Editing Statistics Canada

{{Use Canadian English|date=November 2023}}
{{Short description|Government agency}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Use Canadian English||date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox government agency
| seal            = 
| logo            = Statistics Canada logo.svg
| formed          = {{start date and age|May 1, 1971}}
| preceding1      = [[Dominion Bureau of Statistics]]
| jurisdiction    = 
| headquarters    = [[Ottawa]], [[Ontario]], Canada
| employees       = 7,220 (March 2024)<ref>{{Cite web|title=GC InfoBase|url=https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ems-sgd/edb-bdd/index-eng.html#orgs/dept/313/infograph/people|access-date=May 19, 2025|website=tbs-sct.gc.ca|language=en}}</ref>
| budget          = [[Canadian dollars|CA$]]740.7 million (2023–24)<ref>{{Cite web|title=GC InfoBase|url=https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ems-sgd/edb-bdd/index-eng.html#orgs/dept/313/infograph/financial|access-date=May 19, 2025|website=tbs-sct.gc.ca|language=en}}</ref>
| minister1_name  = [[Mélanie Joly]]
| minister1_pfo   = [[Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry]]
| chief1_name     = [[André Loranger]]
| chief1_position = [[Chief Statistician of Canada]]
| chief2_name     = 
| chief2_position = 
| chief3_name     = 
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| chief4_name     = 
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| chief5_name     = 
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| parent_department = 
| website         = {{URL|https://statcan.gc.ca/en}}
| agency_name     = Statistics Canada
| native_name     = {{lang|fr|Statistique Canada}}
}}

'''Statistics Canada''' ('''StatCan'''; {{langx|fr|Statistique Canada}}), formed in 1971, is the agency of the [[Government of Canada]] commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. It is headquartered in [[Ottawa]].<ref name="location">{{cite web | url=http://www.statcan.gc.ca/reference/refcentre-centreref/index-eng.htm | title=Contact us | publisher=StatCan | date=nd | access-date=4 August 2015}}Statistics Canada, 150 Tunney's Pasture Driveway Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0T6; Statistique Canada 150, promenade du pré Tunney Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0T6</ref>

The agency is led by the [[Chief Statistician of Canada|chief statistician of Canada]], currently [[André Loranger]], who assumed the role on an interim basis on April 1, 2024<ref>{{Cite web |title=André Loranger, Chief Statistician of Canada |url=https://www.canada.ca/en/government/management/andre-loranger.html}}</ref> and permanently on December 20, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 December 2024 |title=Canada Names André Loranger Chief Statistician |url=https://www.miragenews.com/canada-names-andre-loranger-chief-statistician-1383524/ |access-date=2025-03-31 |website=Mirage News |language=en-AU}}</ref> StatCan is accountable to Parliament through the [[minister of Innovation, Science and Industry]], currently [[Mélanie Joly]].

Statistics Canada acts as the national statistical agency for Canada, and Statistics Canada produces statistics for all the [[Provinces and territories of Canada|provinces]] as well as the federal government. In addition to conducting about 350 active [[Statistical survey|surveys]] on virtually all aspects of Canadian life, the ''[[Statistics Act]]'' mandates that Statistics Canada has a duty to conduct a country-wide [[census]] of population every five years and a [[census of agriculture]] every ten years.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Government of Canada |title=Statistics Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. S-19) |date=12 December 2017 |url=https://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/S-19/index.html |access-date=3 June 2020}}</ref>

It has regularly been considered the best statistical organization in the world by ''[[The Economist]]'',<ref name="SSHRC_2006">{{cite web|date=11 July 2006|title=Canadian Initiative on Social Statistics|url=http://www.sshrc.ca/web/apply/background/ciss_about_e.asp|access-date=5 November 2006|publisher=Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada}}</ref> such as in the 1991<ref>{{Cite news|date=7 September 1991|title=Economist Good Statistics Guide Assesses Accuracy of Figures.|newspaper=The Economist}}</ref> and 1993<ref>{{Cite news|date=11 September 1993|title=Economics Brief – Good Statistics Guide.|work=The Economist.}}</ref> "Good Statistics" surveys. The [[Public Policy Forum]] and others have also recognized successes of the agency.<ref>{{Cite book|title=75 Years and Counting: A History of Statistics Canada|publisher=Statistics Canada|year=1993|isbn=0-662-62187-5|location=Ottawa}}</ref>

