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Status Update - Annual Release for Year 2006

The Vital Statistics Agency is pleased to announce the annual release of death index information for 1985 and marriage index information for 1930. On 4 June 2004, an amendment to the Vital Statistics Act was brought into force, extending future release dates for copies of birth records from 100 years to 120 years after the birth occurred. The amendment to the Vital Statistics Act enhances existing security around the release of birth information and ensures that the personal information and privacy of centenarians is protected.

This effectively means: births no change - only registrations up to 1903 are available, death registrations for the year 1985, and marriage registrations for the year 1930 have now been added to the on-line indexes, as of January 2006.

Status Update - Annual Release for Year 2005

The Vital Statistics Agency is pleased to announce the annual release of death index information for 1984 and marriage index information for 1929. On 4 June 2004, an amendment to the Vital Statistics Act was brought into force, extending future release dates for copies of birth records from 100 years to 120 years after the birth occurred. The amendment to the Vital Statistics Act enhances existing security around the release of birth information and ensures that the personal information and privacy of centenarians is protected.

This effectively means: births no change - only registrations up to 1903 are available, death registrations for the year 1984, and marriage registrations for the year 1929 have now been added the on-line indexes, as of 4 January 2005.

Status Update - Annual Release for Year 2004

Birth registrations for the year 1903, death registrations for the year 1983, and marriage registrations for the year 1928 have now been added the on-line indexes, as of 29 January 2004.

Status Update - Annual Release for Year 2003

Birth registrations for the year 1902, death registrations for the year 1982, and marriage registrations for the year 1927 have now been added the on-line indexes, as of 29 January 2003.

Status Update - Annual Release for Year 2002

Death registrations for the year 1981, marriage registrations for the year 1926, and birth registrations for the year 1901 have now been added the on-line Vital Event Indexes, as of 2 January 2002.

Status Update - Annual Release for Year 2001

Death registrations for the year 1980, and marriage registrations for the year 1925 have now been added the on-line indexes, as of 2 January 2001. In addition, index data relating to the deaths of 3,423 British Columbians overseas during World War Two has been added to the database as of 2 January 2001.

Status Update - Annual Release for Year 2000

Birth registrations for the year 1899, death registrations for the year 1979, and marriage registrations for the year 1924 have now been added the on-line indexes, as of 29 January 2000.

Status Update - Birth Registrations 1872-1898

The index to BC’s birth registrations for 1872-1898 (publicly releasable 100 years after the date of birth) were released on this web site on 16 June 1999.

Microfilm copies of the original registration documents will be available for purchase through the British Columbia Vital Statistics Agency shortly after the release date. In addition to the option of purchasing the whole microfilm series, it will be possible to purchase only the additional microfilm reels released in 1999. Details on availability of the microfiche copies of the indexes will be posted as they are finalized.

The major tasks in this project have been completed:

• The microfilming of the releasable birth records is finished. This involved the major task of resorting birth registrations manually by year of birth before microfilming. Without this time-consuming process, most of these birth registrations would not have been publicly releasable until 2015 or later.
• Data files were prepared for the new index. That index was created manually, thanks to the efforts of volunteers.
• To facilitate regular annual updates in the future, the basic index data has been prepared for the next five years of releases.
• New indexes were created for the web search engine, and for upcoming release on microfiche. This involved matching microfilm numbers to the birth index file, and manipulating the file for the web database.
• A new server was installed 23 February 1999, which has made the vital event search engine up to five times faster.
• Instructions for the web search engine have been being updated.

In our first two years, there have been 1,500 to 2,500 requests per day to these vital event indexes. Your letters of appreciation and positive feedback on the web site have meant a lot to staff and volunteers, and your comments and corrections have contributed to improvements that have been incorporated in the indexes.

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