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This publication presents annual estimates of population for subprovincial areas of Canada, such as census metropolitan areas (CMAs), census agglomerations (CAs), economic regions (ERs) and census divisions (CDs). The following components of population change are also presented: births, deaths, immigration, emigration, returning emigration, net temporary emigration, net non-permanent residents and interprovincial and intraprovincial migration. The estimates are based on the most recent census of population results available at the time of publication, which have been adjusted for census net undercoverage (including adjustment for incompletely enumerated Indian reserves). This publication also contains highlights and an analysis of the most recent demographic trends, as well as a description of the concepts, methods and data quality of the estimates.

The Dissemination Geographies Relationship File is a dataset at the dissemination block level that contains the relationships to all census geographic areas. The purpose of this product is for it to be used with the Boundary Files to link geographic areas with other geography levels using the Dissemination Geography Unique Identifiers.

This video is the first one of a series of videos related to census geography, concepts and products in the context of the activities of the 2021 Census and previous censuses. The objective of this first video is to describe the role of geography. The remaining videos from this series, that will be released at later dates, will aim to provide an overview on the geographic regions of Canada, some of the products offered by Statistics Canada, and the census data visualization tools.

Once every five years, the Census of Population provides a detailed and comprehensive statistical portrait of Canada that is vital to our country. It is the primary source of sociodemographic data for specific population groups such as lone-parent families, Indigenous peoples, immigrants, seniors and language groups.

In order to help users of census products to better understand the various Census of Population concepts, Statistics Canada has developed, in the context of the activities of the 2021 Census and previous censuses, a collection of short videos. These videos are a reference source for users who are new to census concepts or those who have some experience with these concepts, but may need a refresher or would like to expand their knowledge.

Three correspondence files are available:

The Dissemination Area correspondence file is a tabular product that describes the relationship between the current census Dissemination Area and the previous census Dissemination Area;

The Dissemination Area and Land Area correspondence file describes the percentage of the current census Dissemination Area's land area within the boundaries extent of the previous census Dissemination Area;

The Dissemination Block correspondence file describes the relationship between the current census Dissemination Block and the previous census Dissemination Block.

Each file contains a unique identifier for the current census geographic area and the corresponding unique identifier for the previous census geographic area. In addition, a relationship flag is included which indicates the degree of correspondence between the geographic areas, facilitating the comparison between census years.

This reference guide is intended for users of the census boundary files. The guide provides an overview of the files, the general methodology used to create them, and important technical information for users.

The Boundary files portray the geographic limits used for census dissemination and are available for Provinces and Territories, Census Divisions, Economic Regions, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, Census Consolidated Subdivisions, Census Subdivisions and Aggregate Dissemination Area.

There are two types of boundary files: digital and cartographic. Digital files depict the full extent of the geographical areas, including the coastal water area. Cartographic files depict the geographical areas using only the major land mass of Canada and its coastal islands. The files provide a framework for mapping and spatial analysis using commercially available geographic information systems (GIS) or other mapping software.

The Boundary Files are portrayed in Lambert conformal conic projection and are based on the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83). A reference guide is available (92-160-G).

The Dissemination Block Boundary Files portray the dissemination block boundaries for which Census data are disseminated. A dissemination block is an area bounded on all sides by roads and/or boundaries of standard geographic areas and is the smallest geographic area for which population and dwelling count data are disseminated. The files contain the boundaries of all dissemination blocks which combine to cover all of Canada.

There are two types of boundary files: digital and cartographic. Digital files depict the full extent of the geographical areas, including the coastal water area. Cartographic files depict the geographical areas using only the major land mass of Canada and its coastal islands. The files provide a framework for mapping and spatial analysis using commercially available geographic information systems or other mapping software.

The Dissemination Block Boundary Files are portrayed in Lambert conformal conic projection and are based on the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83). A reference guide is available (92-160-GWE).

