GuidedResearch:Why Can't I Find the Record - Northwest Territories Deaths

This page will give you additional guidance and resources to find death information for your ancestor. Use this page after first completing the death section of the Northwest Territories Guided Research page.

Additional Databases and Online Resources
''Currently, there are no additional databases for deaths in the Northwest Territories. See, Substitute records below to help locate death information in other records.''

Images Only (Browsable Images)
Currently, there are no browsable-only collections.

How to Request the Record When It's Not Online
Territory-wide registration for deaths started in 1925. To learn more about record limitations and restrictions, see the article Northwest Territories Vital Records.

To order death records, contact:


 * Registrar General of Vital Statistics Health Services Administration Office Department of Health and Social Services Bag #9 Inuvik, NT X0E 0T0 Phone: 1-800-661-0830 Fax: 1-867-777-3197 Email: [mailto:hsa@gov.nt.ca hsa@gov.nt.ca] Website

NOTE: Death records are confidential. Only an immediate family member or next of kin may order a death certificate. See Who can order a death certificate? for more information.

Additional Records with Death Information
Substitute records can contain information about more than one event, and are used when records for an event are not available. Because the substitute records may not be created at the time of the event, it may contain incorrect information. Search for as many substitute records as possible to corroborate information found in substitute records to help improve accuracy.

Tips for finding deaths
Successfully finding death records in online databases depends on a few key points. Try the following search suggestions:
 * Spelling variations. Your ancestor's name may be misspelled. Search with spelling variations for the first and last name of your ancestor.
 * Search given name. Search by given name (leave out the last name) with the approximate date of birth or death.
 * Add information. For common names, add more information to narrow the search such as approximate birth date or parent's names if known.
 * Date range. Expand the date range of the search by 5 years.
 * Search territory. Search using the territory name only instead of by smaller locality.

Known Record Gaps
Records Start
 * 1925 Civil registration for deaths began. Before 1925, deaths and burials may be found in church records.