Culture & History

Confederation

On July 1, 1867 the British North America Act came into effect creating the Dominion of Canada. British Columbia joined Canada in 1871. Material on this subject can be found throughout the Central Library (350 West Georgia Street). Please ask the Information staff if you need help. The Building of the Canadian Pacific Railway section in this guide may also be useful when researching Confederation. 

Contemporary Issues

The Vancouver Public Library has many resources about contemporary Indigenous peoples in British Columbia and Canada. Pages about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Residential Schools and Land Claims provide more resources on these topics and can be found on the menu on the left.

Directories

There are many types of directories, including social registers, membership lists and telephone books.

Some of the most useful directory resources for Chinese Canadian genealogists are Provincial and City Directories and Chinese Telephone Directories.

Directories

The Vancouver Public Library has a very extensive collection of British Columbia directories, held mainly in the Special Collections Department.

Divorce Records

Prior to 1968 divorces in Canada were granted only by private acts of the Government of Canada.

Donating Your Family History

If you've compiled a family history you may have considered donating it to a library collection so that it can reach a wider audience.

Downtown Eastside / Strathcona

The Downtown Eastside and Strathcona are some of the first places in Vancouver settled by European, African, and Asian people. Many Indigenous people also live in this neighbourhood. Gastown, Chinatown, Japantown, Hogan's Alley and Victory Square are all areas within this neighbourhood.