Initial findings from the content consultation

Statistics Canada uses an integrated approach when consulting about the census. Consequently, during 2011 Census content consultations (April to November 2007), feedback was also solicited on other aspects of the census, including dissemination and geography.^{Footnote 1} A summary of the results is published in the appendices of the 2011 Census Content Consultation Report. Some initial findings on census dissemination and geography are reported below.

Dissemination

The 2011 Census content consultations yielded 104 comments on the census dissemination strategy. Comments received include the following:

• Census data should be released earlier.
• Topics more important for public policy and programs should be disseminated first.
• Data should continue to be of high quality and accurate even if released earlier.
• There should be more profiles on various population groups.
• There should be more detailed lists of religions, languages, places of birth of parents and income groups.
• Any new or modified variables should be comparable with those used in the past.
• Dissemination area level data should be available on the day of release.
• More data should be provided to the non-profit sector for free.
• Clients should not have to pay for suppressed data.
• The dissemination strategy used in past censuses has been excellent and visible.

Geography

Census geography generated 162 comments during the 2011 Census content round of consultations. Participants were asked whether current standard geographic areas met their needs. The responses pertaining to geographic products and services include the following:

• The Road Network File needs to be more up-to-date on the day of release.
• Geocoding is an important service offered by Statistics Canada and should be available earlier.
• More census information should be disseminated by postal code, census consolidated subdivision and economic region.