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2021 Canadian census
Canadian Census 2021 logo.svg
Statistics Canada's visual identifier for
its 2021 Census of Population
Statistics Canada logo.svg
General information
Country Canada
Date taken May 11, 2021 (2021-05-11)
Total population 36,991,981
Percent change Increase 5.2%
Most populous province/territory Ontario (14,223,942)
Least populous province/territory Nunavut (36,858)

The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The overall response rate was 98%, which is slightly lower than the response rate for the 2016 census. It recorded a population of 36,991,981, a 5.2% increase from 2016.

Planning

Consultation on census program content was from September 11 to December 8, 2017. The census was conducted by Statistics Canada, and was contactless as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. The agency had considered delaying the census until 2022.

About 900 supervisors and 31,000 field enumerators were hired to conduct the door-to-door survey of individuals and households who had not completed the census questionnaire by late May or early June. Canvassing agents wore masks and maintained a physical distance to comply with COVID-19 safety regulations.

Questionnaire

In early May 2021, Statistics Canada began sending mailings to households throughout Canada containing instructions for completing the census questionnaire. The questionnaires could be completed by returning the paper questionnaire, or by phone or online by using an access code provided in the mailing. Statistics Canada expected about 80% of households to complete the questionnaire online. It was also available in large-print, braille, audio, and video formats. The questionnaire questions were available in a number of languages (Arabic, simplified and traditional Chinese, Italian, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Urdu, and Vietnamese) and indigenous languages (Atikamekw, Denesuline, Nunavik and Nunavut Inuktitut, Mohawk, Montagnais, Naskapi, Northern Quebec Cree, Ojibwe, Oji-Cree, Plains Cree, Swampy Cree, and Tłı̨chǫ), but the questionnaire had to be completed in either English or French.

The standard short-form questionnaire was to be completed by 75% of households. The other 25% completed a long-form questionnaire to collect data about the household's economic and social state, information about the occupied dwelling, and other data in addition to age, languages spoken, marital status, religious affiliation, and other basic data collected in the short-form questionnaire.

Those who completed the census questionnaire online could listen to a number of soundtracks on Spotify and YouTube prepared by Statistics Canada.

Completing the questionnaire is a legal requirement, and those who refuse to do so may be fined up to $500. It must be completed by citizens of Canada, permanent residents, refugee claimants, and those with a study or work permit.

Data release schedule

The release dates for data by release topic from the 2021 census are:

  • February 9, 2022, for population and dwelling counts;
  • April 27, 2022, for age, sex at birth, and gender, type of dwelling;
  • July 13, 2022, for families, households, and marital status, Canadian military experience, and income;
  • August 17, 2022, for language;
  • September 21, 2022, for indigenous peoples, and housing;
  • October 26, 2022, for immigration, place of birth, and citizenship, ethnocultural and religious diversity, and mobility and migration;
  • November 30, 2022, for education, labour, language of work, commuting and instruction in the official minority language.

Data

Statistics Canada links income and related information obtained from the Canada Revenue Agency, and immigration status obtained from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, to the census responses.

The 2021 Canadian census included new questions "critical to measuring equity, diversity and inclusivity". For the first time, questions were asked about commuting methods and the census counted transgender people and people of non-binary gender. Canada has been noted in this instance to be the first country to provide census data on transgender and non-binary people.

Results


The 2021 census recorded a total federal population of 36,991,981, living in 14,978,941 of its 16,284,235 private dwellings. With a land area of 8,788,702.80 km2 (3,393,337.12 sq mi), its population density was 4.21/km2 (10.9/sq mi). Canada's most- and least-populated provinces were Ontario and Prince Edward Island respectively. Among the three territories, the Northwest Territories was the largest, while Nunavut once again became the smallest territory after briefly overtaking Yukon in 2016.

The population of Canada rose by 5.2 per cent federally since the 2016 census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. Three provinces' and one territory's population grew faster than Canada's overall population increase: Yukon – a 12.1 per cent increase, Prince Edward Island – an 8 per cent increase, British Columbia – a 7.6 per cent increase, and Ontario – a 5.8 per cent increase. The rapid growth in Yukon is largely credited to immigration and migration from within Canada. At the other end of the spectrum, only one province and one territory saw a decrease in population since 2016: Newfoundland and Labrador – a 1.8 per cent decrease, and the Northwest Territories — a 1.7 per cent decrease.

The majority of Canadians identified as female at 50.73%, while 49.27% of the population identified as male. The median age overall was 41.6 years – 40.4 years for males and 42.8 years for females.

Population and dwellings

Rank Province or territory Population as of
2021 census
Population as of
2016 census
Change Percent
change
1  Ontario 14,223,942 13,448,494 775,448 Increase 5.8% Increase
2  Quebec 8,501,833 8,164,361 337,472 Increase 4.1% Increase
3  British Columbia 5,000,879 4,648,055 352,824 Increase 7.6% Increase
4  Alberta 4,262,635 4,067,175 195,460 Increase 4.8% Increase
5  Manitoba 1,342,153 1,278,365 63,788 Increase 5.0% Increase
6  Saskatchewan 1,132,505 1,098,352 34,153 Increase 3.1% Increase
7  Nova Scotia 969,383 923,598 45,785 Increase 5.0% Increase
8  New Brunswick 775,610 747,101 28,509 Increase 3.8% Increase
9  Newfoundland and Labrador 510,550 519,716 −9,166 Decrease −1.8% Decrease
10  Prince Edward Island 154,331 142,907 11,424 Increase 8.0% Increase
11  Northwest Territories 41,070 41,786 −716 Decrease −1.7% Decrease
12  Yukon 40,232 35,874 4,358 Increase 12.1% Increase
13  Nunavut 36,858 35,944 914 Increase 2.5% Increase
 Canada 36,991,981 35,151,728 1,840,253 Increase 5.2% Increase

Age, sex at birth, and gender

Province or Territory Age Gender Sex at birth
0–14 15–64 65+ Men+ Women+ Male Female
Alberta 809,640 2,823,770 629,225 2,127,935 2,134,700 2,126,925 2,135,710
British Columbia 716,900 3,267,615 1,016,360 2,457,515 2,543,365 2,456,420 2,544,455
Manitoba 252,935 860,165 229,050 666,495 675,660 666,000 676,155
New Brunswick 111,130 487,320 177,160 381,460 394,150 381,260 394,350
Newfoundland and Labrador 68,190 321,750 120,610 250,075 260,475 249,985 260,560
Northwest Territories 8,475 28,485 4,105 20,845 20,225 20,845 20,220
Nova Scotia 136,710 617,345 215,325 471,735 497,650 471,180 498,200
Nunavut 12,085 23,170 1,605 18,765 18,095 18,755 18,105
Ontario 2,251,795 9,334,440 2,637,710 6,970,850 7,253,090 6,968,425 7,255,515
Prince Edward Island 23,640 97,985 32,710 75,385 78,945 75,370 78,965
Quebec 1,391,360 5,356,940 1,753,530 4,201,960 4,299,875 4,201,360 4,300,475
Saskatchewan 223,110 711,410 197,985 563,125 569,380 562,905 569,600
Yukon 6,825 27,360 6,050 20,105 20,130 20,085 20,150
Canada 6,012,795 23,957,755 7,021,430 18,226,240 18,765,745 18,219,520 18,772,465
Source: Statistics Canada

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Censo de Canadá de 2021 para niños

  • Demographics of Canada
  • Statistics Act
  • 2022 Canadian federal electoral redistribution
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