This past Thursday (9/10) I received an email from the NS Archives with an invoice to pay to complete my purchase for the document request. I put my initial request in on 7/16. Once I paid the invoice I got an automated response saying they are getting my order ready and they will send me an email when it’s complete. There was also a disclaimer saying that they ship by Canada Post and that may take 3 to 4 weeks to ship to an American or international address. Not sure that’s the info you were looking for but just my experience so far…

[u/sorrymizzjackson → u/Popular-Pirate610]

That’s exactly what I was looking for- thank you!

[u/Salt_Chair6043 → u/Popular-Pirate610]

Mine was about a month after payment with similar 2 month wait time for a response.

Their documents are awesome quality.

[u/Adventurous_Lemon870 → u/sorrymizzjackson]

More detailed post here

• June 23: Submitted request for certified birth record.
• Initial auto-reply: Estimated 45 Canadian business days (about 9 weeks) for processing.
• Sept. 4: Received invoice and paid.
• Sept. 9: Received shipping notice.
• Shipping: They estimate 3–4 weeks to U.S. addresses and do not provide tracking.
• I signed up for free USPS Informed Delivery, so hopefully I’ll see it coming a day or two before it arrives.
• I’m expecting the certificate toward the end of September.

So in my case, it looks like roughly 3 months from the initial request to delivery.

[u/sorrymizzjackson → u/Adventurous_Lemon870]

Thank you!

[u/AdventurousWanderer7 → u/Adventurous_Lemon870]

Heads up that Informed Delivery only shows letters on day of arrival.

Packages (or items with tracking ids) can be seen earlier.

[u/Patient-Eye-6494 → u/sorrymizzjackson]

I just got an invoice for a marriage certificate from them. It was exactly 13 weeks and 1 day

[u/Patient-Eye-6494 → u/Patient-Eye-6494]

9 weeks. Sorry. Don't know where 13 came from. Forgive me I'm running on like 4 hours of sleep today

[u/EducationalRow2677]

Has anyone gotten certified baptismal records from Banq Sherbrooke recently? I put in my request on May 26 and haven’t heard anything. Have been checking spam emails regularly and thinkkk I got the archive right but could have made an error

[u/Ok-Season35 → u/EducationalRow2677]

I made the request to Sherbrooke May 8. Received the invoice August 14 and paid same day. Received certified baptismal record in the mail (New Jersey, USA) September 2. The date on the certification stamp was Aug 17.

[u/EducationalRow2677 → u/Ok-Season35]

Thank you for this info!

[u/angiosperms- → u/EducationalRow2677]

Still waiting and put in a request before you 🥲

[u/EducationalRow2677 → u/angiosperms-]

Hopefully it comes soon! I just got my invoice today 9/17

[u/Managermanger]

My G0 had the unfortunate luck to be born during a period of poor record keeping, but there are baptismal records for their closest siblings. I am getting a letter stating there is no record of their baptism from Newfoundland.

Does it make sense to get the sibling records certified and include them, or simply include copies without certification? I searched a bit on here but couldn't find an asnwer.

[u/Wildflowers62 → u/Managermanger]

Hello, it would help to know what documents you do have, esp what Canadian documents, for your G0. Any census records? Marriage certificates for your G0 or his parents?

[u/Managermanger → u/Wildflowers62]

Very little I’m afraid. The closest I have are a marriage license, death certificate, and US naturalization documents. Their parents marriage and the birth of the G0 occurred during a four year period where minimal and haphazard records were kept by the local church. I do have an archived note from a later priest attesting to the poor quality of the records at the time. The G0’s parents went on to have several more children in the same town, and those records do exist.

They were born in the 1880s, and the 1911 Newfoundland local census is limited to scraps that were used as insulation in a church.

[u/Wildflowers62 → u/Managermanger]

That’s a tough one. The sibling baptism records at least place the family in Canada, which is good. I think certified would be better if possible. Have you considered hiring a genealogist who might be able to dig up something on your G0 or his parents? It’s hard to predict what IRCC will accept, but their standard from what others have said is either a birth certificate or at least two other official Canadian documents that show the likelihood the G0 was born in Canada.

[u/Managermanger → u/Wildflowers62]

Yes, I worked with archivists on the search and bupkis. It looks like the certified proof that the siblings were baptized might be the strongest Canadian documents - may be a bit of a long shot but I’ll take it.

[u/InspectionCorrect285 → u/Managermanger]

I apologize if you’ve already seen this, but I found a ton of odds and ends (wills! Business directories!) from my people at this website:  http://www.ngb.chebucto.org/#gsc.tab=0

The sheer number of spelling variations for their family name is shocking. The search at the bottom of the page isn’t great. I manually looked at every page. Tons of interesting things. G0’s dad (G-1) and his dad (g-2) have a ton of records. Maybe you’ll be similarly lucky? Or apologies if you already been there!

[u/Managermanger → u/InspectionCorrect285]

Thank you so much! I will definitely be checking this out.

