Northwest Territories Adoption Records

The Northwest Territories has closed records for natural parents and adoptees.

1.  Post Adoption Disclosure

Identifying information is only released with the consent of both parties, unless the Registrar of Adoptions cannot within 1 year locate the person whose consent must be obtained, at which point the records will be released. Natural parents and adoptees may request inclusion in a passive reunion registry, request an active search, or request non-identifying information. Nunavut adoption laws are based on the same legislation.

For information on adoptions that took place in the Northwest Territories contact:

Registrar, Adoptions
Department of Health and Social Services
Government of the Northwest Territories
CS-6th Floor, P.O. Box 1320
Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9

Phone: (867) 873-7943

2.  Obtain your Hospital Records

Mothers can call the Medical Records department of the hospital in which the birth took place to obtain your hospital chart with respect to prenatal care, labour and delivery, post natal care, hospital stay, etc.  Mothers should also apply for their child’s hospital record.  (Hint:  Do not use the word “adopted” if possible,  and if asked why records are required the answer is “for my personal record”).

3.  Maternity Home Records

Mothers who resided in Maternity Homes may apply to the organization which ran the home for any records which may have survived:

For Salvation Army Homes contact:

Salvation Army Archives
26 Howden Road, Scarborough, Ontario

More Information:

The Adoption Act (PDF)