A Two-Step Guide to Finding Your Own Divorce Records in Canada
From July 1968 onwards, divorces have been granted by local courts in Canada and divorce records are held at either the local courthouse or the provincial archives. The process of finding your own divorce file is not always straightforward, especially if you do not have certain information to hand. This two-step guide should help you to locate the information you require in a timely manner.
Step One: Find out Specific Details about the Divorce Case
If your divorce was granted in Canada after July 1968 and you wish to locate copies of the divorce papers, it is necessary to find out the following information first:
- The name and number of the courthouse where the divorce was granted
- The file number
- Year of divorce
If you do not have this information to hand, you can contact the Department of Justice�s Central Registry of Divorce Proceedings. The Registry maintains a database of all divorces granted in Canada after July 1968. If you supply the name(s) of the parties involved in the divorce, the Central Registry should be able to provide you with the additional information that you will require to locate the divorce records.
Please note that, under privacy legislation, only the two participants in a divorce may access the information concerning that divorce. The contact details of the Central Registry of Divorce Proceedings are:
Department of Justice
Central Registry of Divorce Proceedings
339 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0H8
Telephone: (613)-957-4519
Step Two: Find out Exactly Where Your Divorce Files are Held and Apply for Copies
Once you have the name and number of the courthouse, the file number and the year of divorce, you will need to find out exactly where your divorce files are held. For more recent divorces, records may be stored at the courthouse itself. For less recent divorces, records may be held in the state archives. The exact location of the documents varies from province to province, depending upon the date of the divorce.
Consult the province-by-province list below for information on where the divorce papers are stored. You will then be able to apply directly to the relevant authority for copies of your divorce certificate and other documents.
Alberta Divorce Records
Divorces from 1976 to the Present Day
Divorce records covering the past thirty years are held by the court which granted the divorce. In order to apply for copies records relating to your own divorce, you will need to contact the court concerned. A list of the contact details of each court in the province can be consulted online at: http://www.albertacourts.ab.ca/calendar/
Divorces Prior to 1976
Divorce records pertaining to divorces taking place between around 1918 and 1975 in several judicial areas of Alberta are located at the Provincial Archives of Alberta. The contact details are:
Provincial Archives of Alberta
8555 Roper Road
Edmonton, AB
T6E 5W1
Telephone: (780) 427-1750
Website: http://www.cd.gov.ab.ca/preserving/paa_2002/index.asp
British Columbia Divorce Records
Divorces from 1950 to the Present Day
The records of divorces occurring from 1950 to the present day are located at the district offices of the Supreme Court of British Columbia. You will therefore need to apply to the relevant district office for copies of documents. A list of the contact details of the divorce registries at each of the district offices is given on this webpage: http://www.courts.gov.bc.ca/sc/registry/
Manitoba Divorce Records
Divorces in Winnipeg before 1979, Portage before 1978 and Brandon between about 1968 and 1977
Divorce records relating to divorces taking place in Winnipeg between 1917 and 1978, in Portage from 1920 to 1977 and Brandon from about 1968 to 1977 are available from the Archives of Manitoba. The contact details are:
Archives of Manitoba
130-200 Vaughan Street
Winnipeg, MB
R3C 1T5
Telephone: (204) 945-3971
Website: http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/archives/index.html
All Other Divorces in Manitoba
The records of all other divorces granted in Manitoba are held at the relevant local court office. A list of court offices in the province can be consulted at: http://www.manitobacourts.mb.ca/court_locations.html
New Brunswick Divorce Records
Divorces from 1988 to the Present Day
The Registrar�s Office of the Department of Justice is the central repository for the records of all divorces occurring in New Brunswick from 1988 to the present day. In order to request copies of your divorce papers, you should contact:
Justice Building
427 Queen Street
Fredericton, New Brunswick
E3B 1B7
Telephone: (506) 453-2452
A request form for a divorce certificate or decree absolute can be downloaded from the Internet at: https://www.web11.snb.ca/snb7001/e/1000/CSS-FOL-SNB-45-0001E.pdf
Enclose a fee of C$7 in the form of a certified cheque or money order and send the completed form to:
Registrar�s Office
Court of Queens Bench
Justice Building
PO Box 6000
Fredericton, NB
E3B 5H1
Divorces Prior to 1988
Records of divorces granted in 1987 and earlier years are held at the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick. The contact details are:
Provincial Archives of New Brunswick
PO Box 6000
Fredericton, NB
E3B 5H1
Telephone: (506) 453-2122
Website: http://archives.gnb.ca/Archives/Default.aspx
Newfoundland & Labrador Divorce Records
The local offices of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador (Trial Division) are the repository of all divorce records. A list of local offices can be found on this webpage: http://www.justice.gov.nl.ca/just/LAWCOURT/trial.htm You will need to contact the local office that dealt with your divorce case.
