City directories are available to help you locate your ancestors, so familiarize yourself with them. Look also for Bell Canada phone directories, many of which have been microfilmed and donated to provincial archives. Most provinces have province-wide genealogical societies with many branches. Keep in mind that there are many independent genealogical or historical societies that exist. To find out which society is best for you, contact the public library in the town you believe your ancestors lived and ask how to contact the local society.
Most provinces have one central provincial archive.
In some provinces, two major cities share in the housing of the records. In Quebec nine regional centers operate. It is important to verify what information is available and where it is housed before a trip to an archive is planned. For a detailed list of Canadian genealogical and historical societies and provincial archives, consult A Canadian Directory for Genealogists by Louise St Denis, 1999. The collection of the LDS Church are extremely important.