An indexed collection of 1+ million publications, from more than 500 individual departments and agencies, lets users draw from a range of government sources in a single search.
For the first time, find federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal reports, literature from major political parties, information and data pertaining to the issues that matter in Canada—healthcare, climate, education, first peoples, and other topics.
At a glance
1M+
The collection will reach 1 million pages within 2025.
500+
Coverage of more than 500 sources.
Sample reports
A report detailing the City of Edmonton's public engagement efforts to design and build great neighborhoods.
A report prepared annually to meet the requirements of the Government of Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.
Annual report prepared by the Serious Incident Response Team who provide oversight and independent investigations into policing in Nova Scotia.
Features and tools
Index and links for more than 500 Canadian government document collections
Souces include major federal sites, such as The Weekly Acquisitions List, and materials from political parties, local municipal departments, and historical websites.
Identification, capture, and preservation of rare, hard-to-find content
Where rights allow, we make copies of the material. If a website is down or an item is removed, our backup copy becomes available. We attach permanent identifiers, so users can cite with confidence—the item will be found.
Hosting
We invite members to upload or submit additional government documents for inclusion on the site. The Commons becomes a safe a permanent home for content.
Enriched content, searchable tables
Charts and tables are fully searchable, so they can be found without the need to read through the entire document. Then they can be exported in CSV format.
Advanced search tools
More than 1 million documents dated from the 1800s to the present can be searched with keywords, facets, fields, Boolean operators, and other advanced tools.
Curation
Our editors seek out and select organizations and content that are not found in existing resources.
Regular updates
Key sites are updated weekly, for accuracy and currency.
Social tools
Users can follow individual topics, people, or organizations; create branded portals; and receive alerts.
Integration
The database is fully cross-searchable with the e-books and documents on Canada Commons. It works with major discovery systems including Summon, EDS, and Primo.
Want a trial?
Free, 30-day trial offered with training
Flexible pricing options, tailored to your institution's needs
Ask your sales rep about collection packages that offer the best value
