Census in Canada
Encyclopedia
The Census in Canada is a census
that takes place every five years. The census is conducted by Statistics Canada
. The census provides demographic
and statistical data that is used to plan public services including health care, education, and transportation, determine federal transfer payment
s, and determine the number of Members of Parliament for each province and territory
.
in 1666, under the direction of Intendant Jean Talon
. The census noted the age, sex, marital status and occupation of 3,215 inhabitants.
The first national census of the country Canada was taken in 1871, as required by section 8 of the then-British North America Act (now the Constitution Act of 1867
). The constitution required a census was to be taken in 1871 and every tenth year thereafter. Parliament implemented the requirements of the constitution through the Census Act of May 12, 1870. All inhabitants of Canada were included, including aboriginals. While this was the first national census of Canada, only four provinces existed at the time: Ontario
, Quebec
, New Brunswick
, and Nova Scotia
. Other areas of what later became part of Canada continued to be enumerated in their own separate censuses. The results of the 1871 census, in both English
and French
were reported in a five volume set.
In 1881, the governing legislation was amended to require census takers to take an oath of secrecy. By this time, Prince Edward Island
, Manitoba
, and British Columbia
were part of Canada and included in the national census, as was the North-West Territories.
A special census was conducted in 1906
after Alberta
and Saskatchewan
were carved out of the North-West Territories and became provinces. These special censuses continued every 10 years until 1956, at which time all of Canada was included. Since that time, a census has been conducted in Canada every five years.
In 1912, the federal government transferred responsibility for conducting the census from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Ministry of Trade and Commerce. In 1918, the government established the Dominion Bureau of Statistics, which was renamed Statistics Canada in 1971 and continues to be responsible for the census.
With Newfoundland
's entry into Canada in 1949, that province has been included in the Canadian census since 1951.
In 1998, the National Archivist requested that the 1906 census records be turned over to the National Archives. However, the Chief Statistician of Canada refused the request, citing the instructions given to enumerators at the time data had been collected and a promise made by legislators that the confidentiality of the census was "perpetual".
As a result, Industry Minister John Manley
appointed the "Expert Panel on Access to Historical Census Records" in November 1999 to study the issue. The panel issued a report on December 15, 2000, concluding that there was no evidence that legislators of the day intended that census records were to remain perpetually confidential. The panel recommended allowing public access to all census records 92 years after collection. However, by the time the report had been issued, Brian Tobin
had become Industry Minister and chose not to follow the recommendations. Instead, he stated the issue would be considered as part of the ongoing review of privacy legislation.
The matter did not proceed to a resolution until after several further government inquiries and the commencement of court proceedings. In the meantime, the 92 year period for the release of the 1911 census records elapsed, which was met by a further refusal by Statistics Canada to release the records. Ultimately, Parliament resolved the matter in 2005 with the passage of Bill S-18, "an Act to amend the Statistics Act". The statute allows for the release of census records for the years from 1910 to 2003 once 92 years have elapsed after collection of the data. The legislation restricts the scope of access to genealogical purposes and historical research. The statute provides for unlimited access to census records 112 years after the data had been collected.
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
that takes place every five years. The census is conducted by Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada is the Canadian federal government agency commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. Its headquarters is in Ottawa....
. The census provides demographic
Demographics of Canada
This article about the demographic features of the population of Canada, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population, the People of Canada....
and statistical data that is used to plan public services including health care, education, and transportation, determine federal transfer payment
Transfer payment
In economics, a transfer payment is a redistribution of income in the market system. These payments are considered to be exhaustive because they do not directly absorb resources or create output...
s, and determine the number of Members of Parliament for each province and territory
Provinces and territories of Canada
The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second-largest country by area. There are ten provinces and three territories...
.
History
The first census in what is now Canada took place in New FranceNew France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
in 1666, under the direction of Intendant Jean Talon
Jean Talon
Jean Talon, Comte d'Orsainville was a French colonial administrator who was the first and most highly regarded Intendant of New France under King Louis XIV...
