The Canadian province of New Brunswick has experienced a significant increase in genealogy-related inquiries following a recent change in Canadian citizenship laws.
Bill C-3, implemented on December 15, 2025, removed Canada’s first-generation citizenship restriction. This alteration allows individuals born before the specified date to claim Canadian citizenship by proving descent from a Canadian ancestor, irrespective of the generational gap.
To acquire a Canadian citizenship certificate, necessary for obtaining a Canadian passport, applicants must provide official documentation verifying their Canadian lineage. This prerequisite has led to a surge in requests to Canadian archives and religious institutions, which safeguard the essential records required by American citizenship applicants.
Since the spring of 2026, the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick has been inundated with approximately 400 citizenship-related requests monthly, a stark increase from the 100 genealogy inquiries per month recorded in 2025. The surge in demand has strained the resources of archives nationwide, as acknowledged by provincial archivist Joanna Aiton Kerr.
Aiton Kerr highlighted the unexpected rise in citizenship-related requests post-Bill C-3 and noted a gradual uptick in inquiries since February 2026. The majority of requests originate from American applicants seeking birth records, marriage certificates, death records, land records, and school files.
For many Americans, obtaining a Canadian passport serves as a contingency plan rather than a relocation strategy. Amid domestic political uncertainties, individuals view the Canadian passport as a security measure. The global surge in demand for second passports aligns with Canada’s expanded eligibility criteria.
The interest in New Brunswick’s records among Americans can be linked to the historical Expulsion of the Acadians in 1755. This event led to the forced displacement of French-speaking settlers from the region, with many Acadians resettling in present-day United States territories.