Census counts

This fact sheet offers a concise overview of updated—new or modified—content for the 2021 Census of Population that is specific to the theme of family and demographic concepts, and activities of daily living, which includes the following topics: demographic concepts, sex at birth and gender, and activities of daily living. The changes considered for these topics are explained, along with the resulting approach for 2021.

This study describes the characteristics of residential postal codes of the Canadian population using the 2016 Census and determines how frequently these postal codes are matched to one or more dissemination areas, a unit of census 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.

Geographic proximity to service centres and population centres is an important determinant of socio-economic and health outcomes. Consequently, it is a relevant dimension in the analysis and delivery of policies and programs.

To measure this dimension, Statistics Canada developed an Index of Remoteness of communities. For each populated community (census subdivision), the index is determined by its distance to all the population centres defined by Statistics Canada in a given travel radius, as well as their population size.

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.

This table presents census family status and household living arrangements, household type of person, age and sex for the population in private households of Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations.

Census indicator profile, based on the 2016 Census short-form questionnaire, Canada, provinces and territories, and health regions.

Census indicator profile, based on the 2016 Census long-form questionnaire, Canada, provinces and territories, and health regions.

This table presents census family structure and presence and ages of children for census families in private households of Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations.

This table presents age of child, census family structure and sex for children in census families in private households of Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations.

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.

Geographic proximity to service centres and population centres is an important determinant of socio-economic and health outcomes. Consequently, it is a relevant dimension in the analysis and delivery of policies and programs.

To measure this dimension, Statistics Canada developed an Index of Remoteness of communities. For each populated community (census subdivision), the index is determined by its distance to all the population centres defined by Statistics Canada in a given travel radius, as well as their population size.

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.

This table presents census family status and household living arrangements, household type of person, age and sex for the population in private households of Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations.

Census indicator profile, based on the 2016 Census short-form questionnaire, Canada, provinces and territories, and health regions.

Census indicator profile, based on the 2016 Census long-form questionnaire, Canada, provinces and territories, and health regions.

This table presents census family structure and presence and ages of children for census families in private households of Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations.

This table presents age of child, census family structure and sex for children in census families in private households of Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations.

This profile presents information from the 2016 Census of Population for various levels of geography, including provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas, communities and census tracts. Using the search or browse options below, users can search for an area of interest by typing its place name, postal code or geographic code or by browsing a list. Data will be available according to the 2016 Census Program release schedule.

This product presents information from the Census of Population for various levels of geography. Data include characteristics for: population, age, sex, dwellings, families, marital status, language, income, education and labour as examples.

Starting with the age and sex major day of release and on major days of release thereafter, profile component data are available at the Canada, province and territory, economic region, census division, census subdivision, census metropolitan area, census agglomeration, population centre, census tract, designated place, federal electoral district and dissemination area. This product may be downloaded in various formats, they include CSV, TAB, IVT or XML.

This study describes the characteristics of residential postal codes of the Canadian population using the 2016 Census and determines how frequently these postal codes are matched to one or more dissemination areas, a unit of census geography.

Based on the data from the 2016 Census, the following infographic looks at population trends by age and sex across Canada including the provinces, territories and for municipalities.

This Census in Brief article examines recent trends for the population aged 15 to 64. It includes comparisons between provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas, and municipalities, as well as between G7 countries. This article also provides some insights on the proportion of people aged 55 to 64 among the population aged 15 to 64.

This Census in Brief article examines recent trends for the population aged 85 and over in 2016. It provides some insights on the size and growth of this group, as well as on those of centenarians. This article also provides information on the population aged 85 and over living in collective dwellings geared towards seniors.

Based on the data from the 2016 Census, the following infographic shows the growth of population across Canada including the provinces, territories and census metropolitan area.

This infographic demonstrates the increases and decreases of Canada’s population between 1851 and 2056.

This video takes a historical look at the population counts of Canada, from 1871 to 2016.

This video presents the key results of the 2016 Census on population counts.

This Census in Brief examines municipalities (census subdivisions) in Canada that were the largest in 2016, and those that grew the fastest between 2011 and 2016, as well as insights into ongoing urbanization and urban spread in Canada.

This Census in Brief examines municipalities (census subdivisions) in Canada that showed a population decrease between 2011 and 2016.

This fact sheet offers a concise overview of updated—new or modified—content for the 2021 Census of Population that is specific to the theme of family and demographic concepts, and activities of daily living, which includes the following topics: demographic concepts, sex at birth and gender, and activities of daily living. The changes considered for these topics are explained, along with the resulting approach for 2021.

The Mobility and migration Release and concepts overview provides an overview of the concepts, definitions and key measures used in the 2016 Census of Population Mobility and migration release, as well as the products which will be available on release day and later.

The Age and sex Release and concepts overview provides an overview of the concepts, definitions and key measures used in the 2016 Census of Population age and sex release, as well as the products which will be available on release day and later.

The Geographic Attribute File contains information at the dissemination block level, based Census standard geographic areas. The data available include population counts, dwelling counts, and land area. In addition, the Geographic Attribute File contains higher level standard geographic codes, names and, where applicable, types and classes. Data for higher level standard geographic areas can be derived by aggregating dissemination block level data. The dissemination area representative point coordinates are also included in the Geographic Attribute File.

This reference guide provides information that enables users to effectively use, apply and interpret data from the 2011 National Household Survey (NHS). This guide contains definitions and explanations of concepts, classifications, data quality and comparability to other sources. Additional information is included for specific variables to help general users better understand the concepts and questions used in the NHS.

This guide focuses on the following topic: Family variables. Provides information that enables users to effectively use, apply and interpret data from the 2011 Census. Each guide contains definitions and explanations on census concepts, talks about changes made to the 2011 Census, data quality and historical comparability, as well as comparison with other data sources. Additional information will be included for specific variables to help general users better understand the concepts and questions used in the census.

This guide focuses on the following demographic variables: Mobility and migration.

Provides information that enables users to effectively use, apply and interpret data from the 2006 Census. Each guide contains definitions and explanations on census concepts, data quality and historical comparability. Additional information will be included for specific variables to help general users better understand the concepts and questions used in the census.

These guides provide information that enables users to effectively use, apply and interpret data from the 2006 Census. Each guide contains definitions and explanations on census concepts, data quality and historical comparability. Additional information will be included for specific variables to help general users better understand the concepts and questions used in the census.

This report provides information on various aspects of the data on mobility and migration. It provides a review of the questions, concepts and definitions, along with a discussion of limitations inherent in the measurement of one-year and five-year mobility and migration in the censuses of Canada. Some background is provided on the processing of mobility data, from collection through to retrieval. The historical comparability of mobility and migration data from 1961 to 2001 is examined in terms of conceptual and processing changes. The analysis of the quality of 2001 data focuses mainly on the quality at the national and provincial level. Where possible, the five-year data and the one-year data are discussed separately.

This report focuses on five demographic variables: date of birth, age, sex, marital status and common-law status. The report describes how the data were collected, verified, processed, edited and imputed. The final section covers how the data were evaluated.