Census of Population

Description: Data from the Census of Population are important for all communities and are vital to plan services that support education, employment, transportation, health care and housing. To maintain the relevance of the census, Statistics Canada evaluates and reviews the census questionnaire content for each census cycle. In preparation for the 2026 Census, Statistics Canada consulted Canadians from fall 2022 to spring 2023. Detailed responses were received from organizations and individuals representing federal, provincial, territorial and local government departments; First Nations people, Métis and Inuit; the general public; academia; special interest groups; and the private sector.

This report focuses on the findings of the 2026 Census data needs consultation and stakeholder discussions. Chapter 1 explains whom we consulted. Chapter 2 describes the strength of census data users’ needs such as the size of the population of interest. Chapter 3 provides an assessment of the perceived data gaps in census content and the availability and suitability of alternative data sources. Chapter 4 focuses on information needs by census topic and how preparations for the 2024 Census Test will help meet these needs.

Description: User consultation is the first step in determining Census Program content. The findings of content consultations are presented in these reports.

Description: This product offers a visual overview of historical data by language indicators in Canada from 1951 to 2021. The language indicators showcased in this product are the first official language spoken, mother tongue, knowledge of official languages and language spoken most often at home. It provides information on the number and proportion of language groups in each province and territory from 1951 to 2021. Data can be filtered by province or territory, language, multiple responses distribution and reference period.

Description: The Pan-Canadian Education Indicators Program (PCEIP) draws from a wide variety of data sources to provide information on the school-age population, elementary, secondary and postsecondary education, transitions, and labour market outcomes.

PCEIP products include tables, fact sheets, reports and a methodological handbook. They present indicators for all of Canada, the provinces, the territories, as well as selected international comparisons and comparisons over time.

The Pan-Canadian Education Indicators Program (PCEIP) is an ongoing initiative of the Canadian Education Statistics Council, a partnership between Statistics Canada and the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada that provides a set of statistical measures on education systems in Canada.

Description: This dashboard allows users to examine the latest data for several diversity indicators. Data are visualized at the census subdivision level.

Description: Release published in The Daily – Statistics Canada’s official release bulletin

Description: This report presents the results of a study on the estimated number of children eligible for instruction in the minority official language, pursuant to section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, who were classified as ineligible in the 2021 Census because relationships between family members living at different addresses could not be established within this data source. Using other data sources, including previous censuses and administrative data (such as vital statistics and tax data), we were able to establish these family relationships within the 2021 Census. This report presents the methods and data sources used first, then the results by selected regions and age groups.

Description: This document presents a complete list of the social inclusion indicators for ethnocultural groups in Canada that are available on the homepage of our Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Statistics Hub. The information provided for each indicator includes a short description of the corresponding derivation, available data sources, reference years and accessible levels of geographical and disaggregation. Each indicator has a corresponding products number (data tables, visualization tools and analytical documents). This document has been updated to reflect the social inclusion indicators and associated products that are available in 2024.

Description: Highest certificate, diploma or degree by visible minority and selected characteristics (age group, gender, first official language spoken, immigrant status, period of immigration, generation status), for the population aged 15 years and over in private households in Canada, geographical regions of Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas with parts.

Description: Average and median employment income by visible minority and selected characteristics (age group, gender, first official language spoken, immigrant status, period of immigration, generation status, highest certificate, diploma or degree), for the population aged 15 years and over in private households in Canada, geographical regions of Canada, provinces and territories and census metropolitan areas with parts.

Description: This table provides data on counts of residential properties, owner-assessed values, and total living area.

Description: First official language spoken by immigrant status and period of immigration for the population of Canada and Canada outside Quebec, and of all provinces and territories, for Census years 1971 to 2021.

Description: Knowledge of official languages by immigrant status and period of immigration for the population of Canada and Canada outside Quebec, and of all provinces and territories, for Census years 1951 to 2021.

Description: Number of children in census families, Canada, provinces, territories.

Description: Number of persons employed as child care workers, early childhood educators and assistants, or home child care providers, Canada, provinces, territories.

Description: All-cause age standardized mortality rates per 100,000 person years at risk from 5 years of follow-up from the Census of Population by household income quintile and sex for the household population aged 25 years or older for Canada and provinces.

Description: All-cause age standardized mortality rates per 100,000 person years at risk from 5 years of follow-up from the Census of Population by educational attainment and sex for the household population aged 25 years or older for Canada, provinces, and the territories combined.

Description: This product offers a visual overview of interprovincial migration by language group in Canada from 1976 to 2021. The language variables showcased in this product are the first official language spoken and mother tongue. It provides information on the number and rate of in-migrants, out-migrants and the net migration of each province and territory from 1976 to 2021. Data can be filtered by province or territory, language variable, language group, and group of migrants.

