My ancestor was born before civil registration. Where is the birth record?
Usually in a church register, as a baptism. Ontario registration starts in 1869, and Nova Scotia did not register births before 1864 or from 1878 to 1907.
Where no official birth certificate exists, IRCC may accept a baptismal, hospital, census or boat-manifest record, together with a written explanation of why the certificate is unavailable.
Which church holds the register depends on the place and the denomination. Québec baptisms before civil registration are held by BAnQ. For Nova Scotia, the Archives hold the registrations that exist for 1864 to 1877 and 1908 to 1923.
The full guides
- Québec Baptism Record for Canadian Citizenship by Descent (BAnQ)
- Nova Scotia Birth Registrations from the Archives (1864 to 1877 and 1908 to 1923)
- Ontario Birth Registration, 1869 to 1919, for Citizenship by Descent (Archives of Ontario)
More questions
- BAnQ or DEC: which one has my ancestor’s birth record?
- Do I ask the DEC for a certificate or a copy of an act?
- Is my FamilySearch copy enough, or do I need a certified one?
- Born in Ontario in 1919 or 1920: which office has the birth record?
- My order is taking months. Did I order the right thing?
- What if my ancestor’s birth record does not exist or was never archived?
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.