Statistics Canada (StatsCan) has launched a consultation to seek stakeholder input on the 2016 Census Program content. The consultation can be completed via an online survey, and provides stakeholders with the opportunities to prioritize different areas for inclusion in the census, such as:
- Basic demographics (age, sex, marital status, and common-law status)
- Families and households
- Activity limitations
- Place of birth, citizenship and immigration
- Language
- Ethnic origin
- Aboriginal peoples
- Mobility and migration
- Education
- Labour
- Place of work
- Income and earnings, and
- Housing and shelter costs.
The purpose of the consultation is to establish information needs and data gaps, data priorities and how census data is used. Consultation results will be used by StatsCan to prioritize 2016 Census Program content. A framework has been developed to guide this process.
The Canadian Census of Population is a key source of demographic information. Census data is used to inform decision-making and planning by a range of stakeholders. The census is carried out every five years. In 2011, the mandatory long-form questionnaire was eliminated by the Government of Canada and the Census Program consisted of two parts: a short mandatory questionnaire (census), and a voluntary long questionnaire (National Household Survey). The short questionnaire was distributed to 100 per cent of households in Canada while the long questionnaire was distributed to a 33 per cent sample of households.
For more information, visit the Statistics Canada website at www12.statcan.gc.ca.
The online link to the survey is available at www68.statcan.gc.ca.