Don’t forget to complete the 2021 Census
Posted May 11, 2021 12:41 pm.
Last Updated May 12, 2021 9:46 am.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Tuesday is the last day for all Canadian residents to fill out their 2021 census forms.
Filling out the census is required by law, according to the Statistics Act of Canada, and you have until 11:59 p.m. to do so.
Not sure what the census is? It’s probably in that thin, yellow envelope sitting on your dining room table or kitchen counter.
Inside you will find a code to fill out the questionnaire online or over the phone. Hard copies of the form are available upon request.
Failure to submit your census by the deadline will result in in-person follow ups, outside homes and socially distanced, to get your responses.
Refusal to complete a census questionnaire can result in fines of up to $500.
The census is conducted every five years to help illustrate Canada’s diverse population and the changes society has undergone since the last one.
The information collected is converted into statistics for use by communities, businesses, and governments to make decisions around employment, education, and health care.
Statistics Canada is legally bound to ensure that all information shared by respondents is kept confidential. Statistics Canada employees with access to census questionnaires are required to take an oath of secrecy as an extra precaution.
About 25 per cent of Canadian households were sent the long-form version, which collects demographic information, as well as information about social, economic, and dwelling situations.
Given the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges Canadians have faced in the past year, the government believes it’s become even more essential to gather information on the entire population.
