Read Our Open Letter to the BC Government

A Message From Our Founder:

This petition

Find Your Province or Territory's Records Process

Adoption records laws are different in every province and territory — what you're entitled to see, how to request it, and who holds it all depend on where your adoption took place. Hover over the map to explore, then click your province or territory to find the specific steps for accessing your records.

A stylized map of Canada with icons representing various natural features and activities, including mountains, lakes, wildlife, and outdoor recreation.
Simple drawing of a small elephant on a green background.
Stylized map outline with a female face silhouette, a sun symbol, and a small airplane icon.
Illustration of a state with a pickaxe and a miner's hat, symbolizing mining activity.
Minimalist icon of a mountain with a sun above and waves below, on a green background
Outline of the state of Nevada with a mountain range symbol inside.
An olive green grain seed packet with two wheat stalks printed on the front
Illustration of the state of Wyoming with a buffalo symbol and the silhouette of a horse.
Map of Ontario, Canada, with a green silhouette of the province and a grey outline of a maple leaf in the center.
Map icon of South Carolina with an arrow and water waves symbol.
Map of Martha's Vineyard with a sailboat illustration.
A digital illustration of a radio antenna tower standing in a field of grass.
A stylized map of an island with a lighthouse illustration in the center.
A digital illustration of a military tank with a large gun turret, painted in gray and olive green colors, viewed from the front-left angle.

A Timeline of Adoption Records Access in Canada

  • A winding road along a tree-covered coastline with ships on the water and a lighthouse at the shore, during sunset.

    1996

    BRITISH COLUMBIA

    Record Status: OPEN

    *Adoptions prior to November 4, 1996, are subject to a disclosure veto.

  • Colorful houses on a hillside overlooking a body of water, with some rocks along the shoreline and a partly cloudy sky.

    2003

    NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

    Records Status: OPEN

    *Adoptions prior to April 30, 2003, are subject to a disclosure veto.

  • A cityscape with tall buildings, including a prominent communication tower with a large round observation deck near the top, against a sky with light clouds.

    2004

    ALBERTA

    Record Status: OPEN

    *Adoptions prior to January 1, 2005, are subject to a disclosure veto.

  • A historic red-brick building with a green steeple against a backdrop of modern skyscrapers, with a Coca-Cola truck passing by in the foreground in an urban city setting.

    2009

    ONTARIO

    Record Status: OPEN

    *Adoptions prior to September 1, 2008, are subject to a disclosure veto.

  • Snow-capped mountain behind a dense evergreen forest and a turquoise lake in the foreground.

    2010

    YUKON

    Record Status: RESTRICTED

    *Adoptions prior to April 30, 2010, are subject to a disclosure veto.

  • Vintage train car parked on snowy ground with black stairs leading up to its door, and a lamp post nearby. The train car is green with yellow text reading "Temiskaming & Northern Ontario."

    2015

    MANITOBA

    Record Status: OPEN

    *Adoptions prior to June 15, 2015, are subject to a disclosure veto.

  • A tall old grain elevator building in a rural landscape with golden grass, utility poles, and a partly cloudy blue sky, located in Stony Beach, Saskatchewan.

    2017

    SASKATCHEWAN

    Record Status: OPEN

    *Adoptions prior to January 1, 2017, are subject to a disclosure veto.

  • A tall ship with white sails sailing on calm water near a forested coastline under a partly cloudy sky.

    2018

    NEW BRUNSWICK

    Record Status: OPEN

    *Adoptions prior to April 1, 2018, are subject to a disclosure veto.

  • Red rock formations on a beach, with large sandstone boulders and a sea stack in the background, under a cloudy sky.

    2020

    PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

    Record Status: OPEN

    *Adoptions prior to January 31, 2021, are subject to a disclosure veto.

  • A white lighthouse with a red top standing on rocky terrain against a cloudy sky.

    2022

    NOVA SCOTIA

    Record Status: RESTRICTED

    *Adoption records are subject to a disclosure veto.

  • Empty outdoor cafe seating area on cobblestone street with red planters and closed umbrellas, surrounded by stone buildings with flower boxes.

    2024

    QUÉBEC

    Record Status: RESTRICTED

    *If filed, a disclosure veto expires on an adoptee’s 18th birthday.

  • Northern lights illuminating the night sky above a forested landscape.

    STILL WAITING

    NORTH WEST TERRITORIES

    Record Status: CLOSED

    *Release of identifying information requires mutual consent.

  • A polar bear cub lying on a snowy ice landscape, surrounded by icebergs, with a dark mountain or glacier in the background.

    STILL WAITING

    NUNAVUT

    Record Status: CLOSED

    *Release of identifying information requires mutual consent.