About Us
Preserving the past, building the future.
Sikh National Archives of Canada:
Preserving the Past, Building the Future.
Established in 1999 as a registered charity, the Sikh National Archives of Canada (SNAC) is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and archiving historic, religious, and cultural materials relating to the Sikh faith and the Canadian Sikh experience. This includes literature, scriptures, books, articles, and both published and unpublished documents. Our growing collection promotes a deeper awareness and understanding of the cultural heritage, identity, and values of Sikh Canadians.
SNAC is building a comprehensive digital platform that will provide open access to our entire physical collection — housed at our Ottawa office since 1984. The first phase of this platform is now complete. To bring this vital project to its full potential, we need your support. Upon completion, you will be able to:
- •Read the entire SNAC collection online
- •Search catalogued item listings with complete descriptive details
- •Search collection catalogue using title, author, publisher, subject, place
- •Search any word or term inside individual books, magazines, articles
- •Fully search Panjabi books, magazines, newspapers and documents
- •Share items easily via social media
- •Use the flip book reader to make books easily readable
- •Use the read aloud feature for greater accessibility
- •Download books in different formats (Online Book Reader, PDF, Plain Text, ePub, Djvu, MOBI or Kindle).
When you support the Sikh National Archives of Canada, you are supporting:
Inclusion
The Sikh National Archives of Canada builds a more inclusive society by documenting, preserving, and sharing the unique and diverse stories of Canadian Sikhs — ensuring every voice is represented in our shared history.
Innovation
Our digital-first approach gives individuals access to a rich collection of archival content — a powerful tool for cultural empowerment, identity formation, and historical research.
Grassroots
More than 95% of our financial support comes from individual donors just like you. SNAC is run by a dedicated team of volunteers committed to community-driven heritage preservation.
A Vision for the Future
We believe the Canadian Sikh narrative is an integral part of Canadian history. Our mission is to ensure Sikh stories are documented, preserved, and made freely accessible for the greater public good.
FAQ
Your questions about
the Sikh National Archives of Canada, answered.
The Sikh National Archives of Canada (SNAC) is a registered non-profit organization committed to preserving and sharing the rich history, literature, and cultural heritage of Sikhs. Through a growing digital platform and physical collection, SNAC safeguards rare books, manuscripts, newspapers, photographs, and oral histories that reflect the lived experiences of Sikh communities in Canada and beyond.
Support the Archive
Help us preserve Sikh history and cultural heritage for future generations. Your contribution supports digitization, research, and community education.