A new Web site allowing access to certain vital statistic records has been launched by the Manitoba government.
The new site gives researchers online access to records regarding births, deaths and marriages from the province’s Vital Statistics Agency. Users can also order copies of the information from the provincial agency.
“These types of records often provide valuable information for people interested in tracing their family tree,” said Finance Minister Greg Selinger. “Genealogists often spend years tracing their relatives and learning about their family history. By making this information available online, the records will be easily accessible to anyone interested in finding out more about their heritage.”
Effective Jan. 1, 2003, amendments to the Vital Statistics Act were proclaimed permitting unrestricted access to birth records more than 100 years old, marriage records more than 80 years old, and death records more than 70 years old.
Researchers are able to enter their family data into a search program and sort through results online. All electronic information available for each record will be available for online viewing. However, the electronic information is not a complete copy of the record.
The Vital Statistics Agency registers all vital events including births, marriages,
deaths, stillbirths and name changes in Manitoba. The agency also provides documents as proof of these events. Databases contain Manitoba records from 1882 to the present. Some records dating back to 1813 are also available.
The genealogical database can be found at www.gov.mb.ca/cca/vital.