The Association of Canadian Archivists continues to raise awareness of the growing impact of Bill C-3 on archives and archival workers across Canada. 

ACA Board President Alyssa Hyduk and Executive Director Mab Coates-Davies recently spoke with CBC about the pressures archival institutions are experiencing as they respond to increased requests for records related to citizenship by descent. The conversation highlighted the significant staff time required to respond to these requests, the challenges facing small and under-resourced archival institutions, and the need for clearer guidance and sustainable federal support. 

The ACA also shared findings gathered directly from archival institutions across Canada. These responses demonstrate that increased citizenship-related research is contributing to growing backlogs, longer response times, delayed projects, and the redirection of limited staff resources from other core archival responsibilities. 

These pressures come at a particularly challenging time for the archival sector following the cancellation of the Documentary Heritage Communities Program (DHCP), which had provided approximately $1.5 million annually to support documentary heritage organizations across Canada. 

The ACA will continue to advocate for clear guidance, meaningful consultation with the archival community, and appropriate resources for institutions supporting Canadians seeking documentary evidence for citizenship applications. 

Article:Demand for Canadian citizenship certificates soaring, fuelled by AmericansElizabeth Thompson · CBC News · Posted: Aug 17, 2026 4:00 AM EDT 

Radio:Listen here. 

For media inquiries 

Journalists interested in speaking with ACA about the archival impacts of Bill C-3 may contact: 

Mab Coates-Davies 
Executive Director, Association of Canadian Archivists 
executive.director@archivists.ca 

1-343-961-6593 

The ACA can help connect media with archivists and archival institutions who are seeing the effects of increased records requests, where appropriate. 

Resources and Living Updates  

The ACA will continue to provide resources, updates and media coverage on our blog page, Bill C-3 and Archives: A Living Update on Media Coverage and Sector Impacts.