Records you may request

You may submit Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) requests for records held by Library and Archives Canada (LAC) that are not already open and available to researchers.

Records we hold

Open (available to consult – no ATIP request required)

Restricted (require an ATIP request)

  • Records of former Canadian Armed Forces members
    • Canadian Armed Forces regular members (1919 to 1997), including Permanent Force, Second World War (those who did not die during the war) and Korea
    • Canadian Armed Forces reserve members (1919 to 2007) (note that not all files were retained for the Reserves)
    • Newfoundland Militia members who served in the Second World War (note that not all files were retained)
  • Medical or dental records of the regular or reserve Canadian Armed Forces members who were released from service more than five years ago or who died in service more than five years ago
  • Records of former federal public servants
    • Government of Canada personnel records for former staff who left the public service before June 2017, and who are under 80 years of age. If the individual retired after June 2017, the records would still be held by the GC department or institution they retired from.
    • These files are usually destroyed after a person has reached 80 years old, with some rare exceptions for litigation holds. An individual can submit a Privacy request to determine if a file still exists and/or to obtain a copy.
  • Government of Canada archival records in LAC’s holdings
    • Records that were created by other Government of Canada departments, agencies and institutions that were selected as “archival” and have been transferred to LAC for long term preservation and access.
  • LAC's own operational records
    • Records created by LAC or its predecessor departments that provide details on:
      • financial activities and spending
      • programs
      • policies
      • functions and internal service activities of the department

Records we do not hold

Records of recent or current Canadian Armed Forces members

Records of former Canadian Armed Forces members
  • Former Canadian Armed Forces members who served in Newfoundland prior to 1949, please contact the National Archives (United Kingdom).
  • Former Canadian Armed Forces members of the Pacific Coast Militia Rangers between 1942 and 1945 (files were not transferred to LAC and are likely destroyed).
  • Army, Sea, and Air Cadet files (files are not transferred to LAC and are likely destroyed).
  • Records for individuals called up for Canadian Armed Forces service during the Second World War (1939-1945) but never enrolled (files were destroyed under a Treasury Board Authority, dated 7 May 1964).
  • Records for individuals rejected for active Canadian Armed Forces service on medical grounds (files were destroyed under a Treasury Board Authority, dated 7 May 1964).

Records of former federal public servants
  • Government of Canada personnel records for public servants aged 80 years or more (files have likely been or will be destroyed).
  • Government of Canada personnel records for former public servants who left the public service after June 2017. These would remain at the last department where the individual worked. Please contact the ATIP unit of that department to request these files.

Other
  • Records of Canadian Merchant Mariners who served between 1939 to 1947 and 1951 to 1953. Please request these from Veterans Affairs Canada using the ATIP portal.
  • The service records of people who served with the armed forces of other countries are held by other institutions in other countries.