Reference materials, 2021 Census
Reference materials are designed to help users make the most of census data. They cover various aspects of the census and are intended to support the use of data. Every effort has been made to simplify the text or add simple explanations to the technical text in order to make the information accessible to as many people as possible.
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2021 Census of Population reference products
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| Release date (yyyy-mm-dd) Four digits for the year, two digits for the month, two digits for the day |
Product | Product type |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-03-26 | Supporting documentation: 98-26-00082021001 Description: This report examines children eligible for instruction in the minority official language (i.e., French in Canada outside Quebec and English in Quebec) at the primary and secondary levels. |
Supporting documentation |
| 2024-03-20 | Title:Indigenous Peoples Technical Report, Census of Population, 2021 Technical report: 98-307-X2021001 Description: This report deals with Indigenous identity, Indigenous group, Registered or Treaty Indian status, Membership in a First Nation or Indian band, Membership in a Métis organization or Settlement, Enrollment under an Inuit land claims agreement, and Indigenous ancestry, and contains explanations of concepts, data quality, historical comparability and comparability with other sources, as well as information on data collection, processing and dissemination. The title of this product for the 2021 Census was renamed from ‘Aboriginal Peoples Technical Report’ to ‘Indigenous Peoples Technical Report’ to reflect a change in terminology in the Census of Population. The term “Indigenous” replaced “Aboriginal” when referring to the collective term for people who identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit. Its usage aligns with the Government of Canada and is coherent with standard terminology used in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. |
Technical report |
| 2023-12-01 | Title:Population and dwelling count amendments, 2021 Census Supporting documentation Description: After the release of the 2021 Census population and dwelling counts, issues affecting the data are occasionally uncovered. This reference document provides original and revised population and dwelling counts for geographic areas with amendments to the 2021 Census population and dwelling counts. |
Supporting documentation |
| 2023-10-04 | Title:Sampling and Weighting Technical Report, Census of Population, 2021 Technical report: 98-306-X2021001 Description: This report describes sampling, weighting and estimation procedures used in the 2021 Census of Population. The report also provides operational and theoretical justifications for them and presents the results of the evaluations of these procedures. |
Technical report |
| 2023-10-04 | Supporting documentation: 98-26-00072021001 Description: The relationships between categories of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0 and those of the NOC 2016 Version 1.3—based on information from the 2021 Census—are presented in the NOC 2021–NOC 2016 and NOC 2016–NOC 2021 empirical concordances. |
Supporting documentation |
| 2023-06-21 | Title:Dictionary, Census of Population, 2021 Dictionary: 98-301-X2021001 Description: The Census Dictionary is a reference document which contains detailed definitions of Census of Population concepts, variables, and geographic terms, as well as historical information. |
Dictionary |
| 2023-06-21 | Guide: 98-500-X2021007 Description: This reference guide provides information to help users effectively use and interpret place of birth, generation status, citizenship and immigration data from the 2021 Census. |
Guide |
| 2023-02-08 | Title:Geographic areas not released, 2021 Census of Population Data quality and confidentiality Description: In order to ensure non-disclosure of individual respondent identity and characteristics and to limit the dissemination of data of unacceptable quality, some 2021 Census geographic areas are suppressed or removed from data and analytical products. |
Data quality and confidentiality |
| 2022-12-15 | Title:Income Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021 Guide: 98-500-X2021004 Description: This reference guide provides information to help users effectively use and interpret income data from the 2021 Census. |
Guide |
| 2022-11-30 | Title:Instruction in the Minority Official Language Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021 Guide: 98-500-X2021017 Description: This reference guide provides information to help users effectively use and interpret instruction in the minority official language data from the 2021 Census. |
Guide |
| 2022-11-30 | Title:Guide to the Census of Population, 2021 Guide: 98-304-X2021001 Description: This reference document provides an overview of the Census of Population content determination, collection, processing, data quality assessment and data dissemination. |
Guide |
| 2022-11-30 | Title:Education Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021 Guide: 98-500-X2021013 Description: This reference guide provides information to help users effectively use and interpret education data from the 2021 Census. |
Guide |
| 2022-11-30 | Title:Commuting Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021 Guide: 98-500-X2021011 Description: This reference guide provides information to help users effectively use and interpret commuting data from the 2021 Census. |
Guide |
| 2022-11-30 | Title:Labour Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021 Guide: 98-500-X2021012 Description: This reference guide provides information to help users effectively use and interpret labour data from the 2021 Census. |
Guide |
| 2022-11-30 | Title:Languages Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021 Guide: 98-500-X2021003 Description: This reference guide provides information to help users effectively use and interpret language data from the 2021 Census. |
Guide |
| 2022-11-30 | Data quality and confidentiality Description: Coefficients of variation and confidence intervals of selected immigration, labour and income estimates for the 2016 Census long-form sample and the 2021 Census long-form sample, Canada, provinces and territories. |
Data quality and confidentiality |
| 2022-11-09 | Title:Children eligible for instruction in the minority official language: A data ecosystem Supporting documentation: 982000012022001 Description: This fact sheet presents a data ecosystem comprised of a set of data sources that, together, provide information on children eligible for instruction in the minority official language. |
Supporting documentation |