==Leadership==
The head of Statistics Canada is the chief statistician of Canada. The heads of Statistics Canada and the previous organization, the Dominion Bureau of Statistics, are:

* [[Robert H. Coats]] (1918–1942)
* [[Sedley Cudmore|Sedley A. Cudmore]] (1942–1945)
* [[Herbert Marshall (Dominion Statistician)|Herbert Marshall]] (1945–1956)
* Walter E. Duffett (1957–1972)
* [[Sylvia Ostry]] (1972–1975)
* Peter G. Kirkham (1975–1980)
* James L. Fry (1980)
* [[Martin Wilk|Martin B. Wilk]] (1980–1985)
* [[Ivan Fellegi|Ivan P. Fellegi]] (1985–2008)
* [[Munir Sheikh]] (2008–2010)
* [[Wayne Smith (Chief Statistician of Canada)|Wayne Smith]] (interim 2010; 2011–2016)
* [[Anil Arora]] (2016–2024)
* André Loranger (2024–)

==Publications==
Statistics Canada publishes numerous documents covering a range of statistical information about Canada, including [[Census in Canada|census data]], [[Economy of Canada|economic]] and [[Health care in Canada|health]] indicators, [[Economic impact of immigration to Canada|immigration economics]], [[Poverty in Canada|income distribution]], and social and justice conditions. It also publishes a [[peer-reviewed]] [[statistics journal]], ''[[Survey Methodology]]''.

Statistics Canada provides free access to numerous aggregate data tables on various subjects of relevance to Canadian life. Many tables used to be published as the Canadian Socio-economic Information Management System, or CANSIM, which has since been replaced by new, more easily manipulated data tables.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Statistics Canada |title=Frequently Asked Questions on Data Tables |url=https://www.statcan.gc.ca/eng/about/website-faq |website=Statistics Canada |date=26 April 2018 |access-date=20 June 2020}}</ref>

''The Daily'' is Statistics Canada's free online bulletin that provides current information from StatCan, updated daily, on current social and economic conditions.<ref name="daily">{{citation |url=http://www.statcan.gc.ca/dai-quo/index-eng.htm?MMN |access-date=4 August 2015 |date=nd |work=StatCan |title=The Daily}}</ref>

Statistics Canada also provides the Canadian Income Survey (CIS)—a cross-sectional survey that assesses the income, income sources, and the economic status of individuals and families in Canada.<ref name="statcan_CIS">{{Cite web| series = Surveys and statistical programs |title=Canadian Income Survey (CIS)|access-date=25 February 2020| url = https://www23.statcan.gc.ca/imdb/p2SV.pl?Function=getSurvey&SDDS=5200}}</ref> Data from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) is combined with data from the CIS. The February 24, 2020 reported statistics on the poverty based on the market basket measure (MBM).<ref name="StatsCan_Daily_20200224">{{Cite web| series = The Daily |title= Canadian Income Survey, 2018|access-date=25 February 2020 |date=24 February 2020| url = https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/200224/dq200224a-eng.htm}}</ref>

==Data accessibility and licensing==

{{asof|2012|2|1|post=,}} "information published by Statistics Canada is automatically covered by the Open License with the exception of Statistics Canada's postal products and Public Use Microdata Files (PUMFs)." Researchers using StatCan data are required to "give full credit for any Statistics Canada data, analysis and other content material used or referred to in their studies, articles, papers and other research works." The use of Public Use Microdata Files (PUMFs) is governed by the Data Liberation Initiative (DLI) License signed by the universities and Statistics Canada. Aggregate data available through the Canadian Socio-economic Information Management System CANSIM, and the census website is [[Open Data]] under the Statistics Canada Open License Agreement.<ref name="PUMF_DLI">{{citation |url=http://libguides.usask.ca/copyright/stats |title=Copyright at the University Library: Statistics & Data from Statistics Canada |work=University of Saskatchewan |date=nd |access-date=4 August 2015}}</ref>

By 24 April 2006, electronic publications on Statistics Canada's web site were free of charge with some exceptions.<ref name=free>{{cite web |url=http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060424/b060424a.htm |title=Access to Statistics Canada's electronic publications at no charge |publisher=Statistics Canada |date=24 April 2006 |access-date=1 December 2006}}</ref>