Description: This product presents information from the Census of Population for various levels of geography. Data are from the 2021 Census of Population and are available according to the major releases of the 2021 Census release dates: February 9, 2022 – Population and dwelling counts; April 27, 2022 – Age, Sex at birth and gender, Type of dwelling; July 13, 2022 – Families, households and marital status, Canadian military experience, Income; August 17, 2022 – Language; September 21, 2022 – Indigenous peoples, Housing; October 26, 2022 – Immigration, place of birth, and citizenship, Ethnocultural and religious diversity, Mobility and migration; November 30, 2022 – Education, Labour, Language of work, Commuting, Instruction in the official minority language.

Description: 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.

Description: This report explores four potential methods of estimating the number of girls and women currently living in Canada who are considered at risk for female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C) based on their (and their parents’) country of birth. In this report, “at risk for FGM/C” broadly means at risk of having experienced FGM/C or of experiencing it in the future.

Description: This infographic looks at the educational attainment of farm operators by field of study, gender and age group. The main data source for this product is the 2021 Agriculture–Population Linkage (linkage between the Census of Agriculture and the Census of Population).

Description: This infographic looks at various aspects of the immigrant farm population, including mother tongue and places of birth. The main data source for this product is the 2021 Agriculture–Population Linkage (linkage between the Census of Agriculture and the Census of Population).

Description: This infographic looks at the distribution of the Canadian farm population by province, area (rural vs urban), median household income and farm type. The main data source for this product is the 2021 Agriculture–Population Linkage (linkage between the Census of Agriculture and the Census of Population).

Description: In the past few decades, the number of racialized people in Canada has increased at a much faster rate than the population as a whole. This article uses data from the 2001 and 2021 censuses of population to examine population growth and changing demographics of racialized people. The study presents new data for 11 subgroups of the racialized population, their generational composition and changes in their share of people with a mixed racialized–White identity.

Description: This study uses data from Canada’s 2021 Census of Population to examine the differences between the poverty rates of racialized groups and the White population. The analysis examines whether these differences recede or persist across generations and the extent to which the sociodemographic composition of racialized groups explains these differences.

Description: Using data from the 2021 Census, this study examines educational attainment and earnings of the Canadian-born Black population, focusing on three groups: i) those with at least one African-born parent (African-origin); ii) those with at least one Caribbean-born parent (Caribbean-origin); and iii) those whose parents were both born in Canada (Canadian-origin).

Description: This infographic analyzes three different Canadian-born Black populations: those with at least one parent born in Africa, those with at least one parent born in the Caribbean, and those with both parents born in Canada. It looks at how educational attainment differs between the three different Canadian-born Black populations, and how education along with other factors contributes to earnings differences between the different Black populations and between Black and non-Indigenous non-racialized populations.

Description: This fact sheet offers an overview of the situation of the French language in New Brunswick in 2021, along with certain trends observed since 1991. It provides information on the changes in the number and proportion of people in the population who can conduct a conversation in French, whose first official language spoken is French, whose mother tongue is French, and who speak French at home or use French at work. In addition, it contains information on French-language instruction in elementary and secondary schools, on French spoken among recent and established immigrants, as well as on the mobility and place of birth of individuals whose first official language spoken is French. This fact sheet is based on data from the 1991 to 2021 censuses of population, together with the 2011 National Household Survey.

Description: This fact sheet offers an overview of the situation of the English language in Quebec in 2021, along with certain trends observed since 1991. It provides information on the changes in the number and proportion of people in the population who can conduct a conversation in English, whose first official language spoken is English, whose mother tongue is English, and who speak English at home or use English at work. In addition, it contains information on English-language instruction in elementary and secondary schools, on English spoken among recent and established immigrants, as well as on the mobility and place of birth of individuals whose first official language spoken is English. This fact sheet is based on data from the 1991 to 2021 censuses of population, together with the 2011 National Household Survey.

Description:

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).

Description:

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).

Description:

The Federal Electoral District Boundary Files portray the federal electoral district boundaries for which census data are disseminated. A federal electoral district is an area represented by a member of the House of Commons. The federal electoral district boundaries used for the census are based on the Representation Order in effect on January 1 of census year. The files contain the boundaries of all federal electoral districts 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 (GIS) or other mapping software.

The Federal Electoral District 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).

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description: 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.

Description:

This white paper presents Statistics Canada’s planned approach to the 2021 Census of Population and provides a clear explanation of the processes behind the census program, touching on historical, legal, operational and content aspects. Statistics Canada recognizes that it is important to not only successfully conduct the census, but also to be transparent and informative about the way in which those efforts are accomplished. Painting a Portrait of Canada: The 2021 Census of Population gives readers an exclusive, detailed look at how census data is collected, analyzed and given back to Canadians, in the form of high-quality statistical information, used to make evidence-based decisions in Canadian society.

Description:

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.

Description:

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 immigration, ethnocultural diversity and languages in Canada, which includes the following topics: immigration and citizenship, place of birth of person/parents, ethnic or cultural origins, population groups, religion, language, and minority language educational rights. The changes considered for these topics are explained, along with the resulting approach for 2021.

Description:

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 Indigenous peoples, which includes the following topics: returning content, membership within a Métis organization or Settlement, and enrollment under an Inuit land claims agreement. The changes considered for these topics are explained, along with the resulting approach for 2021.