ATIP and Personnel Records Division
Library and Archives Canada
395 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0N4
Fax: 613-947-8456

Collections Canada’s website will allow a search by name and provide you with number, rank, regiment, and the enlistment paperwork. 
www.collectionscanada.gc.ca

There are 3 main databases. 

Soldiers of the South African War, 1899 – 1902

Soldiers of the First World War, 1914-1918
Over 600,000 Canadians enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) during the First World War (1914-1918). The CEF database is an index to those personnel files, which are held by Library and Archives Canada.

Second World War Service Files: Canadian Armed Forces War Dead
Over 1,159,000 men and women served in the Canadian Armed Forces during the Second World War (1939-1945); 44,093 lost their lives. This research tool provides access to references to their service files

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission provides all cemetery information about each soldier.  www.cwgc.org

You can then get a photo of the gravesite through The Maple Leaf Legacy Project.
www.mapleleaflegacy.org

The Canadian Great War Project has additional information about WW1 such as British Medals and other info that isn’t tracked by Collections Canada.
www.canadiangreatwarproject.com

To find out more detail about British medals and commendations look at the British National Archives.  You may have to pay a small fee to get a copy of the document.
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Replace Medals and commendations by contacting:

Veterans Affairs Canada
Honours & Awards Section
66 Slater Street, Room 1411
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0P4