Release
Department of Finance and Treasury Board, Service New Brunswick
July 29, 2026
FREDERICTON (GNB) – A new vital statistics search platform at the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick is allowing people to quickly and easily find historical records, track requests and access enhanced self-service tools.
The platform was developed through a collaboration involving the Provincial Archives, Finance and Treasury Board’s Office of the Chief Information Officer – which is responsible for the archives – and Service New Brunswick.
“New Brunswickers expect government services to be accessible, efficient and easy to use,” said Finance and Treasury Board Minister René Legacy. “The launch of the new vital statistics search platform demonstrates our commitment to modernizing public services through digital solutions that improve how people access important government records and information.”
The new platform will soon allow for online payment options, as well.
“Service New Brunswick is pleased to support the Provincial Archives in delivering improved online services for residents,” said Local Government Minister Aaron Kennedy, who is also minister responsible for Service New Brunswick. “This platform is a good example of how collaboration across government can make services easier to use, improve access to information and better meet the needs of New Brunswickers.”
There have been significant modernization efforts in recent years to improve access to archival records through digitization, enhanced online tools and service improvements. More than one million historical vital statistics records are now available online, including birth records more than 95 years old and marriage and death records more than 50 years old. In less than a year, access to historical photographs has expanded to more than 150,000 images from about 2,200 images.
“The archives continues to preserve New Brunswick's documentary heritage while improving public access to historical records,” said provincial archivist Joanna Aiton Kerr. “The new platform builds on decades of innovation by providing enhanced digital tools that make it easier for New Brunswickers, researchers and families to find and access the records they need.”
The Provincial Archives of New Brunswick was the first archives in North America to make historical vital statistics records available online in 1998 and has processed more than 44 million searches since 2008.
Recent amendments to the Citizenship Act have resulted in a significant increase in requests for historical records from people seeking documentation to support citizenship applications. The new search platform helps respond to this increased demand.
29-07-26
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Provincial Archives of New Brunswick
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Media Contact(s)
David Kelly, communications, Department of Finance and Treasury Board, [email protected].