The Dissemination Area Boundary Files portray the dissemination area boundaries for which Census data are disseminated. A dissemination area is a small area composed of one or more neighbouring dissemination blocks and is the smallest standard geographic area for which all census data are disseminated. The files contain the boundaries of all dissemination areas which combine to cover all of Canada.

There are two types of boundary files: digital and cartographic. Digital files depict the full extent of the geographical areas, including the coastal water area. Cartographic files depict the geographical areas using only the major land mass of Canada and its coastal islands. The files provide a framework for mapping and spatial analysis using commercially available geographic information systems or other mapping software.

The Dissemination Area Boundary Files are portrayed in Lambert conformal conic projection and are based on the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83). A reference guide is available (92-160-GWE).

The Census Dictionary is a reference document which contains detailed definitions of Census of Population concepts, variables and geographic terms, as well as historical information.

By referring to the Census Dictionary, both beginner and intermediate data users will gain a better understanding of the data and how to compare variables between census years.

The Census Dictionary will be released iteratively starting with geography and non-data dependent topic definitions, tables, figures and appendices with additional content made available based on subsequent topic releases.

The public use microdata file (PUMF) from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) provides data for health regions and combinations of health regions across Canada. Over the two year period, data are based on interviews with approximately 130,000 respondents aged 12 or older, residing in households in all provinces and territories.

The files include information on a wide range of topics, including: physical activity, height and weight, smoking, exposure to second hand smoke, alcohol consumption, general health, chronic health conditions, injuries, and use of health care services. It also provides information on the socio-demographic, income and labour force characteristics of the population.

Statistics Canada, in collaboration with the Public Health Agency of Canada and Natural Resources Canada, is presenting selected Census data to help inform Canadians on the public health risk of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data is provided for selected data indicators at various levels of geography.

These tables are available for each major Census of Population days of release, starting with population and dwelling counts. They will present focused information for various levels of geography. These tables allow users to perform simple rank and sort functions, and include percentage distributions and percentage change from previous censuses to facilitate comparisons between years and different geographic areas.

This Hierarchical File, 2016 Census Public Use Microdata File (PUMF) product provides access to non-aggregated data covering a sample of 1% of the Canadian households. It is a comprehensive social, demographic and economic database about Canada and its people, and contains a wealth of characteristics on the population. The file enables the study of individuals in relation to their census families, economic families and households. Geographic identifiers have been restricted to the provinces, the three territories grouped into a region called Northern Canada and selected metropolitan areas (Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary) to ensure respondents’ anonymity. This comprehensive file is excellent tool for policy analysts, pollsters, social researchers and anyone interested in modeling and performing statistical regression analysis using 2016 Census microdata.

This product contains the data file (in ASCII format); user documentation and supporting information; all licence agreements; and SAS, SPSS and Stata program source codes to enable users to read the set of records. It is important to note that users will require knowledge of data manipulation packages (or software) such as SAS, SPSS or Stata to use this product.

Series Description - The Dimensions Series (1996 Census of Population) provides an in-depth analysis of census data. More than 150 tables represent a variety of special interest subjects linking a number of Census variables. Statistical information is presented on themes of considerable public interest with some tables examining historical trends and other tables detailing significant sub-populations. Data for geographical levels of Canada, Provinces and Territories are most widely represented with some data tables produced at the Census Metropolitan Area level. The Portrait of Official Language Communities in Canada and the Portrait of Aboriginal Population of Canada contain some information at the community level.

The data tables are grouped by common theme and are available on 7 different CD-ROMs:

94F0004XCB96000 - Ethnocultural and Social Characteristics of the Canadian Population94F0005XCB96000 - Canadian Income and Earnings for 1990 and 199594F0006XCB96000 - Labour Force and Unpaid Work of Canadians94F0007XCB96000 - Place of Work of the Canadian Population94F0008XCB96000 - Canadian Demographic Characteristics (including language and mobility)94F0010XCB96000 - Portrait of Official Language Communities in Canada94F0011XCB96000 - Portrait of Aboriginal Population in Canada

A detailed list of tables is included on each CD-ROM. Some tables show comparisons with data from earlier censuses to provide an historical perspective. It should be noted that the Dimension Series was not produced for the 1991 Census.