The historical [[time series]] data from CANSIM is also available via numerous third-party data vendors, including Haver Analytics,<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.haver.com/comment/comment.html?c=070524x.html|title=Haver Analytics|date=8 April 2005|access-date=18 June 2016}}</ref> Macrobond Financial,<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.macrobond.com/index.php/news/290/60/Macrobond-CANSIM|title=Macrobond + CANSIM|date=22 April 2016|access-date=18 June 2016}}</ref> and Thomson Reuters Datastream.<ref>{{citation|url=http://financial.thomsonreuters.com/content/dam/openweb/documents/pdf/financial/economics-data.pdf|title=Thomson Reuters Economics Data}}</ref>

== Canadian Research Data Centre Network (CRDCN) ==

The Canadian Research Data Centre Network (CRDCN) is a network of quantitative social sciences which includes 27 facilities across Canada that provide "access to a vast array of social, economic, and health data, primarily gathered" by Statistics Canada and disseminate "research findings to the policy community and the Canadian public."<ref name="CRDCN">{{citation |location=Hamilton, Ontario |first1=Raymond F. |last1=Currie |first2=Sarah |last2=Fortin |title=Social statistics matter: a history of the Canadian RDC Network |url=http://www.rdc-cdr.ca/sites/default/files/social-statistics-matter-crdcn-history.pdf |isbn=978-0-9947581-1-8 |publisher=CRDCN |date=2015 |access-date=4 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160104085401/http://www.rdc-cdr.ca/sites/default/files/social-statistics-matter-crdcn-history.pdf |archive-date=Jan 4, 2016 }}</ref>

==History==
Statistics Canada was formed by the Statistics Act,<ref>{{cite book |date=1972 |chapter=Chapter 15: Statistics Act |title=Acts of the Parliament of Canada |url=https://archive.org/details/actsofparl197072v01cana |version=Third Session of the Twenty-Eighth Parliament |volume=1 |publication-place=Ottawa |publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada |pages=437–455}}</ref> which came into force on May 1, 1971.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Grandy |first=J. F. |date=May 8, 1971 |title=Statistics Act—Coming into force and having effect upon, from and after the 1st day of May, 1971 |url=https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=cangaz&id=12163&lang=eng |department=Proclamations |periodical=The Canada Gazette |version=Part 1 |number=19 |volume=105 |page=1177}}</ref> It replaced the [[Dominion Bureau of Statistics]],<ref>{{cite book |first=David A. |last=Worton |date=1998 |title=The Dominion Bureau of Statistics: A History of Canada's Central Statistical Office and Its Antecedents, 1841–1972 |publisher=McGill-Queen's University Press |page=286 |isbn=978-077351660-1}}</ref> which was formed in 1918. Statistics Canada published a print copy of the yearly almanac entitled ''Canada Year Book'' from 1967 to 2012<ref name="CYB_2012">{{citation |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/the-canada-year-book-is-history/article5246841/ |publisher=The Globe and Mail |title=The Canada Year Book is history |date=13 November 2012 |access-date=4 August 2015}}</ref> when it ceased publication due to ebbing demand and deep budgetary cutbacks to StatCan by the federal government.<ref name="CYB_2012" /> It was a yearly compendium of statistical lore and information on the nation's social and economic past, people, events and facts.<ref name="CYB_HC">{{citation |url=http://www65.statcan.gc.ca/acyb_r000-eng.htm |title=Canada Year Book (CYB) Historical Collection |date=31 March 2008 |publisher=StatCan}}</ref> The ''Canada Year Book'' was originally edited by a volunteer from the [[Department of Finance Canada|Department of Finance]] and published by a private company, which offset costs with advertisement sales.  This method continued until 1879, at which time the record ceases, until 1885, at which time the [[Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada|Department of Agriculture]] took up the burden. The duty of publication was transferred to the Dominion Bureau of Statistics upon its formation in 1918.