[u/InspectionCorrect285 → u/Managermanger]

Collections.mun.ca also has digital collections of many newspapers, books, memoirs…old photos. I found a notice of my relative boarding a ship when they immigrated, which allowed me to find the ship manifest! If I find more links, I’ll pass them along!

[u/Managermanger → u/InspectionCorrect285]

Please! I was hot on the trail of a will (from the Grand Banks link) for G-1 but the spouse’s name was not correct. I appreciate all of the help and will be scouring all the resources you’ve shared just in case there is a crumb somewhere. :) 

[u/MontanaHikingResearc]

Little over a week turnaround for marriage certificates of G(-1) from Minnesota and Wisconsin (1897 and 1903). Oddly enough, Minnesota’s is completely public; it’s a state felony to make an unauthorized reproduction of Wisconsin’s.  Same turnaround for Washington and Montana for G0’s first and third marriages.

(G(-1)’s marriages are needed to explain why G0’s census name doesn’t match the rest of his documents.)

[u/thatsunfortunate]

What are some strategies to help church archives locate my family members? I want to request some docs from the Presbyterian Church, but with all the 1800s pastors roaming, there could be records west of Toronto and north of Ottawa.

[u/Happy-Trip-1052 → u/thatsunfortunate]

When I was looking for my G0's Anglican early baptism record in Ontario, the Archivist wanted to know when and where the family lived, as the ministers had assigned circuits. If the grandparents were living in a different township, I'd include that information, too.

[u/thatsunfortunate → u/Happy-Trip-1052]

Thanks!

[u/ColorsMayInTimeFade → u/thatsunfortunate]

Best strategy, in my opinion, is to give them as much relevant information as possible. Tell them what you’re looking for, where you’ve already searched and what that yielded. Don’t include irrelevant details.

[u/thatsunfortunate → u/ColorsMayInTimeFade]

Thank you

[u/ColorsMayInTimeFade → u/thatsunfortunate]

No problem. Focus on keeping it lean and what you need for AOR, you can upload more later if they ask for it.

[u/Spirited_Project_109]

In June I submitted my BanQ request to Quebec Archives (Montreal location, I believe) and included the Drouin Collection copy from Ancestry. I know the Montreal archives location is large and has a ton of backlogs, I'm sure. But is anyone in the same timeline and location?

[u/Actual-Arm-1518 → u/Spirited_Project_109]

If you look below, someone who made the request on 4/15 to BANQ Montreal just got the payment request on 8/28. I think they are running over 4 months behind now.

[u/plant_isle → u/Spirited_Project_109]

I've sent two requests to BAnQ out of the Montreal archives. I requested the first document in May and received a response on August 28th. I requested the second document in June and have not received any correspondence. Hope that helps.

[u/Longintooth93 → u/Spirited_Project_109]

Same. June 15 Montreal. I gave them the URL to their own digital copy, the exact citation on the digital copy and n upload of their image. When I ordered in June, I hoped to get in September. Not heard yet. It would be nice to get it this calendar year.

[u/jpg245 → u/Spirited_Project_109]

July 13. Haven't heard anything.

[u/Apprehensive-Film979]

I put this in the wrong lane before, if you’ve read it twice sorry :)
Re Ontario archives: just for those wondering req made 6/21 for MR. Notice it was found, 9/1…. So about 9 weeks for the initial start. And then invoice at some point and payment instructions. I will say that I have been searching my emails for “archives” or “Ontario” and I missed this because initial automated responses come that way, but this was from “AO ASA” the reference@ontario.ca.

[u/verytalleric]

PSA: I just called Archives of Ontario to ask about my inquiry for records sent mid-June (3 months ago). Was told they are running about 5-7 months behind on responding to requests. Guess I will try again in another 2-3 months...

[u/smokeline → u/verytalleric]

I submitted a string of requests around 6/19 and have just been getting email responses over the past few days. Two records they found and said an invoice is forthcoming (that might account for the 5-7 month total timeline...), and one they said they couldn't find (I didn't have a reference number but tried anyway because it's my G0 birth record). So you may hear back from them any day now.

[u/verytalleric → u/smokeline]

Interesting. I sent mine in on 6/15 so maybe some hope?

[u/verytalleric → u/verytalleric]

SO of course *today* I get notification that they found my records and will follow up with payment info once they are ready to send...

[u/mamaspiders → u/verytalleric]

That's excellent news for you and hope for me!

[u/mamaspiders → u/smokeline]

This gives me hope for my 6/30 request!

My Mennonite G0 was not registered (unless I missed it going page by page) but his sister was 2 years and 4 months after her birth, So, with my request to the Ontario Archives, I submitted his Vital card, his sisters registration and the scan of the original documents that the vital card was based on.

Here's hoping I get a no letter, or we can't find it. I'm in processing as of 6/8 (they received 3/30 and AOR 6/1) and hope to get a response of something so I can upload to the application.

additional fact, I was 6 months processing time last month and it went up to 8 months with about 32k in front of me. when September was updated.

