Data visualization tools for municipalities
Municipal Diversity Dashboard

This dashboard allows users to examine the latest data for several diversity indicators. Data are visualized at the census subdivision level. Visualizations may not appear for census subdivisions where data are unavailable due to data quality and confidentiality concerns.

The data in this dashboard come from the The Census of Population. The Census of Population provides a detailed statistical portrait of Canada and its people by their demographic, social and economic characteristics. The Census of Population collects data every five years. The census enumerates the entire Canadian population, on a "usual residence" basis (de jure). The population enumerated consists of usual residents of Canada who are Canadian citizens (by birth or by naturalization), landed immigrants and non-permanent residents and their families living with them in Canada. Non-permanent residents are persons who hold a work or student permit, or who claim refugee status.

The census also counts Canadian citizens and landed immigrants who are temporarily outside the country on Census Day. This includes federal and provincial government employees working outside Canada, Canadian embassy staff posted to other countries, members of the Canadian Forces stationed abroad, all Canadian crew members of merchant vessels and their families. Because people outside the country are enumerated, the Census' population concept is considered a "modified" de jure census.

Foreign residents such as representatives of a foreign government assigned to an embassy, high commission or other diplomatic mission in Canada, and residents of another country who are visiting Canada temporarily are not covered by the census.

Given that the non-binary population is small, data aggregation to a two-category gender variable is sometimes necessary to protect the confidentiality of responses provided. In these cases, individuals in the category “non-binary persons” are distributed into the other two gender categories and are denoted by the “+” symbol.

Census subdivision (CSD)

The general term for municipalities (as determined by provincial/territorial legislation) or areas treated as municipal equivalents for statistical purposes (e.g., Indian reserves, Indian settlements and unorganized territories). Municipal status is defined by laws in effect in each province and territory in Canada.

Gender

Refers to an individual’s personal and social identity as a man, woman or non-binary person (a person who is not exclusively a man or a woman). A person’s gender may differ from their sex at birth and from what is indicated on their current identification or legal documents, such as their birth certificate, passport or driver’s licence. A person’s gender may change over time. Some people may not identify with a specific gender.

Ethnic or cultural origin

Refers to the ethnic or cultural origins of the person's ancestors. Ancestors may have Indigenous origins, or origins that refer to different countries, or other origins that may not refer to different countries.

Visible minority

Refers to whether a person is a visible minority or not, as defined by the Employment Equity Act. The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as "persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour." The visible minority population consists mainly of the following groups: South Asian, Chinese, Black, Filipino, Arab, Latin American, Southeast Asian, West Asian, Korean and Japanese.

Religion

Refers to the person's self-identification as having a connection or affiliation with any religious denomination, group, body, or other religiously defined community or system of belief. Religion is not limited to formal membership in a religious organization or group. For infants or children, religion refers to the specific religious group or denomination in which they are being raised, if any. Persons without a religious connection or affiliation can self-identify as atheist, agnostic or humanist, or can provide another applicable response.

Place of birth

Refers to the name of the geographic location where the person was born. The geographic location is specified according to geographic boundaries current at the time of data collection, not the geographic boundaries at the time of birth. In the 2021 Census of Population, the geographic location refers to the name of the province, territory or country in which the person was born. It refers to a province or territory if the person was born in Canada. It refers to a country or area of interest if the person was born outside Canada.

Immigrant

Refers to a person who is, or who has ever been, a landed immigrant or permanent resident. Such a person has been granted the right to live in Canada permanently by immigration authorities. Immigrants who have obtained Canadian citizenship by naturalization are included in this group.

Period of immigration

Refers to the period in which the immigrant first obtained landed immigrant or permanent resident status.

Knowledge of official languages

Proportion of the population able to conduct a conversation in:

1. English only;
2. French only;
3. Both official languages;
4. Neither official language.

First official language spoken

Refers to the first official language (English or French) spoken by the person.

Highest certificate, diploma or degree

Refers to the highest level of education that a person has successfully completed and is derived from the educational qualifications questions, which asked for all certificates, diplomas and degrees to be reported. The general hierarchy used in deriving this variable (high school, trades, college, university) is loosely tied to the 'in-class' duration of the various types of education. At the detailed level, someone who has completed one type of certificate, diploma or degree will not necessarily have completed the credentials listed below it in the hierarchy. For example, a person with an apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma may not have completed a high school certificate or diploma, nor does an individual with a 'master's degree' necessarily have a 'university certificate or diploma above bachelor level.' Although the hierarchy may not fit all programs perfectly, it gives a general measure of educational attainment. This variable is reported for persons aged 15 years and over in private households.

Apprenticeship certificate

Refers to whether or not a person has obtained a Certificate or Diploma of Apprenticeship, a Certificate of Qualification or a Journeyperson's designation. A Certificate of Apprenticeship (C of A) or Diploma of Apprenticeship is obtained by successfully completing a registered apprenticeship training program, consisting of supervised on-the-job training which may be accompanied by course work or 'in-class' technical training. A Certificate of Qualification (C of Q) or Journeyperson's designation is obtained after successfully passing a provincial/territorial examination. These examinations may be written by individuals who already have a Certificate or Diploma of Apprenticeship, or by individuals who have not completed a formal apprenticeship program but who have extensive experience working in their trades. The latter are known as trade qualifiers or trade challengers. This variable is reported for persons aged 15 years and over in private households.

• Gender, diversity and inclusion statistics
• Data visualization tools — Social inclusion indicators for Canada's ethnocultural groups
• Municipal Quality of Life Dashboard
• Municipal Financial and Socioeconomic Data Dashboard
• Census Program Data Viewer dashboard
• Focus on Geography Series
• Thematic Maps
• GeoSearch
• Mother tongue by geography
• Immigrant population by selected places of birth, admission category and period of immigration
• Interprovincial migration by language group in Canada from 1976 to 2021
• Canada’s Transgender and Non-Binary Population: Data Visualization Tool