On June 18, 2005, after years of study by expert panels, discussion, debate (privacy vs the interests of genealogists and historians), Bill S-18 ''An Act to Amend the Statistics Act'' was passed which released personal census records for censuses taken between 1911 and 2001, inclusive.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bill S-18: An Act to Amend the Statistics Act|url=http://www.parl.gc.ca/About/Parliament/LegislativeSummaries/bills_ls.asp?lang=E&ls=s18&Parl=38&Ses=1&source=library_prb|publisher=Parliament of Canada|access-date=8 August 2013|archive-date=2 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102220056/http://www.parl.gc.ca/About/Parliament/LegislativeSummaries/bills_ls.asp?lang=E&ls=s18&Parl=38&Ses=1&source=library_prb|url-status=dead}}</ref> Debate over the census and their contents had periodically created changes in the [[Statistics Act]] such as a [[Census in Canada#Accessibility, disclosure, and publication|2005 amendment]] making the privacy restrictions of the census information expire after more than a century. In addition, with Bill S-18, starting with the 2006 census, Canadians can consent to the public release of their personal census information after 92 years. Census returns are in the custody of Statistics Canada and the records are closed until 92 years after the taking of a census, when those records may be opened for public use and transferred to [[Library and Archives Canada]] subject to individual consent where applicable.<ref>{{cite web|title=Statistics Act|url=http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/S-19/FullText.html|publisher=Government of Canada|access-date=9 June 2013|quote=18. (1) The information contained in the returns of each census of population taken between 1910 and 2005 is no longer subject to sections 17 and 18 ninety-two years after the census is taken. (3) When sections 17 and 18 cease to apply to information referred to in subsection (1) or (2), the information shall be placed under the care and control of the Library and Archives of Canada.}}</ref>

The mandatory long census form was cancelled by the federal government in 2010 in favour of a voluntary household survey (NHS).<ref name="census 2015" /> The mandatory long form census was reinstated in time for the 2016 census of population.

In 2011, Statistics Canada released an audit acknowledging that from 2004 to 2011, their automated computer processes had "inadvertently made economic data available to data distributors before the official publication time." In November 2011, in response to the audit, StatCan stopped that process.<ref name="Bloomberg_2011">{{cite news| url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-17/political-aides-getting-canada-data-day-in-advance-hurts-market-confidence.html | work=Bloomberg | first1=Andrew | last1=Mayeda | first2=Greg | last2=Quinn | title=Political Aides Getting Canada Data Day in Advance Hurts Market Confidence | date=17 October 2011}}</ref>

===2012 layoffs===
Nearly half of Statistics Canada's 5000 employees were notified in April 2012 that their jobs might be eliminated as part of [[austerity]] measures imposed by the Conservative federal government in the [[2012 Canadian federal budget]].<ref name="Curry">{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/conservative-cuts-put-half-of-statscan-jobs-at-risk/article2418557/|title=Conservative cuts put half of Statscan jobs at risk|last1=Curry|first1=Bill|date=May 1, 2012|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|last2=Grant|first2=Tavia}}</ref> The 2,300 employees underwent a process to determine which ones were not impacted, which were eliminated and which were given early retirement or put in new positions.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://ca.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idCABRE83T19O20120501|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120505004110/http://ca.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idCABRE83T19O20120501|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 May 2012|title=Budget cuts hit thousands of civil servants|last=Egan|first=Louise|date=May 1, 2012|newspaper=Reuters}}</ref> These budget cuts reduced the amount of information Statistics Canada was able to produce during that time period.<ref name="Curry" />

==The census==

By law, every household must complete the [[Census in Canada|Canada census]] form.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/ref/qa-qr-eng.cfm | title=About the census: Questions and answers about the census | publisher=Statistics Canada | date= 2013-01-10 | access-date=November 22, 2013}}</ref> In [[Canada 2006 census|May 2006]], an Internet version of the census was made widely available for the first time. Another census was held in [[Canada 2011 census|May 2011]], again with the internet being the primary method for statistical data collection. The [[2021 Canadian census|most recent census]] was held in May 2021, with the resulting data expected to be published in seven separate data sets throughout 2022.<ref name="releasedates">{{cite web|date=May 12, 2021|title=2021 Census dissemination planning Release plans|url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/ref/prodserv/release-diffusion-eng.cfm|access-date=January 19, 2022|website=Statistics Canada}}</ref> Additional data will be published at a future date which has yet to be determined.