The Individuals File, 2016 Census Public Use Microdata Files (PUMF) provides data on the characteristics of the Canadian population. The file contains a 2.7% sample of anonymous responses to the 2016 Census questionnaire. The files have been carefully scrutinized to ensure the complete confidentiality of the individual responses and geographic identifiers have been restricted to provinces/territories and metropolitan areas. With 123 variables, this comprehensive tool is excellent for policy analysts, pollsters, social researchers and anyone interested in modelling and performing statistical regression analysis using the Census.

Microdata files uniquely provide users access to non-aggregated data. The PUMFs user can group and manipulate these variables to suit data and research requirements. Tabulations excluded from other Census products can be created or relationships between variables can be analyzed using different statistical tests. PUMFs provide quick access to a comprehensive social and economic database about Canada and its people.

This product contains the data file (in ASCII format); user documentation and supporting information; all licence agreements; and SAS, SPSS and Stata program source codes to enable users to read the set of records. It is important to note that users will require knowledge of data manipulation packages (or software) such as SAS, SPSS or Stata to use this product.

Series Description - The Dimensions Series (1996 Census of Population) provides an in-depth analysis of census data. More than 150 tables represent a variety of special interest subjects linking a number of Census variables. Statistical information is presented on themes of considerable public interest with some tables examining historical trends and other tables detailing significant sub-populations. Data for geographical levels of Canada, Provinces and Territories are most widely represented with some data tables produced at the Census Metropolitan Area level. The Portrait of Official Language Communities in Canada and the Portrait of Aboriginal Population of Canada contain some information at the community level.

The data tables are grouped by common theme and are available on 7 different CD-ROMs:

94F0004XCB96000 - Ethnocultural and Social Characteristics of the Canadian Population94F0005XCB96000 - Canadian Income and Earnings for 1990 and 199594F0006XCB96000 - Labour Force and Unpaid Work of Canadians94F0007XCB96000 - Place of Work of the Canadian Population94F0008XCB96000 - Canadian Demographic Characteristics (including language and mobility)94F0010XCB96000 - Portrait of Official Language Communities in Canada94F0011XCB96000 - Portrait of Aboriginal Population in Canada

A detailed list of tables is included on each CD-ROM. Some tables show comparisons with data from earlier censuses to provide an historical perspective. It should be noted that the Dimension Series was not produced for the 1991 Census.

This product presents selected data from the linkage between the Census of Agriculture and the Census of Population at the national and provincial levels, every five years. It provides a socioeconomic profile of the farm population (i.e., operators and their families) at the person, family and household levels, and includes variables such as age, sex, marital status, ethnicity, country of birth, mother tongue, educational attainment and income.

Agriculture–Population Linkage databases have been created quinquennially since 1971, with the exception of 1976 and 2011.

The Census Program Data Viewer (CPDV) is a new advanced web-based data visualization tool that will make statistical information more interpretable by presenting key indicators in a statistical dashboard. The CPDV makes it easy to find many places in Canada, see them on a map, and get basic geographic and sociodemographic data for those places. To find a specific place of interest, you can click and zoom in on a map of Canada or you can search by place name or postal code. The CPDV displays the appropriate thematic map showing boundaries and other features. The CPDV will also enable users to easily compare indicator values for different places and help identify relationships between indicators.

The Census Profile Standard Error Supplement provides the standard error for each long-form estimate along with the standard Census Profile data for a selected ADA, its corresponding census division (CD) and province/territory, as well as for Canada. It can be downloaded for selected areas or the entire profile in a variety of commonly used formats (e.g., CSV, TAB or IVT). This product will be updated with additional content released on November 29, 2017.

