Alberta-Ukraine Genealogical Project Launched

EDMONTON–An innovative new project has been launched by Alberta Community Development, which will provide new opportunities for families interested in exploring their past in Alberta and Ukraine.  

The Alberta-Ukraine Genealogical Project has evolved from the signing of Memorandums of Understanding on Cooperation between the Government of Alberta and the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast in August 2004 and the Lviv Oblast in September 2005 and Premier Klein’s trip to Ukraine in June 2006.

This project has received a three-year financial commitment in the amount of $200,000 from the Government of Alberta. Funding will assist in the establishment of genealogical research offices in Lviv and Edmonton. The offices will create links between archival institutions and record depositories in Western Ukraine and those in Alberta.  These links will serve as a resource for individuals interested in learning about their family history in Ukraine and Alberta and assist in re-uniting families that have lost contact during Soviet times. They will also strengthen affiliations between Alberta and archival institutions and record depositories in Western Ukraine, particularly in the Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Chernivtsi, and Lviv oblasts.

Another aim of the Alberta-Ukraine Genealogical Project is to generate research tools, registers, and documents that can be accessed over the internet by students and amateur genealogists.  The project will also coordinate a research service for those who are unable to undertake genealogical research themselves.

As part of the genealogical project, a consortium of partners in Alberta and Western Ukraine will convert archival search materials, registers, and other print information into electronic form for accessing through the Internet.  In Alberta, the consortium includes: The Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village and its Friends of the Ukrainian Village Society; the Provincial Archives of Alberta and its Friends Society; the Alberta Genealogical Society and its Ukrainian Special Interest Group; the Basilian Fathers Museum in Mundare; the Ukrainian Folklore Centre at the University of Alberta; and the Ukrainian Genealogical and Historical Society of Canada.

Work in offices in both countries is underway.  The overall project is managed by Radomir Bilash, and the Alberta office coordinator is David Makowsky.  Details regarding the Lviv office will be announced in the near future. 

For more information, please contact David at the Alberta genealogical research office at (780) 431-2324.  Those calling in Alberta, but from outside of Edmonton, may call toll-free by dialing 310-0000, then (780) 431-2324.

Written inquiries may be forwarded to the Alberta genealogical research office by e-mail, to AB-Ukraine.Genealogy@gov.ab.ca, or by mail to Alberta-Ukraine Genealogical Project, Old St. Stephen’s College 8820 - 112 Street, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2P8.