===2011 voluntary long form or National Household Survey===

{{Main|Canada 2011 census}}

On June 17, 2010 an [[Order in Council]] was created by Minister of Industry [[Tony Clement]] defining the questions for the 2011 census as including only the short-form questions; this was published in the ''[[Canada Gazette]]'' on June 26, 2010,<ref>{{cite web |title=orders in council - statistics canada |url=http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2010/2010-06-26/html/order-decret-eng.html |publisher=Industry Canada |date=2010-06-17 |access-date=2010-08-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110603225426/http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2010/2010-06-26/html/order-decret-eng.html |archive-date=2011-06-03 }}</ref> however a news release was not issued by Minister Clement until July 13, 2010. This release stated in part "The government will retain the mandatory short form that will collect basic demographic information. To meet the need for additional information, and to respect the privacy wishes of Canadians, the government has introduced the voluntary National Household Survey".<ref>{{cite web |title=  Statement on 2011 Census |url=http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/ic1.nsf/eng/05709.html |publisher= Industry Canada |date=2010-07-13 |access-date=2010-08-11}}</ref> On July 30, 2010 Statistics Canada published a description of the National Household Survey.<ref>[http://www.statcan.gc.ca/survey-enquete/household-menages/5178-eng.htm National Household Survey] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110603225424/http://www.statcan.gc.ca/survey-enquete/household-menages/5178-eng.htm |date=2011-06-03 }}. Statcan.gc.ca (2012-05-14). Retrieved on 2013-07-12.</ref>

Minister Clement initially indicated that these changes were being made based on consultations with Statistics Canada<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/835932--statscan-recommended-move-to-voluntary-census-clement-says | title = StatsCan recommended move to voluntary census, Tony Clement says | publisher = Toronto Star | last = Campion-Smith | first = Bruce | date = 16 July 2010 | access-date = 17 July 2010}}</ref> but was forced to admit that the change from a mandatory to voluntary form was not one of the recommendations received from StatsCan after the head of the agency [[Munir Sheikh]] resigned in protest.<ref name="turmoil">{{cite web |title=StatsCan in turmoil over census |url=https://montrealgazette.com/news/Opposition+grills+government+over+census+changes/3309695/story.html |first= Shannon |last= Proudfoot |publisher= Montreal Gazette |date=2010-07-22 |access-date=2010-07-24}}</ref> Information was uncovered that indicated attempts on the part of the government to distance themselves from the decision, instructing Statistics Canada officials to delete the phrase "as per government decision" from documents which were being written to inform Statistics Canada staff of the change.<ref name="govdistance">{{cite web |title=StatsCan panel tried to fight decision to kill long-form census: documents |url=http://www.canada.com/news/national/StatsCan+panel+tried+fight+decision+kill+long+form+census+documents/4368080/story.html |first= Shannon |last= Proudfoot |publisher= Postmedia News |date=2 March 2011 |access-date=3 March 2011}}</ref>  Minister Clement had claimed that concerns over privacy<ref name="Leviathan">{{cite news |title=Leviathan's spyglass |url=http://www.economist.com/node/16590962?story_id=16590962 |publisher=The Economist |date=2010-07-15 |access-date=2010-07-27}}</ref> and the threat of jail time<ref>{{cite web |title=Has anyone ever been jailed for not filling out the long form census? |url=http://communities.canada.com/VANNET/blogs/commcons/archive/2010/08/04/has-anyone-ever-been-jailed-for-not-filling-out-the-long-form-census.aspx |publisher=Canada.com Blogs |date=2010-08-04 |access-date=2010-08-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110506055353/http://communities.canada.com/vannet/blogs/commcons/archive/2010/08/04/has-anyone-ever-been-jailed-for-not-filling-out-the-long-form-census.aspx |archive-date=2011-05-06 }}</ref> were the reasons for the change<ref name="head_resigned_2010">{{cite news |title=StatsCan head quits over census dispute |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/statscan-head-quits-over-census-dispute-1.866937 |publisher=CBC news |date=21 July 2010 |access-date=4 August 2015}}</ref> and had refused to reverse his decision<ref name="facemp">{{cite news |title=Clement to face MPs on census |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/clement-to-face-mps-on-census-1.924192 |publisher=CBC News |date=24 July 2010 |access-date=24 July 2010}}</ref> stating that the prime minister supported the legislation.<ref>{{cite news |title=Premiers seek difficult census compromise |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/premiers-seek-difficult-census-compromise/article1655218/ |publisher=The Globe and Mail |date=22 July 2010 |access-date=22 July 2010 |location=Toronto |first1=Karen |last1=Howlett |first2=Les |last2=Perreaux}}</ref> The argument over privacy was subsequently undermined by a [[Privacy Commissioner of Canada|privacy commissioner]] statement that she was "satisfied with the measures Statistics Canada had put into place to protect privacy".<ref name="Sun_2010">{{cite news |title=Few complaints about census: privacy commissioner |newspaper=Toronto Sun |url=http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/07/14/14712616.html |publisher=Toronto Sun Blogs |date=14 July 2010 |access-date=4 August 2010}}</ref> Other industry professionals also came out in defence of Statistics Canada's record on privacy issues.<ref name="bizarre" /><ref name="counton">{{cite web |title=Count on it: long-form census basic to decision-making in Canada |url=https://montrealgazette.com/technology/LONG+FORM+CENSUS/3288863/story.html |publisher=Canada.com |date=17 July 2010 |access-date=4 August 2010}}</ref> The government maintained its position, with Lynn Meahan, press secretary to the [[Minister of Industry (Canada)|Minister of Industry]], stating that the new census would result in "useable (sic) and useful data that can meet the needs of many users."<ref name="proffunding">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s)/no by-line.--> |title=Professors may need more funding after census changes |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/professors-may-need-more-funding-after-census-changes-1.582414 |website=CTV News |agency=The Canadian Press |date=5 December 2010 |access-date=13 November 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111102112858/http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20101205/professors-funding-census-changes-101205/ |archive-date=2 November 2011}}</ref>

