Using the Archives

Finding Records

The Archives of Manitoba holds the records of the Manitoba government, private sector individuals, families and organizations and is home to the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives. Read more about our holdings.

There are several tools available to help find records. Start by searching our Keystone database and other Search tools. Not all of the Archives’ holdings are represented in the Keystone database. Archives staff will provide assistance in the use of finding aids, lists and card catalogues in the Research Room. Clients conducting large research projects may want to contact the Archives in advance.

Visit the Manitoba Legislative Library for Manitoba publications, including government publications, community histories and newspapers.

There are some Manitoba records for which access is provided by other agencies. Contact Vital Statistics for records of births, marriages and deaths. Contact Land Titles for land titles and survey plans.

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Restricted Records

Records in the Archives may be restricted and require permission to be in place before they can be viewed. Consult the Keystone database, finding aids or contact us to determine whether or not there are any restrictions on a record.

  • Government records may be restricted under The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). Clients will need to apply for access to the government department responsible for the records. The Archives is not authorized to provide access to records subject to FIPPA. Consult the FIPPA website to determine departmental FIPPA officers or contact the Archives of Manitoba for more information.
  • Some government records are not restricted under FIPPA and may fall under other legislation including, but not limited to, The Youth Criminal Justice Act, The Adoptions Act and The Personal Health Information Act.
  • Private sector records and the records in the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives may have restrictions placed on them by the donor. In many cases, the Archives cannot authorize access. Archives staff will advise clients on the required process, depending on the restrictions.
  • Records may also be restricted or withdrawn from service because of their physical condition. These records may have specific conditions under which they may be viewed. Archives staff can provide more information in these circumstances.

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Requesting Records

  • Clients should fill in a request form for each item they wish to view and submit it to Archives staff at the reference desk. Use one request form for each item requested.
  • Clients may request a maximum of five items at one time. Clients must return these records to the Archives retrieval clerk before submitting a new request.
  • Some records are stored onsite in the vaults at 200 Vaughan Street. These can usually be viewed on the same day as they are requested, provided there are no restrictions. Records stored onsite include some government records, some private sector records and all of the records in the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives.
    • Records stored onsite may not be requested in advance.
  • Many records are stored at the Archives’ offsite storage facility. These include both government records and private sector records.
    • Records stored offsite require a minimum of 2 business days to be retrieved when ordered from the Archives Research Room.
    • Records stored offsite may be ordered in advance. Advance orders should be submitted 5 business days before a planned visit. Read more about ordering offsite records.

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Retrievals

  • Retrievals are available every 30 minutes from 9:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.

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Using Records

  • Archival records are one-of-a-kind items which require careful handling. Read more about using archival records in our Archives Research Room rules (PDF).
  • The Archives provides limited copy services and allows some self-service copying. Read more about our Copy Services.
  • The Archives Research Room is equipped with microfilm readers, microfilm scanner / printers and various machines for playing access copies of moving image and sound records.
  • Many records fall under copyright legislation. Clients are responsible for obtaining appropriate clearances. See our Terms Governing Use of Copies (PDF).
  • Keep track of the records viewed to create proper citations. See our Citation Guide (PDF) for more information.

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