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Culture & History

  • Heritage Projects

    A number of initiatives indicate the growing level of interest in reclaiming Chinese Canadian heritage. Some projects include genealogical components.

  • Historica Canada

    Includes the complete text of the Canadian Encyclopedia in English and French, interactive resources and timelines of Canadian and world events.

  • Historical Atlases

    Level 6 of the Central Library has a collection of illustrated historical county atlases covering much of Ontario, as well as parts of Quebec and the Maritime provinces.

  • Historical Milestones

    Key dates and events that have defined the history of Chinese Canadian families and affected the paths of individual families.

  • Historical Photographs of BC and Yukon

    A selection of historical images of Vancouver and British Columbia from the 1880s to the 1980s.

  • Historical Weather Data

    The resources in this section will help learn more about the climate of BC in the past and track how it has changed over the years.

  • History

    The Vancouver Public Library has many resources for researching Indigenous peoples' history in British Columbia and Canada.

  • History and Pioneers

    The history of the Chinese community in Canada dates back to the late 18th century. An understanding of this history helps place individual genealogical research in a broader context, and explains some of the unique challenges facing those attempting to research their Chinese Canadian roots.

  • Hogan's Alley

    Hogan's Alley on the east side of Vancouver was part of a larger black community in Vancouver’s historic Strathcona neighbourhood.

  • Immigration Records

    For family historians researching Canadian roots, the date and place of an ancestor's arrival in Canada is crucial information, providing a key chronological milestone against which to base research both in Canada and the country of origin. Records of immigration also provide important details such as age, place of origin, and names of other family members.