I have found a relative on the 1861 census of Frontenac County, Ontario on Ancestry.com in the USA. I know how to get hold of free images for the various census of the United States and am wondering how I can go about it for Canada. Are the images on microfilms at the Library and Archives Canada public domain? If so, do you know where to get a copy of the film or public domain images made from it? If not, are there any public domain images, microfilm or digital, of the 1861 census.

The Canadian census images that appear on Ancestry are provided by Library & Archives Canada (LAC) through a collaborative partnership between Ancestry and LAC¹. With the current exception of the 1921 census (Ancestry only) and 1825-1842 censuses (LAC only), all digitized census images can be viewed on both websites.

Ancestry requires a subscription to access all but the 1921 census (which is free to view with free registration), access to LAC is completely free (no registration or subscription).

Microfilm of Canadian census records can be viewed at any Family History Centre worldwide. For those within Canada it can also be viewed at LAC and any Canadian library or archive with microfilm capabilities.

For terms of use of LAC images see: Using Files Located on Non-Government of Canada Servers and Copyright / Permission to Reproduce

¹ Library and Archives Canada Agreement with Ancestry.ca, Library and Archives Canada Partners with Ancestry.ca

I am having difficulty in finding out where and when someone died. It may have been in his hometown area or in England. It's from 1897, where can I find the info I need?

Ontario Death Registrations are available for this period.  They are indexed by name and can be accessed at the Archives of Ontario, any Canadian Library with microfilm facilities, Family History Centres worldwide and through a subscription to Ancestry.ca.

Apparently, my grandfather changed his name from Carter to Smith before he got married. Where do I search for this information? The name change would have taken place sometime after 1885 but before the 1st WW.

Help! Do you have an answer to this question? Please post a comment.

Is it possible to zero in on the village where people lived in a census year? Is there a detailed map with the location of various census sub-district numbers ie) in Manvers Township in the 1901 census there are 7 sub-districts. It would be great to know whether a fmaily lived in Pontepool or Bethany & where they went to church or are buried.

[From Anonymous] Yes it is. When you find your relative in a particular sub-district (on Schedule 1), make a note of the page and line number for the household number. Then go to the Collections Canada website and find Schedule 2 for the same sub-district and look up that page and line number. It will give you the location of the household - for Manvers, it appears to be concession and lot numbers and not town names, but it should give you a better idea of where they lived. collectionscanada.ca does give some hints - sub-district c-5 is Bethany, c-6 is Fleetwood & Franklin, c-7 is Janetville.

Has anyone any information on where recorded information from Justices of the Peace can be found. Has anyone any recorded information on just who Justice of the Peace where? Where can I find information at the turn of the century (1900) on who these Justice of the Peace were?

[From Cathy] Unfortunately, the only registry of JP appointments that exists that I know of is the one for New Brunswick (It is searchable online. Scroll down to "Misc. Records" http://globalgenealogy.com/links/canada-nb.htm)

JP's tended to do marriages. Some resources to find mention of JP's might include: Thomas B. Wilson has published an index and partial abstraction of surviving Ontario Marriage Bonds for the years 1803 - 1834. There are some bonds available beyond 1834. The original bonds are held by the National Archives of Canada in Ottawa and are available on microfilm through Inter-Library Loan and through local Family History Centres of the Church of Latter Day Saints. Wilson’s Ontario Marriage Bonds book is now available with many other invaluable vital records references on CD #204 from Family Tree Maker's Family Archives Series, produced by Broderbund. Unfortunately marriage licences have been lost to us over time as have the records of most Justices of the Peace.

Occasionally the records of a local J.P. will turn up in a private manuscript collection, however, there are no comprehensive collections of J.P. records available. You could also ask Osgoode Hall - they are the experts on Legal History in Ontario. http://www.osgoodesociety.ca

My grandfather immigrated to the US shortly before 1900. What was required to leave Canada at this time? How can I find out exactly when he did come to the US? I have found him in a city directory for the year 1900 but have not been able to find out if he ever became a citizen.

See Immigration Records for information on what was required to leave Canada. US census records should indicate whether or not he became a US citizen (at least prior to 1930), or you search Naturalization Records

From Jo Ann - You didn't need anything to leave except for the means to do so. I have a number of ancestors who left Ontario and Quebec (mostly for economic reasons) 1870 through about 1910 and came earliest via horse and wagon. Later, they came by train. My mother said that her grandparents came in a group and people would put their possessions in open boxcars. These were the French-Canadians. Nearly all of my ancestors were farmers or farming connected. Later it depended upon where you left from. Easiest from Sask. Ont. and harder without ID papers from Que. through NY, Vt or Maine. Need to check US Archives and need to know where they came into States.

My grandfather attended Univ. of Toronto.(before 1900) How can I find out when he attended and if he got a degree?

Contact the University of Toronto and ask where you can obtain information on your grandfather's time at the university. Most universities have archives that keep information on their alumni. You can find the UofT on the internet by using a search engine.

Are there records for immigrants who landed in Canada at Grosse Ile, if so, where are they located and are they on film? Thanks.

Yes there are. Some can be found at Immigrants at Grosse-Île

Does Ontario have census indexes for the years of 1891 and 1901? If so, is there one or are there several and how can I find one? I am having trouble locating my grandfather (b. 1882), I've looked in the county he was supposed to be born but the family is not there.

Yes there are several indexes available depending upon the year and area of Ontario. Some OGS branches have indexed the census records for their areas. OntarioGenWeb's Census Project also has indexes.

2010 Update:
LAC now offers indexes & images as does Ancestry

My mothers uncle went to Canada with the Salvation Army when he was about 14yrs old. He was born in 1879 in Marylebone, London. How can I find when he arrived in Canada. He lived in Ontario and Winnipeg to my knowledge.

The Salvation Army has records and they will assist with the search. You can contact them at:
Salvation Army
The Director, Family Tracing Services
105 - 109 Judd Street, Kings Cross
London, WC1H 9TS
England
0171-387-2772
(From Marj Kohli)

Does anyone know how far in advance of a census 'publication' the information was collected? For instance, if my ancestor's age on a census is listed as 50 yrs.,does this mean he is 50 at the year of the census, or is he 50 at the year the information was collected?

Information was usually collected between March and June of the year stated on the census (1851/1852, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, and 1901) and the ages given were generally how old the individual was between March and June of said year or the age they would be on their next birthday

A cousin has found a birth record for an illegitimate child, born in 1897. The mother of the child is the older sister of our grandmother. The father of the child appears to be the mother's father! While I am not naive enough to suppose that incest did not occur in "those days", I question if the father would have named (branded!) himself in a public record. Is it possible that Dad's name was entered incorrectly? I have also received information that there was a nephew with the same name as Dad. Is there any way to find out if he might have been the father? Many thanks.

Tricky. If the family didn't care, and if they figured that the whole town knew about it anyway, then they might have recorded the birth truthfully. But it does sound suspicious. I'd look for more info - like a baptism or christening record, or an obit. I have one ancestor who had a child out of wedlock, and who was excommunicated from her church - and so, there is a record in the church records. (From Suzanne Schaller)