During the 2010 debates, the [[Freedom Party of Ontario]] (FPO), a small group based on [[Ayn Rand]]'s writings, whose 42 candidates received 12,381 votes (or 0.26% of the popular vote) in the 2014 election, opposed the long census. They also opposed [[Official bilingualism in Canada|bilingualism]], [[political correctness]] and the inclusion of a question on race on the [[1996 Canadian census]]. FPO claimed that Canadian and British traditions had been dishonoured by [[Multiculturalism in Canada|multiculturalism]]. They were among a minority who argued that using statistical data to analyse resource allocation is not beneficial.<ref name="bizarre">{{cite news |title=The bizarre decision on the census |url=http://www.canada.com/bizarre+decision+census/3358361/story.html |publisher=Canada.com |first= Paul |last= Willcocks |date=2010-08-04 |access-date=2010-08-04}}</ref><ref name="McKeever_2010">{{cite web | url=http://blog.paulmckeever.ca/2010/07/17/optional-long-form-census-a-blow-to-racism/| title = Optional Long Form Census a Blow to Racism | publisher = Toronto Star | last = Campion-Smith | first = Bruce | date = 6 July 2010 | access-date = 4 August 2015}}</ref><ref name="veterans">{{cite web|last1=Richard|first1=Field|title=First Shell Fire|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/video-gallery/video/6343|website=Heroes Remember|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|access-date=23 May 2015}}</ref>

Central to the debate on this issue was the effect on the quality of data which would be collected by Statistics Canada under the new system. Many groups made the claim that a voluntary system would not provide a quality of data consistent with what Statistics Canada is known for<ref name="turmoil" /><ref name="facemp" /><ref name="bizarre" /><ref name="counton" /> while others felt that politically motivated changes to StatsCan methodology tainted the reputation of the whole organization in the international setting.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2010/07/29/WhyAttackCensus/ |title=Why Attack the Long Census? |date=27 July 2010 | first = Donald | last = Gutstein |publisher= [[The Tyee]] |access-date=11 August 2010}}</ref> Supporters of the change offered models of European countries who were adopting alternate systems,<ref name="Leviathan" /> although in these states the census was being replaced with a database of information on each citizen rather than a voluntary poll and none of these systems were planned for the Canadian 2011 census. They also challenged the existing system's ability to cope with rapid socio-demographic changes, though this would not be addressed without increasing the frequency of the survey. Some public opposition to the changes were expressed on [[Facebook]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Keep the Canada Census Long Form |website=[[Facebook]] |url=https://www.facebook.com/pages/Keep-the-Canada-Census-Long-Form/141550925859979 |access-date=2010-07-27}}</ref>