Northwest Territories and Nunavut Divorce Records
Divorces from July 1968 to the Present Day
If your divorce was granted after July 1968 in the Northwest Territories or in Nunavut between 1968 and 1999, you can obtain further information by writing to:
Northwest Territories Courts
Box 550
Yellowknife NT
X1A 2N4
Nova Scotia
Divorces from 1961 to the Present Day
If you wish to trace records of your own divorce granted after 1960, you will need to call the relevant office of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia to obtain copies of the divorce judgment, certificate of divorce and corollary relief judgments. The contact details of all of the district offices of the Supreme Court can be consulted on this webpage: http://www.courts.ns.ca/justicecentres/justlocations.htm#
Ontario Divorce Records
Divorces from 1979 to the Present Day
Records of divorces taking place in Ontario between 1979 and the present day are stored at the local courthouses of the Superior Court of Justice. A list of the contact details of each local courthouse in Ontario is given on this webpage:
http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/guides/rg_210_divorce_ont.htm
This webpage also contains further information on locating divorce files in Ontario.
Divorces Prior to 1979
The Archives of Ontario in Toronto hold records of divorces granted in Ontario between 1931 and 1978. The contact details are:
Archives of Ontario
77 Grenville Street, Unit 300
Toronto, ON
M5S 1B3
Telephone: (416) 327-1600 or 1-800-668-9933, toll-free from within Ontario only.
Prince Edward Island Divorce Records
Divorces from 1977 to the Present Day
Records of divorces granted from 1977 to the present day can be obtained from Sir Louis Henry Davies Law Courts. The contact details are:
Sir Louis Henry Davies Law Courts
42 Water Street
P.O. Box 2000
Charlottetown, PE
C1A 8B9
Telephone: (902) 368-0179
Divorces Prior to 1977
The Public Archives and Records Office is the repository of information on divorces taking place on Prince Edward Island between 1835 and 1976. The office�s contact details are:
Public Archives and Records Office
PO Box 1000
Charlottetown, PE
C1A 7M4
Telephone: (902) 368-4290
Website: http://www.edu.pe.ca/paro/
Quebec Divorce Records
Divorces from 1968 to the Present Day
Records of divorces granted in Quebec after 1968 are obtainable from the greffe des divorces at the relevant district office of the Superior Court of Quebec (Cour sup�rieure du Qu�bec). A list in French of the contact details of each district office of the Superior Court can be found at: http://www.justice.gouv.qc.ca/francais/joindre/palais/palais.htm
Saskatchewan Divorces
Divorces from 1950 to the Present Day
Certified copies of divorce orders granted after 1950 can be obtained from the Local Registrar�s Office of the courthouse where the divorce case was heard. Requests can be made either in person or in writing and must be accompanied by a fee of C$10. Remember to include the file number and the year of divorce. A list of Local Registrar�s Offices at each of the courthouses in Saskatchewan can be consulted on this webpage: http://www.sasklawcourts.ca/default.asp?pg=qb_about_sittings
Yukon Divorce Records
Divorces from 1950 to the Present Day
The court services of the Yukon government holds divorce records dating from 1950 to the present day. The contact details are:
Court Services, J-3
Box 2703
Whitehorse, Yukon
Canada Y1A 2C6
Telephone: (867) 667-5441 or 1-800-661-0408 (toll-free in Yukon)
Website: http://www.justice.gov.yk.ca/prog/cs/index.html
Although the process of finding and requesting documents relating to divorces granted after July 1968 in Canada is not always straightforward, these two steps should help you to find the information you require.