This publication presents annual estimates of population for subprovincial areas of Canada, such as census metropolitan areas (CMAs), census agglomerations (CAs), economic regions (ERs) and census divisions (CDs). The following components of population change are also presented: births, deaths, immigration, emigration, returning emigration, net temporary emigration, net non-permanent residents and interprovincial and intraprovincial migration. The estimates are based on the most recent census of population results available at the time of publication, which have been adjusted for census net undercoverage (including adjustment for incompletely enumerated Indian reserves). This publication also contains highlights and an analysis of the most recent demographic trends, as well as a description of the concepts, methods and data quality of the estimates.

This video is the first one of a series of videos related to census geography, concepts and products in the context of the activities of the 2021 Census and previous censuses. The objective of this first video is to describe the role of geography. The remaining videos from this series, that will be released at later dates, will aim to provide an overview on the geographic regions of Canada, some of the products offered by Statistics Canada, and the census data visualization tools.

Once every five years, the Census of Population provides a detailed and comprehensive statistical portrait of Canada that is vital to our country. It is the primary source of sociodemographic data for specific population groups such as lone-parent families, Indigenous peoples, immigrants, seniors and language groups.

In order to help users of census products to better understand the various Census of Population concepts, Statistics Canada has developed, in the context of the activities of the 2021 Census and previous censuses, a collection of short videos. These videos are a reference source for users who are new to census concepts or those who have some experience with these concepts, but may need a refresher or would like to expand their knowledge.

This study examines the educational attainment and labour market outcomes of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit women primarily aged 25 to 64 using data from the 2006 and 2016 Census of Population, the 2017 Aboriginal Peoples Survey and the 2018 National Graduates Survey. Comparisons are made to the non-Indigenous population, across Indigenous-identity groups, and between the sexes.

The newsletter offers information aimed at three main groups, businesses (small to medium), communities and ethno-cultural groups/communities. Articles and outreach materials will assist their understanding of national and local data from the many relevant sources found on the Statistics Canada website.

This article paints a portrait of census coverage levels from 1991 to 2016 through the examination of net census undercoverage rates. It reveals that CNU rates are relatively low and stable over time. However, CNU rates fluctuate based on population characteristics. These rates are higher among young adults, particularly men, individuals who live in the territories or on Indian reserves, those who are separated or single, and those whose mother tongue is a language other than English or French. Canadian CNU rates and the characteristics of harder-to-enumerate populations are similar to what is observed internationally.

This paper describes two broad approaches that can be used to determine how statistical data on language derived from the Canadian Census of Population are prepared and disseminated, and explain how each requires different choices in organizing and presenting language data for dissemination. Statistics Canada has produced this document to provide language data users with key information on what data are available so they can know which data sources can meet their needs.

This presentation gives an overview of the topics discussed during the virtual roundtables on the 2021 Census of Population questionnaire content. The five main topics are the following: family, demography and activity limitations; languages, ethnocultural diversity and immigration (including citizenship, religion, population groups, minority language education rights); Indigenous peoples; education, labour, commuting, and Veterans; and housing, income and expenditures.

This document deals with the addition of questions to the 2021 Census questionnaire about minority language educational rights. Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees certain educational rights to French-speaking minorities outside Quebec and English-speaking minorities in Quebec. This document presents a detailed description of the activities and analyses carried out by Statistics Canada to meet the need for data on this population.

This infographic provides information on the number and characteristics of gig workers, including gender, regional, and occupational differences.

Three correspondence files are available:

The Dissemination Area correspondence file is a tabular product that describes the relationship between the current census Dissemination Area and the previous census Dissemination Area;

The Dissemination Area and Land Area correspondence file describes the percentage of the current census Dissemination Area's land area within the boundaries extent of the previous census Dissemination Area;

The Dissemination Block correspondence file describes the relationship between the current census Dissemination Block and the previous census Dissemination Block.

