Immigrants at Grosse Île quarantine station, 1832 to 1937
Grosse Île was first established as a quarantine station in 1832 to prevent the spread of cholera into the country. Search this collection for information about immigrants who died or were buried at the Grosse Île Quarantine Station between 1832 and 1937.
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About the records
Around 1830, an average of 30,000 immigrants arrived each year in the city of Québec, the main port of entry to Canada. This was a time when major cholera and smallpox epidemics were sweeping through Europe. To help control the spread of the diseases, the quarantine station at Grosse Île, located in the St. Lawrence River downstream from the city of Québec, was established in 1832. The station operated until its closure in 1937 and then became a National Historic Site in 1974.
Data was originally compiled by Parks Canada from several different records held in various archives. A fire at Grosse Île in 1878 destroyed many of the early records.
This collection indexes 11,612 references from LAC holdings about immigrants, sailors and employees who:
- died at sea
- died at Grosse Île
- were buried at Grosse Île
Other places to look
Search for other published material in our library catalogue, Aurora.
- Many of the records in this collection are from newspapers, like the Morning Chronicle (Québec). It is available on microfilm and can be found at LAC and other public libraries. Consult our Newspapers on microform page for more information about the newspapers held at LAC.
- The published Journals of the House of Assembly of the Province of Lower-Canada (Quebec) contain various reports and documents. The journals can be found in libraries or in Canadiana.
- References are also found in Grosse Île: Gateway to Canada, 1832-1937 by Marianna O’Gallagher (1984). OCLC 12586162
To find other publications about the Grosse Île Quarantine Station, try keywords like:
- Quarantine and Quebec
- Grosse Ile or Montmagny
Access the records
The records are transcribed, and some are attached to images. If you would like to see the original images, you will need to follow the instructions below.
Digitized records
If you find a record of interest, there may be a digital image. Some of these are available through Collection search. Others, particularly digitized microforms, are available through Canadiana Héritage.
Records that are not digitized
For records that are not digitized, you will need to see them in person. Use the information in the Reference field to order material. If you cannot visit us in person, you may want to order copies or hire a researcher.
Records held at other institutions
Religious records relating to births, baptisms, marriages, deaths and burials are held at the Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec and the Quebec Diocesan Archives – Anglican Church of Canada at Bishop's University. Parks Canada also holds quarantine station registers, which are too fragile to be consulted or copied.