Welcome!
Thank you for registering for our 2024 Canadian Research Tour, which is taking place Sunday, May 5 - Sunday, May 12, 2024!
Whether you have ancestors from Ontario or across Canada, you’ll find key family history records not available online. Explore the resources available at Library and Archives Canada, plus the Canadian War Museum. Advance your research through one-on-one consultations with our experts, lectures, and dedicated time at Canada’s premiere research centers.
Program includes:
- Seven-night hotel stay at the Hilton Homewood Suites, Ottawa Downtown
- Orientations and tours of repositories
- Lectures from American Ancestors genealogists
- One, thirty-minute, pre-tour Zoom consultation with an expert genealogist to help prepare for your research
- Two, thirty-minute, in-person consultations with expert genealogists during the tour
- Daily breakfast included at hotel
- Group meals (opening and closing dinner)
- Pre-program preparatory webinar and resources
Please reach out to Kathleen Mackenzie, Education and Programming Manager, at kathleen.mackenzie@nehgs.org if you have any questions prior to the program.
Pre-Tour Preparatory Presentation
Live broadcast: Tuesday, April 9
Presented by David Allen Lambert, Chief Genealogist and Kathleen Mackenzie, Education and Programming Manager
Learn how to prepare for your time in Ottawa and at the repositories, make the most of your one-on-one consultations, and more! This presentation will be held in a zoom meeting format. This means that during our Q&A sessions you will have the option to come on camera, unmute, and ask questions. You also have the option to remain muted with your camera off, and instead ask questions in the meeting chat.
Schedule
| Sunday, May 5 | |
| After 4:00pm | Check-in at Hilton Homewood Suites Ottawa Downtown |
| 5:00 - 6:00pm | Introductions and orientation to the week |
| 6:00 - 8:00pm | Dinner, Hilton Homewood Suites Ottawa Downtown |
| Monday, May 6 | |
| 9:00am | Meet in lobby; depart for BAC-LAC |
| 9:15 - 10:00am | Orientation to Library and Archives Canada by BAC-LAC staff |
| 10:00 - 11:00am | User card registration and sign in |
| 11:00 - 4:00pm | Personal Research and Consultations with American Ancestors staff (repository closes at 4:00pm). |
| Tuesday, May 7 | |
| 9:00am | Meet in lobby; depart for BAC-LAC |
| 9:15 - 4:00pm | Personal research and consultations (repository closes at 4:00pm) |
| 4:15 - 5:15pm | Researching the Canadian Census and Early Census Substitutes |
| Wednesday, May 8 | |
| 9:45am | Meet in lobby; depart for Military History Research Centre (via cabs called by Kathleen or walking with David) |
| 10:00 - 11:00am | Orientation by Military History Research Centre staff |
| 11:00 - 4:00pm | Personal research (repository closes at 4:00pm) |
| Thursday, May 9 | |
| 8:30am | Meet in lobby; depart via coach for Ottawa Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society |
| 9:00 - 10:00am | Orientation by OGS staff |
| 10:00 - 4:00pm | Personal research and (repository closes at 4:00pm) |
| Friday, May 10 | |
| 9:00am | Meet in lobby; depart for BAC-LAC |
| 9:15 - 4:00pm | Personal research and consultations (repository closes at 4:00pm) |
| Saturday, May 11 | |
| 9:00am | Meet in lobby; depart for BAC-LAC |
| 9:15 - 4:00pm | Personal research and consultations (repository closes at 4:00pm) |
| 6:00 - 8:00pm | Closing Dinner, Hilton Hilton Homewood Suites Ottawa Downtown |
| Sunday, May 12 | |
| Before 11:00am | Check out of Hilton Homewood Suites Ottawa Downtown |
Schedule subject to change
Pre-Tour To-Dos
American Ancestors Participant Information and Research Interests Forms
Please fill out our two participant forms. Your answers on these form will assist our genealogists in preparing for your consultations!
Participant Form 1: Due April 15 (Provide your contact information, etc., and information for your pre-tour consultation)
Participant Form 2: Due April 29 (Provide information for your two on-tour consultations)
If you have any questions about filling out this form, please contact Education and Programming Manager, Kathleen Mackenzie at kathleen.mackenzie@nehgs.org.
Sign Up for a BAC-LAC User Card
Please sign up for a BAC-LAC user card prior to our arrival: https://library-archives.canada.ca/eng/services/public/pages/registration-intro.aspx
Bring a government-issued photo ID to receive your user card when we arrive at BAC-LAC.
Travel To-Dos
- Double-check (and triple-check!) that your passport is up to date for our May travel.
- Investigate your cell phone company's options for travel to Canada. Many allow you to add-on service in Canada to avoid roaming charges. Some phone plans have coverage in Canada automatically included.
- Consider taking out Canadian dollars in advance. You can also use ATMs on arrival in Ottawa.
- Consider investigating your credit card's fees for foreign transactions and notifying them of your travel
- Make sure that you have photo ID to present at BAC-LAC.
Helpful Resources
BAC-LAC
Webinar: Records and Resources and Library and Archives Canada
BAC-LAC's Genealogy and Family History Guide (scroll down the page to see their research guides on specific record types and topics)
Military History Research Centre
Ontario Genealogical Society — Ottawa Branch
City of Ottawa Archives Overview
