Preparing the 1931 Census
The 1931 Census of Canada is now available! Here’s what we have been doing to bring you free access.
Where we are
We are working on step eight of ten. We are working with our partners, Ancestry® and FamilySearch International to create a searchable index and verify transcriptions.
What's done
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Transfer
Receive 1931 Census from Statistics Canada in the form of 187 microfilm reels.
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Add to collection
Assign reel numbers and location, create archival description, and add the record to
Collection Search.
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Digitization
Digitize microfilm reels, and verify each census page image by image—234,678 images in total.
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Partnership
Establish a new partnership with Ancestry® and FamilySearch International to guarantee the timely and accurate transcription of names and other information recorded in the census.
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Sort images by place
Match the digitized images to the census’s geographic districts and sub-districts. Create the metadata structure needed to enable online access.
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Build image database
Create database and a user-friendly interface for browsing images by census district and sub-district. Conduct testing and quality assurance.
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Go public
On June 1, 2023, the Census turns 92! Users can now browse the digitized census returns by district and sub-district on the LAC website.
To do
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Transcribe
Create a searchable index and verify transcriptions. Our partners, Ancestry and FamilySearch, use AI technology to produce a fully verified transcription of all fields on the census form.
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Consolidate data
The complete transcription is tested and added to the LAC
Census Search database.
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Release in Census Search
The 1931 Census is searchable and available for free on Census Search.
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