Genealogy Chat

Does anyone know how I can access BMD's in Canada (more precisely Toronto, Ontario)? I have had a look on Ancestry but they only seem to go up to 1916. My ancestor emmigrated to Canada in 1911, came back to UK to marry in 1915 - then they went back to Canada. I have a rough idea of possible names for children but would like to get them confirmed.
If anyone has any hints or tips for gathering Canadian information in the 20th century, I would be pleased to hear from them
Many thanks in advance.

Amanda

probably practically impossible!


All records in Canada are the responsibility of each individual province ......... so you have to know which province an event happened in.


BUT ................. there is also the 50 / 75 or 80 / 100 year rule. The various records are only allowed to be released if they have happened before those dates.

I can never remember which one is which (I'm the immigrant, and have never had to search for ancestors)

Google

Vital Statistics Canada

and see what comes up

Another option would be to see if you can find any announcement(s) in a local newspaper ........


again try googling the name(s)


we don't have national newspapers in teh sense that you have in the UK (eg, the Times, the Guardian, etc)


In Toronto, there is the Globe and Mail

........... but again, googling might help

Ontario's closure on B/M/Ds is 97/82/70 y (unless you're a close relative).
Strictly speaking, deaths are not closed, but there's no index available for 70y.
So 1915 is the last year births are available, but I think they haven't been indexed yet - 1913 is the last year Ancestry has online.

In Jan 2014, the 1921 census should be released.

It might be possible to find the family on the Canada, Voters Lists, 1935-1980 in Ontario. If the adult children lived with their parents, it might help to narrow down the birth year.

.........................
Historical Background

By 1935, the year of the earliest voting records in this database, the franchise had been extended to both men and women age 21 and over for federal elections in Canada. The last property qualifications were done away with in 1948, and exclusions for Inuit and Indians living on reserves were eliminated in 1950 and 1960. In 1970, the voting age was lowered to 18 and the franchise reserved for Canadian citizens, though some British subjects retained their right to vote until 1975.

....................

Years indexed
1935*
1940*
1945*
1949*
1953*
1957*
1958*
1962*
1963*
1965*
1968*
1972*
1974*

http://www.torontofamilyhistory.org/toronto.html

This link looks as though it might be useful. City directories from 1833-1999 listing people alphabetically are available at the city library. Up to 1899 are on line but they might be willing to search the later ones for you.

Friendly message sent on how to return to thread. :-)

Hello to everyone that has replied to my post.
Thanks to Cynthia for pointing out that GR don't notify you of replies received - otherwise I may not checked back.
I have googled vital statistics as suggested, and it appears that in the Province of Ontario and the bmd's for the era I am researching are not available
"births after 1914, marriages after 1929, and deaths after 1939."
The family I am researching moved to Canada as a married couple in 1915, so any births would have happened after this date.
I have been lucky enough that someone has passed on some marriage entries that they found in the Toronto Star relating to the family - which has been very useful.
I have been able to ascertain the names of the children of Redvers & Gladys Harris.

Jean Harris married William Douglas Herling 1944
Maurice G Harris (twin brother of above) married Valerie V Hunt 30 July 1946
Roy Harris married Margaret ..........? pre 1944.
There was also a flower girl mentioned at the wedding of Jean & William who was a niece of the bride called Nancy. As the only brother married before 1944 was her brother Roy, I can only assume that Nancy was the daughter of Roy & Margaret.

I had a look at the Canadian Voters List - it seems that Jean & William (known as Douglas) Herling had a daughter Wendy. She only shows in 1972.
Roy & Margaret Harris were living with his parents in 1949.

So although I am getting there slowly and finding names of possible family members, it looks like I will be unable to gain confirmation through indexes. Never mind.

I shall look forward to next January when I can look at the 1921 census. Hopefully the 3 children (that I am aware of) will show on this census & confirm what I believe to be correct.

Thanks again for all the people above who took the time to reply and point me in the right direction and give me suggestions.

Amanda