. The census noted the age, sex, marital status and occupation of 3,215 inhabitants.
The first national census of the country Canada was taken in 1871, as required by section 8 of the then-British North America Act (now the Constitution Act of 1867
Canada Act 1982
The Canada Act 1982 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that was passed at the request of the Canadian federal government to "patriate" Canada's constitution, ending the necessity for the country to request certain types of amendment to the Constitution of Canada to be made by the...
). The constitution required a census was to be taken in 1871 and every tenth year thereafter. Parliament implemented the requirements of the constitution through the Census Act of May 12, 1870. All inhabitants of Canada were included, including aboriginals. While this was the first national census of Canada, only four provinces existed at the time: Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, and Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. Other areas of what later became part of Canada continued to be enumerated in their own separate censuses. The results of the 1871 census, in both English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
were reported in a five volume set.
In 1881, the governing legislation was amended to require census takers to take an oath of secrecy. By this time, Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, and British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
were part of Canada and included in the national census, as was the North-West Territories.
A special census was conducted in 1906
Canada 1906 Census
In 1906 the government of Canada conducted the first of a series of special censuses covering the rapidly expanding Northwest Provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. These censuses were conducted every ten years from 1906 to 1956....
after Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
were carved out of the North-West Territories and became provinces. These special censuses continued every 10 years until 1956, at which time all of Canada was included. Since that time, a census has been conducted in Canada every five years.
In 1912, the federal government transferred responsibility for conducting the census from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Ministry of Trade and Commerce. In 1918, the government established the Dominion Bureau of Statistics, which was renamed Statistics Canada in 1971 and continues to be responsible for the census.
With Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
's entry into Canada in 1949, that province has been included in the Canadian census since 1951.
Accessibility, disclosure, and publication
All censuses prior to 1906 were publicly available at the National Archives of Canada as the legislation at the time did not include any confidentiality provisions. In general, a census was released to the National Archives 92 years after the date of collection.In 1998, the National Archivist requested that the 1906 census records be turned over to the National Archives. However, the Chief Statistician of Canada refused the request, citing the instructions given to enumerators at the time data had been collected and a promise made by legislators that the confidentiality of the census was "perpetual".
As a result, Industry Minister John Manley
John Manley
John Manley may refer to:* John Manley , English soldier, MP and Postmaster General* John Manley, Canadian politician* John Manley , British archaeologist* John H. Manley, American nuclear physicist...
appointed the "Expert Panel on Access to Historical Census Records" in November 1999 to study the issue. The panel issued a report on December 15, 2000, concluding that there was no evidence that legislators of the day intended that census records were to remain perpetually confidential. The panel recommended allowing public access to all census records 92 years after collection. However, by the time the report had been issued, Brian Tobin
Brian Tobin
Brian Vincent Tobin, PC is a Canadian businessman and former politician. Tobin served as the sixth Premier of Newfoundland from 1996 to 2000. Tobin was also a prominent Member of Parliament and served as a Cabinet Minister in Jean Chrétien's Liberal government.- Early life, education, and family...
had become Industry Minister and chose not to follow the recommendations. Instead, he stated the issue would be considered as part of the ongoing review of privacy legislation.
The matter did not proceed to a resolution until after several further government inquiries and the commencement of court proceedings. In the meantime, the 92 year period for the release of the 1911 census records elapsed, which was met by a further refusal by Statistics Canada to release the records. Ultimately, Parliament resolved the matter in 2005 with the passage of Bill S-18, "an Act to amend the Statistics Act". The statute allows for the release of census records for the years from 1910 to 2003 once 92 years have elapsed after collection of the data. The legislation restricts the scope of access to genealogical purposes and historical research. The statute provides for unlimited access to census records 112 years after the data had been collected.
Highlights
Highlights of the census in Canada include:- 16661666 census of New FranceThe 1666 census of New France was the first census conducted in Canada . It was organized by Jean Talon, the first Intendant of New France, between 1665 and 1666....
