Source Information

Ancestry.com. Canada, Border Crossings from U.S. to Canada, 1908-1935 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.
Original data: Library and Archives Canada. Border Entries. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada, n.d. RG 76-C. Department of Employment and Immigration fonds. Microfilm reels: T-5461-T-5507, T-15249-T-15344, T-15346-T-15393.

About Canada, Border Crossings from U.S. to Canada, 1908-1935

This database contains records of immigrants crossing into Canada from the United States between 1908 and 1935. These records consist of border entry lists and Form 30 (individual entry forms).

Historical Background:

In April 1908, the Canadian government began recording the names of immigrants crossing into the country from the U.S. These records are the official immigration records for Canada as no other immigration records exist.

From 1908-1918, the government used border entry lists to record information about individuals coming into the country. From 1919-1924, Form 30 (individual form) was used in place of the border entry lists to record similar information. In 1925 border entry lists came into use again.

Not all immigrants coming into Canada were registered. Some people may have entered the country through non-port cities or when ports were closed. Also, if at least one parent in a family was born in Canada or previously resided there, then the whole family was considered as returning citizens instead of immigrants, and were therefore not recorded.

About the Records:

On average, the border entry lists recorded 10-20 people per page. Form 30 was an individual form and therefore was able to record more significant genealogical information about each individual. Although the use of Form 30 officially ended in 1924, there are some records of this form that date to later years.

The amount of information recorded in these records varies according to form type and year. Below is a list of the type information you may find in these records. Please keep in mind that not all of this information will be available on every form. Additionally, there may be other information provided that is not listed below.

  • Name of immigrant

  • Port of arrival

  • Date of arrival

  • Age

  • Gender

  • Country of citizenship

  • Birthplace

  • Last permanent address

  • Marital status

  • Spouse name

  • Race or people

  • Purpose in coming to Canada

  • Occupation

  • Language

  • Religion

  • Destination

  • Health questions

  • Physical description

Form 30 consists of two images – a front and a back side. The majority of the information is recorded on the front side, but there is also important information recorded on the back. Use the previous and next buttons in the image viewer to navigate between these images. The back side may sometimes appear before, instead of after, the front.

Arrangement of Records:

The arrangement, or order, of the records changes depending on which form type you are looking at. The border entry lists are arranged in a general chronological order while the Form 30 records are arranged in general alphabetical order according to first letter of the surname.

Canadian Border Entry Ports:

Alberta

Coutts
Pinhorn
Twin Lakes

British Columbia

AldergroveKereemeosOsoyoosRossland
AnyoxKingsgatePacific HighwayRykerts
BamfieldLadnerPatersonSimilkameen
BridesvilleLadysmithPeardonvilleStewart
CarsonMidwayPentictonUnion Bay
CascadeMissionPhillipsUpper Sumas
ChilliwackMyncasterPort SimpsonVictoria
DouglasNanaimoPowell RiverWaneta
Grand ForksNewgatePrince RupertWhite Pass
GatewayOcean FallsRoosvilleWhite Rock
Huntingdon   

Manitoba

BannermanMorden
EmersonMowbray
HaskettSnowflake
GretnaSprague

Ontario

AmhertsburgCutlerNiagara FallsPrescott
AultsvilleDepot HarbourOjibwaRainy River
BathDeserontoParry SoundRockport
BellevilleErie BeachPictonSarnia
Blind RiverFort EriePigeon River BridgeSault Ste Marie
BridgeburgFort FrancesPoint EdwardSombra
BrightonFort WilliamPort ArthurThessalon
BrockvilleGananoquePort BurwellToronto
Bruce MinesGoderichPort ColborneTrenton
CobourgGore BayPort DalhousieWalkerville
CollingwoodIroquoisPort DoverWallaceburg
CornwallKingstonPort HopeWalpole Island
CourtrightLittle CurrentPort LambtonWindmill Point
Crystal BeachMorrisburgPort StanleyWindsor
   Wolf Island

New Brunswick

AndoverDebec JunctionGrand MananNorth Head St Stephen
Aroostook JunctionEdmundstonGreen RiverRichmond Road/Corner Upper Mills
CentrevilleFair HavenLeteteSt Andrews Welshpool
ConnorsFostervilleMcAdam JunctionSt Hilaire Wilsons Beach
ClairGrand FallsMilltownSt Léonard Woodstock

Nova Scotia

Clements Port
Liverpool
Port Hawkesbury
Sydney
Yarmouth

Quebec

ArmstrongFrelighsburgLacolle JunctionStanhope
AthelstanGeorgevilleMagogStanstead Junction
Beebe JunctionHemmingfordMansonvilleSt Armand
CoaticookHerefordMeganticSt Johns
Comins MillsHighwaterNoyan JunctionSt Regis
DundeeHuntingdon/St AgnesPaquetteville 

Saskatchewan

Big MuddyNorth PortalWest Poplar River
East Poplar RiverNorthgateWillow Creek
MarienthalRadvilleWood Mountain

Yukon

Dawson
Forty Mile

Maine

Portland

Massachusetts

Boston

New York

Charlotte
Lewiston
Malone
Rochester
Rouses Point

Vermont

Alburg
St Albans