According to ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', by 2015 an increasing number of economists had joined with organizations such as the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, [[Canadian Federation of Independent Business]], [[Canadian Economics Association]], [[Martin Prosperity Institute]], [[Toronto Region Board of Trade]], Restaurants Canada and the Canadian Association of Business Economics to call for a reinstatement of the mandatory long form.<ref name="census 2015">{{cite news | url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/scrapping-of-long-form-census-causing-long-term-issues-for-business-groups/article22846497/ | title=Scrapping of long-form census causing long-term issues for business | work=The Globe and Mail | date=February 6, 2015 | agency=Thomson Reuters | access-date=4 August 2015 | author=TAVIA GRANT | location=Toronto, ON}}</ref> Edmonton's chief economist had preferred the long form and argued that the National Housing Survey was only useful at the aggregate city level and left "a dearth of data on long-term changes at the neighbourhood level and within demographic groups... making it difficult to make decisions such as 'where to build a library, where to build a fire hall' without specific demographic information,"<ref name="census 2015" /> and that because it was not mandatory, there was a lower response rate and therefore increased risk of under-representation of some vulnerable segments of society, for example aboriginal peoples and newly arrived immigrants, which made it more difficult to "pinpoint trends such as income inequality, immigrant outcomes in the jobs market, labour shortages and demographic shifts."<ref name="census 2015" />

=== 2015 reinstatement of mandatory long form ===
One day after his election in November 2015, the Liberal government of [[Justin Trudeau]] reinstated the mandatory census long form<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/11/05/liberals-restore-mandatory-long-form-census.html|title=Canada's long-form census is back for 2016|last=Campion-Smith|first=Bruce|date=November 5, 2015|work=The Star [Toronto]|access-date=September 18, 2017}}</ref> and it was used in the 2016 census.<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://www23.statcan.gc.ca/imdb/p3Instr.pl?Function=getInstrumentList&Item_Id=295122&UL=1V&|title=Guide to the Census of Population, 2016|date=January 5, 2017|publisher=Statistics Canada|pages=Chapter 5 – Census of Population questionnaires}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www23.statcan.gc.ca/imdb/p3Instr.pl?Function=getInstrumentList&Item_Id=295122&UL=1V&|title=2016 Census 2A-L Questionnaire|date=February 7, 2017|website=Statistics Canada|access-date=September 18, 2017}}</ref>

===Political reactions===
Former industry minister Tony Clement recanted on his support for the elimination of the long form. He avowed that there were ways to protect both indispensable data and Canadians' privacy. Blaming his party for a "collective" decision to terminate the long form, he said, "I think I would have done it differently." He implied incorrectly that Statistics Canada head Munir Sheikh had agreed with the cancellation when it was done.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/chris-selley-conservatives-in-dire-need-of-an-ideological-and-policy-reset-before-leadership-race |first=Chris |last=Selley |title=Conservatives in dire need of an ideological and policy reset before leadership race |date=25 February 2016 |newspaper=[[National Post]] |access-date=16 February 2017}}</ref>

