LAC to post indexed 1906 census

Library and Archives Canada have tweeted that they will launch a nominal index for the 1906 census, (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba) sometime "after the holidays."

You don't have to wait. Experienced Canadian genealogists know this will be at best the fourth means of accessing that nominally indexed census. There may be other local versions.

• Ancestry have had the index available for years to subscribers and free online to most Canadians who know enough to go to a local public library or Family History Centre.
• Automated genealogy has a free index linked to images.
• Familysearch has a transcription.

LAC will likely use the index produced by Ancestry through a partnership agreement; LAC's use of the index was embargoed for three years.

It's a sign of the sorry state of affairs at LAC that what's being heralded is this fourth source for the 1906 census rather than records from their collection previously unavailable elsewhere, or the announcement of additional partnerships so that further records can be indexed.