About the 2021 Census

Why is the census important for business?

Information from the census will be used by governments, businesses, associations, Indigenous leadership, community organizations and many others to make important decisions for your community, your province or territory, and the entire country.

Payroll & Competitive Wages: Business owners use Census data to make competitive hiring and pay decisions based on the typical payroll of similar businesses in their area. And provinces and local governments use it to regulate businesses.

Marketing & Advertising Data: Reaching helpful conclusions and developing strategies is easier when you do your research. Statistics Canada’s 2016 Census Profile can give you a snapshot of an area. With the simple search tool, you can see the average age, family size, marital status, official languages and median income of the area broken down in detail. It can help you offer the right products or services for a specific community, give you clues for advertising and sales techniques and indicate how much financing you might need to open in a given area.

Entrepreneurs: It’s understandable to be excited about the product or service your business will provide, but never lose sight of the customer. Who are they and why are they your customer? What problem is your business solving for them? Being their solution, more than any nifty item or idea, will bring customers to your door. Census data can help you better understand your target audience.

Who is included in the census?

The Census of Population enumerates the entire Canadian population, which consists of Canadian citizens (by birth and by naturalization), landed immigrants and non-permanent residents and their families living with them in Canada. Non-permanent residents are people who hold a work or student permit, or who have claimed refugee status (e.g., asylum seekers).

The census also counts Canadian citizens and landed immigrants who are temporarily outside the country on Census Day. This includes federal and provincial government employees working outside Canada, Canadian embassy staff posted to other countries, members of the Canadian Forces stationed abroad and all Canadian crew members of merchant vessels, as well as their families.

The online 2021 Census

Starting on May 3, 2021, you can complete your census questionnaire online. It is an easy, secure and convenient option that can be used anywhere, anytime. No pre-registration or lengthy download processes are required.