Ontario Birth Registration, 1869 to 1919, for Citizenship by Descent (Archives of Ontario)
Ontario began civil birth registration in 1869. For births from 1869 through about 1919, certified copies of the registration come from the Archives of Ontario, not from ServiceOntario.
The Archives need the registration number to fill an order. You can usually find it on the register image through Ancestry or FamilySearch. Births around 1919 to 1920 can fall on either side of the cutoff, so check both offices.
This is the Canadian-side record for one ancestor. Citizenship by descent needs a record for every generation in your line, from you back to that ancestor.
The short answer
- Who has it
- Archives of Ontario
- What to ask for
- Certified copy of the birth registration
- What it costs
- About CA$33 plus printing and delivery (about CA$11 to CA$19 plus HST).
- How long
- About 14 business days. No rush option.
How to order it
The Archives need the registration number. You can usually find it on the register image through Ancestry or FamilySearch.
Where people get stuck
- The Archives’ cutoff year for births is stated as 1919 on one page and 1920 on another. Births around 1919–1920 may sit with ServiceOntario instead.
What IRCC wants for every document
- IRCC asks for authentic, verifiable documents for every generation, from you back to the Canadian-born ancestor. Repeat this lookup for each link in the chain.
- If an official birth certificate does not exist, IRCC may accept a baptismal, hospital, census or boat-manifest record, with a written explanation of why the certificate is unavailable.
- Records not in English or French need a translation with the translator’s sworn statement.
- Family-tree website printouts are not accepted as proof.
What we have not confirmed yet
Whether the online order accepts a US address and card.
More
- Québec Baptism Record for Canadian Citizenship by Descent (BAnQ)
- Québec Birth Record for Canadian Citizenship by Descent (Births in the Last 100 Years)
- Ontario Birth Certificate, 1920 and Later, for Citizenship by Descent (ServiceOntario)
- Nova Scotia Long-Form Birth Certificate, 1924 and Later, for Citizenship by Descent
- Nova Scotia Birth Registrations from the Archives (1864 to 1877 and 1908 to 1923)
- New Brunswick Birth Certificate, 1888 and Later, for Citizenship by Descent
- Newfoundland and Labrador Birth Certificate, 1949 and Later, for Citizenship by Descent
- Newfoundland Birth Records Before Confederation (1891 to 1948) and Citizenship by Descent
- Manitoba Birth Record, Births Over 100 Years Old, for Citizenship by Descent
- Manitoba Birth Record, Births in the Last 100 Years, for Citizenship by Descent
- Saskatchewan Birth Record, Births Over 100 Years Old, for Citizenship by Descent
- Saskatchewan Birth Certificate, Births in the Last 100 Years, for Citizenship by Descent
- Alberta Birth Registration, Births Over 120 Years Old, for Citizenship by Descent
- Alberta Birth Document, Births in the Last 120 Years, for Citizenship by Descent
Fees and times are approximate, checked against official pages on 2026-10-01. Confirm with each office before ordering. Legal questions go to a licensed Canadian lawyer or consultant.