Statistics Canada takes a snapshot of the Canadian population every five years. This data is used by government agencies and other organizations for policy planning and is also heavily used by researchers and businesses. The last census took place in the spring of 2016: 2016 Census Program release schedule.  

You may access census data through the Geoffrey R. Weller library at various levels of geography. The Illustrated Glossary, the Standard Geographical Classification, and the reference maps on Statistics Canada's web site are good places to go when you have questions about the levels of geography used by Statistics Canada.

For detailed information about any census variable, check out the Census Dictionary.

Historically, there have been two mandatory census forms: the short form, which was sent to all Canadian households, and the long form, which was sent to 20% of Canadian households.  There was only a mandatory short form for the 2011 Census.  The questions that were traditionally asked in the mandatory long form were moved to a voluntary National Household Survey (NHS).  (The exception to this was the language questions, which were added to the mandatory short form.)

The NHS was discontinued in 2016 when the mandatory long-form census was reinstated for the 2016 Census.

Because of the differences in methodology between a mandatory census and a voluntary survey, students, researchers, and policy makers need to be cognizent about the following when using and interpreting NHS data:

• Caution should be used when comparing NHS data to long-form census data, especially when it comes to data for small geographies.  See "Comparability of the NHS estimates" in the National Household Survey User Guide for more information.  Both subsections, "Comparability of the NHS estimates and the 2006 Census" and "Discrepancy between 2011 Census counts and 2011 NHS estimates" are important to consider.
• Pay attention to the Global Non-Response Rate.  The higher the rate, the greater the risk of non-response bias. 
• Note that Statistics Canada did not release any data for geographic areas with a global non-response rate of 50 percent or higher.  See the Geographic areas not released page.  Of particular interest for many students and researchers at UNBC will be the list of the BC census subdivisions (CSDs) for which data was not released.  (To determine the reason for data suppression, click on the notes in the "Reason for no release" column.)

Some links for those interested in the history of the decision to move from a mandatory long-form census to a voluntary survey for the 2011 Census:

• CensusWatch (datalibre.ca) -- Many of the entries in these lists include links to the actual letters written in opposition and in support of the decision.   
• CHANGING THE LONG-FORM CENSUS—ITS IMPACT ON WOMEN’S EQUALITY IN CANADA: Report of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women.
• CBC Radio's The Current: Sept. 9, 2010 interview with Munir Sheikh, former Chief Statistician with Statistics Canada.
• Globe & Mail editorial, July 27, 2010.
• Opinion piece by Paul Saurette, Associate Professor of Political Studies, University of Ottawa.
• Globe & Mail article, Oct. 6, 2011 related to a study commissioned by Statistics Canada.
• And, a little humour courtesy of Rick Mercer.

Consequences:

• Piece by Toronto Star columnist Carol Goar

Since the Oct. 19, 2015 election:

• Globe & Mail article, Oct. 21, 2015 about interviews with two former chief statisticians of Statistics Canada regarding the feasibility of reinstating the mandatory long-form census in time for the 2016 Census.
• 2016 Census response rate exceeds 98 percent . August 29, 2016 press release.  The overall response rate for the 2016 Census was 98.4 percent, and the long form had a historically high response rate of 97.8 percent.