Who Are We?

The Saskatoon Branch of the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society (SBSGS) is a volunteer organization whose purpose is to promote and develop the study, research and preservation of genealogy and family history.

The first organizational meeting of SBSGS was held on Jan 23, 1971 and thanks to the support and dedication of almost 700 past and current members we are still going strong after more than 50 years!

Click here- 50th Anniversary recognition from SGS

Membership

Membership in our Branch requires concurrent membership in our parent organization, the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society (SGS). For 2025, SGS membership (Jan – Dec) is $70. Saskatoon Branch (SBSGS) membership is an additional $30 (must be an SGS member first).

Benefits of membership in the Saskatoon Branch include: 10 monthly Branch Meetings with educational programming; Special Interest Chat Groups; monthly newsletter, News and Notes; Library access, including borrowing references to use at home; and numerous chances to interact with fellow genealogists. Our meetings are now available via multiple modalities: in person, online, and via Zoom. Distance from Saskatoon, and weather, now have little impact on our ability to share our love of genealogy with each other!  To get in touch with our Membership Coordinator, email sbsgsmembership@gmail.com.

Information about the benefits of membership in SGS and access to the membership application/renewal form can be found at 
https://saskgenealogy.com/member
ship-fees/

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It's Membership Time!
SGS has announced a Growth Incentive Membership program for 2025.  If a current SGS member partners with a new or returning member (a past member who hasn’t been a member for 3 years), each person will only have to pay $42 for SGS membership (40% off the regular fee).  Add on the $30 SBSGS membership fee and the total is only $72 for a whole year of benefits from two organizations!  

If you are interested in partnering, SBSGS might be able to help connect a current and potential member for the benefit of both!  Just let us know if you are interested by sending an email to info@genealogysaskatoon.ca.  We will then set up a match based on order of request and let the current and potential member know the partner’s name to put on the membership form.  

Membership information and access to the form can be found at https://saskgenealogy.com/membership-fees/. 

No promises we can make this work for everyone, but why not give it a try?

Individuals are encouraged to join or renew as soon as possible in order to receive the newsletter and meeting information, borrow library materials, and to participate in chat groups during 2024.

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 Branch Meetings

The theme for our 2024-25 programs  (September to June) is “Beyond the Basics!”  Speakers will cover topics that will be relevant to both new and seasoned genealogists, including expansion of topics covered in 2023-2024 and new topics not yet covered.  

Meetings are held every third Thursday at 7:00 PM.  The January meeting will be held on January 16 at 7:00 PM.  This will be a Zoom-only meeting; a link to the meeting will be sent out to all members.

The topic for the January 16 program will be Homestead Records.  Many people arrived in Western Canada and the USA in search of free or inexpensive land where they could settle and raise a family. Owning land and feeding a family in their ‘home country’ was often an extremely difficult undertaking, made even harder when there were wars and oppressors involved. Was ‘homesteading’ in Canada worth the gamble of leaving home to come to a new land? What was involved in getting a homestead? Where can we find the records?

Join us on January 16, 2025 when Linda Suveges will review the process of ‘homesteading’ and discuss how to locate information about an ancestor’s homestead. Linda will use some examples to illustrate settlers’ experiences in Canada and the USA.

At the conclusion of the program, we encourage everyone to participate by sharing additional information about their family experiences as homesteaders on the Prairies!

Non-members of SBSGS are welcome to attend the presentation for a fee of $10.00. Please contact us at info@genealogysaskatoon.ca for further information and to register.  

Special Interest Chat Groups (Members Only)

Chat Group meetings via Zoom will resume on Thursdays, starting with the British Isles Group meeting on January 23, 2025 at 7:00 PM.  The complete January to June schedule can be found here. 

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Library Hours

The Library will not be open for regular hours from December through March. Library hours will resume In April when we once again meet in person. If you wish to get in touch with the Librarian, please email sbsgs.library@sasktel.net.