== Standard geographic units ==
{{Main|Census geographic units of Canada}}
Statistics Canada divided Canada into the following standard geographic units for statistical purposes in the 2016 census.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Dictionary, Census of Population, 2016|date=February 8, 2017|publisher=Statistics Canada|pages=Figure 1.1 Hierarchy of standard geographic units for dissemination, 2016 Census}}</ref>
*[[Province]] or [[territory]]
** [[Census divisions of Canada|Census division]]
***[[Census consolidated subdivision]]
****[[Census subdivision]]: municipalities and municipal equivalents as defined by Statistics Canada in consultation with provincial and territorial governments including the following types:<ref name="StatCaninterim">{{cite web | url=http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/92f0009x/92f0009x2013000-eng.pdf | title=Interim List of Changes to Municipal Boundaries, Status, and Names: From January 2, 2012 to January 1, 2013 | publisher=Statistics Canada | pages=6&ndash;7 | access-date=February 25, 2016}}</ref>
*****[[List of cantons in Quebec|Canton]]: townships in Quebec
*****[[Chartered community]]: present in the Northwest Territories
*****[[City]]
*****[[Community]]: present in Prince Edward Island
*****[[Community government]]: present in the Northwest Territories
*****[[List of municipalities in Nova Scotia#County municipalities|County municipality]]: rural territories in Nova Scotia
*****[[Cree reserve land]]: present in Quebec
*****[[Cree village]]: present in Quebec
*****[[Crown colony]]: present in Saskatchewan
*****[[District municipality]]: rural or urban territories of British Columbia
*****[[Hamlet (place)|Hamlet]]: present in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut
*****[[Improvement districts of Alberta|Improvement district]]: rural municipalities in Alberta
*****[[Indian government district]]: present in British Columbia
*****[[Indian reserve]]
*****[[Indian settlement]]
*****[[Inuit reserve land]]: present in Quebec
*****[[Island municipality]]: present in British Columbia
*****[[Local government district (Manitoba)|Local government district]]: present in Manitoba
*****[[Municipal district]]: rural municipalities in Alberta and Nova Scotia
*****[[Municipality]]: rural territories in Quebec
*****[[Naskapi village]]: present in Quebec
*****[[Naskapis reserve land]]: present in Quebec
*****[[Nisga'a land]]: present in British Columbia
*****[[Northern hamlet]]: present in Saskatchewan
*****[[Northern village (disambiguation)|Northern village (village nordique)]]: present in Saskatchewan and Quebec
*****[[Parish (administrative division)|Parish]]: rural territories in Quebec (parish municipalities) and New Brunswick
*****[[Regional district electoral area]]: unorganized rural areas in British Columbia
*****[[Regional municipality]]: present in Nova Scotia
*****[[Resort village]]: present in Saskatchewan
*****[[Rural community]]: present in New Brunswick
*****[[Rural municipality (Canada)|Rural municipality]]: present in Manitoba and Saskatchewan
*****[[Self-government]]: present in Yukon
*****[[Settlement (Canada)|Settlement]]: present in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut
*****[[Special Areas, Alberta|Special area]]: rural municipalities in Alberta
*****[[Specialized municipality]]: present in Alberta
*****[[Subdivision of county municipality]]: rural territories within Nova Scotia's county municipalities
*****[[Subdivision of unorganized area]]: unorganized rural territories of Newfoundland and Labrador
*****[[Summer village]]: present in Alberta
*****[[Teslin land]]: present in Yukon
*****[[Town]]
*****[[Township (Canada)|Township]]: present in Ontario
*****[[List of Prince Edward Island townships|Township and royalty]]: rural territories in Prince Edward Island
*****[[United cantons]]: townships that have been united in Quebec
*****[[Unorganized area]]
*****[[Village]]
*****[[Ville]]: cities and towns in Quebec
***Aggregated dissemination area (ADA)
*[[Economic region]]
*[[Designated place]]
*[[Electoral district (Canada)|Federal electoral district]]
*[[Forward sortation area]]
*[[Statistical area classification]]s
**[[Census metropolitan area]] (CMA) or [[census agglomeration]] (CA): a cluster of adjacent census subdivisions where: in the case of a CMA, the cluster has a population of 100,000 or greater in which at least 50,000 live in the core; and, in the case of a CA, the cluster has a population of at least 10,000 in the core<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/ref/dict/geo009-eng.cfm | title=Census metropolitan area (CMA) and census agglomeration (CA) | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=November 27, 2015 | access-date=February 25, 2016}}</ref>
***[[Census tract]] (applicable to all CMAs and 15 CAs)
***[[Population centre (Canada)|Population centre]] (previously "urban area")
****Large urban
****Medium
****Small
***Rural area
**Non-CMA or non-CA (like CMAs and CAs, includes small population centres and rural areas, but excludes large urban and medium population centres)

==See also==
{{Portal|Canada}}
*[[List of national and international statistical services]]
*[[Institut de la statistique du Québec]]
*[[Official statistics]]
*[[United Nations Statistics Division]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{Cite book
|last = Statistics Canada
|title = Canada Year Book
|publisher = Federal Publications (Queen of Canada)
|location = Ottawa
|date= October 27, 2010
|id =Catalogue no 11-402-XPE
|url=http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-402-x/11-402-x2010000-eng.htm
 }}

==External links==
* [http://www.statcan.gc.ca/ Statistics Canada website]
* [http://www.census2011.gc.ca/ccr_r000-eng.htm 2011 census home page (English)]
* [http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/rt-td/index-eng.cfm 2006 census]
* [http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/home-accueil?lang=eng CANSIM]

{{National statistics agencies}}
{{Census-ca}}

{{authority control}}

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[[Category:Demographics of Canada]]
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