- colony's first census - 1852 - Originally scheduled for 1851, this census was for the Province of CanadaProvince of CanadaThe Province of Canada, United Province of Canada, or the United Canadas was a British colony in North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham in the Report on the Affairs of British North America following the Rebellions of...
, comprising Canada EastCanada EastCanada East was the eastern portion of the United Province of Canada. It consisted of the southern portion of the modern-day Canadian Province of Quebec, and was primarily a French-speaking region....
and Canada West - 1871 - first national census
- 1881 - census takers sworn to oath of secrecy
- 1891 - census advertising through newspapers and from pulpits
- 1901 - census adds questions on religion, birthplace, citizenship and period of immigration
- 1906Canada 1906 CensusIn 1906 the government of Canada conducted the first of a series of special censuses covering the rapidly expanding Northwest Provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. These censuses were conducted every ten years from 1906 to 1956....
- the first special census of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba entitled the Census of Population and Agriculture of the Northwest Provinces - 1911Canada 1911 CensusThe Canada 1911 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. The census was started on June 1, 1911. All reports had been received by February 26, 1912. The total population count of Canada was 7,206,643...
- last census to ask questions on "infirmities" - 1916 - the second special census of the three prairie provinces, renamed from its 1906 title to the Census of Prairie Provinces
- 1921 - mechanical tabulation
- 1926 - the third special census of the three prairie provinces
- 1931 - census adds questions to assess unemployment
- 1936 - the fourth special census of the three prairie provinces
- 1941 - questions on fertility
- 1946 - the fifth special census of the three prairie provinces
- 1951 - first census covering all 10 provinces and (then) 2 territories
- 1956 - first mid-decade mini census; the Census of Agriculture and Census of Population would be taken together every 5 years
- 1961 - census adds question on level of education
- 1966 - last census to use only interviews
- 1971 - self-enumeration and long/short forms introduced
- 1976 - last mini-census; "head" of family changed for husband-wife families to refer to either "husband" or "wife"
- 1981 - reference "head" was dropped altogether
- 1986 - first full mid-decade census
- 1991 - question on common-law relationship
- 1996Canada 1996 CensusThe Canada 1996 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 14, 1996. On that day, Statistics Canada attempted to count every person in Canada. The total population count of Canada was 28,846,761...
- census questions translated into 49 non-official languages - 2001Canada 2001 CensusThe Canada 2001 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 15, 2001. On that day, Statistics Canada attempted to count every person in Canada. The total population count of Canada was 30,007,094. This was a 4% increase over 1996 Census of 28,846,761. In...
- collection of data on same sex common-law couples - 2006Canada 2006 CensusThe Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16, 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...
- online questionnaire - 2011Canada 2011 CensusThe Canada 2011 Census is a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population on May 10, 2011. Statistics Canada—an agency of the Canadian government—conducts a nationwide census every five years...
- elimination of mandatory long census form, replaced with a voluntary questionnaire called the "National Household Survey"
See also
- Demographics of CanadaDemographics of CanadaThis article about the demographic features of the population of Canada, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population, the People of Canada....
- List of population of Canada by years
- Census geographic units of Canada
- Census division statistics of CanadaCensus division statistics of CanadaCanada's equivalent to counties are known uniformly as census divisions. However, they may also be known by different names in different provinces, or in different parts of provinces...
- Ethnic groups in Canada
- History of CanadaHistory of CanadaThe history of Canada covers the period from the arrival of Paleo-Indians thousands of years ago to the present day. Canada has been inhabited for millennia by distinctive groups of Aboriginal peoples, among whom evolved trade networks, spiritual beliefs, and social hierarchies...
- History of immigration to CanadaHistory of immigration to CanadaThe history of immigration to Canada extends back thousands of years. Anthropologists continue to argue over various possible models of migration to modern day Canada, as well as their pre-contact populations. The Inuit are believed to have arrived entirely separately from other indigenous peoples...