Each file contains a unique identifier for the current census geographic area and the corresponding unique identifier for the previous census geographic area. In addition, a relationship flag is included which indicates the degree of correspondence between the geographic areas, facilitating the comparison between census years.

This reference guide is intended for users of the census boundary files. The guide provides an overview of the files, the general methodology used to create them, and important technical information for users.

The Boundary files portray the geographic limits used for census dissemination and are available for Provinces and Territories, Census Divisions, Economic Regions, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, Census Consolidated Subdivisions, Census Subdivisions and Aggregate Dissemination Area.

There are two types of boundary files: digital and cartographic. Digital files depict the full extent of the geographical areas, including the coastal water area. Cartographic files depict the geographical areas using only the major land mass of Canada and its coastal islands. The files provide a framework for mapping and spatial analysis using commercially available geographic information systems (GIS) or other mapping software.

The Boundary Files are portrayed in Lambert conformal conic projection and are based on the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83). A reference guide is available (92-160-G).

The Dissemination Block Boundary Files portray the dissemination block boundaries for which Census data are disseminated. A dissemination block is an area bounded on all sides by roads and/or boundaries of standard geographic areas and is the smallest geographic area for which population and dwelling count data are disseminated. The files contain the boundaries of all dissemination blocks which combine to cover all of Canada.

There are two types of boundary files: digital and cartographic. Digital files depict the full extent of the geographical areas, including the coastal water area. Cartographic files depict the geographical areas using only the major land mass of Canada and its coastal islands. The files provide a framework for mapping and spatial analysis using commercially available geographic information systems or other mapping software.

The Dissemination Block Boundary Files are portrayed in Lambert conformal conic projection and are based on the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83). A reference guide is available (92-160-GWE).

The Dissemination Area Boundary Files portray the dissemination area boundaries for which Census data are disseminated. A dissemination area is a small area composed of one or more neighbouring dissemination blocks and is the smallest standard geographic area for which all census data are disseminated. The files contain the boundaries of all dissemination areas which combine to cover all of Canada.

There are two types of boundary files: digital and cartographic. Digital files depict the full extent of the geographical areas, including the coastal water area. Cartographic files depict the geographical areas using only the major land mass of Canada and its coastal islands. The files provide a framework for mapping and spatial analysis using commercially available geographic information systems or other mapping software.

The Dissemination Area Boundary Files are portrayed in Lambert conformal conic projection and are based on the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83). A reference guide is available (92-160-GWE).

The Census Dictionary is a reference document which contains detailed definitions of Census of Population concepts, variables and geographic terms, as well as historical information.

By referring to the Census Dictionary, both beginner and intermediate data users will gain a better understanding of the data and how to compare variables between census years.

The Census Dictionary will be released iteratively starting with geography and non-data dependent topic definitions, tables, figures and appendices with additional content made available based on subsequent topic releases.

The Guide to the Census of Population is a reference document that describes the various phases of the 2021 Census of Population. The guide provides an overview of content determination, sampling design, collection, data processing, data quality assessment, confidentiality guidelines and dissemination. It also includes response rates and other data quality information. This product may be useful to both new and experienced users who wish to familiarize themselves with and find specific information about the 2021 Census of Population.

The Guide to the Census of Population combines information previously available in the Overview of the Census, National Household Survey User Guide and the Data Quality and Confidentiality Standards and Guidelines from 2011. 

The 2021 Census Teacher's Kit has been developed for use in elementary, intermediate and secondary classes across the country. It includes five fun, classroom-ready activities that will help students gain an understanding of what the census is used for, how it is conducted, and the role it has played in shaping present-day Canada.

The 2021 Census Adult Education Kit has been developed for use in adult literacy and English- or French-as-a-second-language (ESL or FSL) classes across the country. It contains four dynamic activities designed to help students understand and complete the 2021 Census while giving them an opportunity to practise official language skills.

The Community Snapshot Toolkit provides all the information you need to get the most out of census data and create individualized infographics for your community.