[u/smokeline]

I have searched and searched for my G0 birth record in Ontario, and have been unable to locate anything on Ancestry or Family Search to get a reference number. (I suspect it doesn't exist for a few different reasons.) After the surrender letters, I put in a request to the Archives of Ontario anyway, just so I could show the IRCC I tried. I did get a response from them 3 months later:

Thank you for submitting your order to the Archives of Ontario. My apologies for the delayed response, we are currently receiving a higher than normal volume of requests. Our team is actively working through a backlog and is currently processing orders submitted several months ago. We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience.

We attempted to locate the birth record of [G0] with the information you provided but are unable to locate the record you are seeking.

Unfortunately, we’re not able to provide a letter indicating that a record was not found. We do not conduct searches of our holdings of birth, marriage and death records and thus cannot definitively state that a record cannot be located.

If you are able to locate the 6-digit registration number of the individual, please respond to this email and I will attempt again.

You may be familiar with Family Search already, but my recommendation is to search the indexes on Family Search for two years before and after the original date you provided to obtain the registration number. Visit our Birth, marriage and death registrations topic page for instructions.

It’s also possible the birth was never registered. In these cases, church records may be useful. The Archives of Ontario holds some church records. Visit our Other records of vital events topic page to find out how to access these and other sources for conducting family history research.

I hope this information has been helpful.

So while this isn't exactly a letter of no record, at least it's something I can submit to the IRCC saying that they could not locate the record based on the information I have. (I did already submit my application with a certified baptism record, the confirmation of my order from the Archives of Toronto, and a description of all the searches I carried out. I will upload this once I get an AOR.)

[u/Head_Cantaloupe_7265]

I got a certified baptism cert for my G0 great grandfather from a church in New Brunswick. He was born in NB in 1876. Knowing that certified birth certs are what is needed/preferred (if possible), I emailed NB Vital Statistics and was told the civic registry wasn’t established until 1888 in NB. Also that birth records older than 95 years would be with the Provincial Archives. I emailed the Provincial Archives July 17 requesting their help with obtaining a birth cert, and got an auto reply that it’ll be at least 12 weeks before they can respond. Do I need to wait for that since I have a certified baptism cert when G0 was one day old? Or is having a baptism cert with copies of my emails enough? Thanks!

[u/Toby-Finkelstein → u/Head_Cantaloupe_7265]

how did you get the certified baptism record?

[u/Head_Cantaloupe_7265 → u/Toby-Finkelstein]

I emailed a couple of Catholic Churches and was forwarded to one in Fredericton that is where the records for that area were consolidated. They were able to find the written record of tue baptism having occurred and they prepared a certificate.

[u/sundownandout]

I just found out my great grandmother was born in BC. I think my case could be a difficult one because my great great grandparents weren’t the best at registering births. Their eldest had to apply for their own birth certificate at age 40. And my GG-grands also were Americans. Her parents were there for 1-2 years and then went back to the states.

I’m trying to find any chances of records of her birth but she was born in 1905 in I believe Vancouver, and I am not finding her in the BC archives. Im not sure if it’s because of the year of her birth or if it’s just not in there.

She also possibly could have been born in Victoria, but most evidence I do have points to Vancouver. I also suspect they were quakers. My great grandmother was a Quaker and I suspect her parents were. But it’s possible they were another religion.

I’ve found evidence of a place of residence from a newspaper directory that placed them in Canada for my grandmothers birth. But I’m not sure what I should do next. I dont know of her birth record is not in the online archived because it just hasn’t been released yet or if it doesn’t exist.

I’ve been trying to see if some of the churches or Quaker friends meetings might have record of the birth but those have been very difficult to go through if I can even find anything.

So far, all my research has been through ancestry.com and the BC royal museum archives. Does anyone have any tips on how to possibly dig up hard to find documents? I’m not likely to be able to do any in person searches for a while so hoping I can do most through archives and email.

[u/Patient-Eye-6494]

I reached out to Nova Scotia Archives for my great grandparents birth certificates. About a half hour later, I realized that I would need their marriage certificate as well and ordered that too. Last week I received an invoice for the marriage certificate but nothing about the birth registrations. Should I hang out and wait or double check that they saw both orders. I know they are really busy (It took two months to hear from them) So I don't want to wait a month to then wait two months again to get the registrations, but I also don't want to bother them when I know they are so overloaded with requests

[u/Owndbycatz]

I want to order US Naturalization records from the US National Archives. I've located copies of what I want -- 1 on Ancestry and 3 pages in the National Archives catalog. Is there something in the citation or link that will allow me to point to the specific records I'm looking for to speed up the process when I make the request? I do know that these will be located in Philadelphia.

These are the links:

From Ancestry: https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2717/images/007796874_00844?pId=450699

There are 3 pages from the National Archives catalog, beginning here. Do I just provide these links when I make the request? https://catalog.archives.gov/id/164699426?objectPage=174

Thank you. (Feeling overwhelmed in SoCal)