Canada has recognized 23,490 people as citizens since Bill C-3 took effect in mid-December, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) data obtained by CBC News.

Of those, 6,100 received certificates through the new "Lost Canadian" ancestry pathway, which the bill created. Another 17,390 obtained recognition because they had a Canadian parent, a category that existed before the law.

Who qualifies under Bill C-3?

The legislation removed the first-generation cap on citizenship by descent. Previously, a person born outside Canada had to have a Canadian parent to qualify. Now, anyone with an unbroken line of descent from a Canadian ancestor can apply. Federal courts had ruled the old limit unconstitutional.

Between April 1 and May 31, the count of certificates issued under Bill C-3 rose nearly 50 per cent, from 4,075 to 6,100. People born in the United States account for nearly half of those recognized since the bill took effect. IRCC data shows 3,110 Americans qualified under Bill C-3, while another 8,125 obtained certificates because one of their parents was born in Canada.

How big is the backlog?

The pipeline of pending applications has surged. Around 56,000 people waited in April. That climbed to 70,400 in May and now stands at 121,800, according to the agency's public website. The category covers everything from Bill C-3 claims to routine replacement of lost certificates.

The estimated processing time has doubled. It stood at 12 months in May and reached 25 months by August 10. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has projected that 115,000 people could be affected by the law.

What did the government expect?

Last October, Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab told the House of Commons immigration committee that no flood of applications would arrive. "We anticipate volumes in the tens of thousands over time," she said. "We do not expect any surge."

A spokesperson for the minister, Taous Ait, said IRCC prepared for Bill C-3 in advance. "We're closely monitoring application volumes and trends and will adjust our operations as needed to manage demand as efficiently as possible," Ait said.

Why are archivists overwhelmed?

Canada's archivists now absorb the downstream pressure. Genealogical records needed to prove ancestry have become some of the most-requested documents in the country.

Alyssa Hyduk, president of the Association of Canadian Archivists, said some institutions have seen requests jump by 100 to 300 per cent. The association's executive director, Mab Coates-Davies, tied the surge to a federal funding cut. "This funding package was just cut and then our workload skyrocketed," she said, referring to the end of Library and Archives Canada's $1.5-million-a-year Documentary Heritage Communities program.

Many of the requests involve records that pre-date Confederation or sit in small church archives. Hyduk said archivists sometimes search boxes of material for a single document.

What happened with the June suspensions?

IRCC suspended an estimated 100 citizenship certificates in June over concerns about documentation. The agency has since restored 83 of them. It sent procedural fairness letters to another 17 holders, giving them 60 days to submit acceptable proof. If they fail, their certificates face revocation.

New Democrat immigration critic Jenny Kwan has fielded inquiries from affected constituents. "It really makes no sense whatsoever, what's going on," Kwan said. "And the minister is completely ignoring that reality right now."

IRCC says it has not changed its document requirements but has clarified them on its website and in public information. For current eligibility criteria and required documents, applicants should refer to IRCC's official Bill C-3 page.