Researching Family History

Newspapers - British Columbia

Online

Surrey Libraries has the BC Historical Newspapers database, searchable, containing full coverage for the Vancouver Sun (1912 to 2010), Province (1898 to 2010), and Victoria Times Colonist (1894 to 2010).  

Smaller communities may have their own online archives of their local newspapers. Contact the newspaper, local archive/museum, or local public library in your area of interest to inquire or ask our staff for assistance. Many local newspapers are now part of the Newspapers.com subscription database, which requires a paid subscription. 

Print

While the Family History Department does not hold any print copies of historical newspapers, however we do have some print resources to assist you if you do not know the name of the newspapers that were in publication in the period and place of your area of interest.

Microfilm

The Family History department has microfilm holdings for the following newspapers:

  • Vancouver Sun            1979 to 2019
  • Vancouver Province     1993 to 2019
  • Surrey Leader              1929 to 2005; Apr – Sept 2006
  • Surrey Now                  1984 to 1989; 1994 to 2009
  • Surrey Times                1895 (incomplete)
  • Surrey Gazette             1917 to 1929 (incomplete)

Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Surrey Campus, Special Collections, also has a microfilm collection.