| 2022-10-26 | Title:Visible Minority and Population Group Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021 Guide: 98-500-X2021006 Description: This reference guide provides information to help users effectively use and interpret visible minority and population group data from the 2021 Census. |
Guide |
| 2022-10-26 | Title:Mobility and Migration Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021 Guide: 98-500-X2021010 Description: This reference guide provides information to help users effectively use and interpret mobility and migration data from the 2021 Census. |
Guide |
| 2022-10-26 | Title:Ethnic or Cultural Origin Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021 Guide: 98-500-X2021008 Description: This reference guide provides information to help users effectively use and interpret ethnic or cultural origin data from the 2021 Census. |
Guide |
| 2022-10-26 | Title:Religion Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021 Guide: 98-500-X2021016 Description: This reference guide provides information to help users effectively use and interpret religion data from the 2021 Census. |
Guide |
| 2022-09-21 | Title:Housing Characteristics Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021 Guide: 98-500-X2021005 Description: This reference guide provides information to help users effectively use and interpret housing characteristics data from the 2021 Census. |
Guide |
| 2022-09-21 | Title:Indigenous Peoples Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021 Guide: 98-500-X2021009 Description: This reference guide provides information to help users effectively use and interpret Indigenous peoples data from the 2021 Census. The title of this product for the 2021 Census was renamed from ‘Aboriginal Peoples Reference Guide’ to ‘Indigenous Peoples Reference Guide’ to reflect a change in terminology in the Census of Population. The term “Indigenous” replaced “Aboriginal” when referring to the collective term for people who identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit. Its usage aligns with the Government of Canada and is coherent with standard terminology used in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. |
Guide |
| 2022-09-21 | Title:2021 Census Data Quality Guidelines Data quality and confidentiality: 98-26-0006-X2021001 Description: These guidelines provide information to help people effectively use and interpret the data quality indicators for the 2021 Census. |
Data quality and confidentiality |
| 2022-09-21 | Title:Understanding confidence intervals for the 2021 Census Data quality and confidentiality: 982000012021003 Description: This fact sheet provides a concise description of the context to the understanding of Confidence intervals. Confidence intervals are a useful data quality indicator. Confidence intervals will usually be available in data tables accessible through the Statistics Canada website. |
Data quality and confidentiality |
| 2022-07-13 | Title:Families, Households and Marital Status Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021 Guide: 98-500-X2021002 Description: This reference guide provides information to help users effectively use and interpret family, household and marital status data from the 2021 Census. |
Guide |
| 2022-07-13 | Title:Canadian Military Experience Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021 Guide: 98-500-X2021015 Description: This reference guide provides information to help users effectively use and interpret Canadian military experience data from the 2021 Census. |
Guide |
| 2022-07-13 | Title:Veterans Data in the 2021 Census of Population Technical report: 98200002-X2021001 Description: The report Veterans Data in the 2021 Census of Population aims to inform users of the conceptual framework and definitions used to gather the 2021 Census data on Canadian military experience and the relevant data quality aspects. |
Technical report |
| 2022-07-13 | Title:2021 Census data quality indicators Data quality and confidentiality Description: To enable users to conduct a detailed evaluation of the data quality and to determine the relevance of the data to their needs, quality indicators accompany the 2021 Census of Population data outputs. The purpose of the data quality indicators is to present the risk of known and measurable potential errors at the time of dissemination. |
Data quality and confidentiality |
| 2022-06-14 | Title:Gender diversity status of couples: New information in the 2021 Census Supporting documentation: 98-20-0001-2021002 Description: This fact sheet provides a concise description of the context and definitions related to a new concept, the gender diversity status of couples. |
Supporting documentation |
| 2022-04-27 | Title:Age, Sex at Birth and Gender Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021 Guide: 98-500-X2021014 Description: This reference guide provides information to help users effectively use and interpret age, sex at birth and gender data from the 2021 Census. |
Guide |
| 2022-04-27 | Title:Type of Dwelling Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021 Guide: 98-500-X2021001 Description: This reference guide provides information to help users effectively use and interpret type of dwelling data from the 2021 Census. |
Guide |
| 2022-04-27 | Title:2021 Census gender note Supporting documentation Description: An explanation of gender concepts used in 2021 Census of Population data products. |
Supporting documentation |
| 2022-04-06 | Title:Filling the gaps: Information on gender in the 2021 Census Supporting documentation: 98-20-0001-2021001 Description: This fact sheet provides the context for the addition of the gender question on the 2021 Census, as well as the definitions related to gender and sex at birth. It also explains what gender-related information will be available in the April 27th, 2022 Census release. |
Supporting documentation |
| 2022-03-30 | Data quality and confidentiality: 98-26-0005-2021001 Description: This report helps users understand how we balance protecting confidentiality and meeting needs for data. It provides information at a high level for major variables such as those related to gender, Indigenous peoples, visible minority, ethnocultural diversity, instruction in the official minority language and religious groups. |
Data quality and confidentiality |
| 2022-02-09 | Title:Policy on response to formal review requests of 2021 Census population and dwelling counts Supporting documentation Description: This webpage outlines the policy and guidelines to submit a request for a formal review. |
Supporting documentation |
| 2022-02-09 | Title:Symbols, abbreviations and acronyms Supporting documentation Description: The symbols, abbreviations and acronyms found on this page may be found in 2021 Census products. |
Supporting documentation |
| 2022-02-09 | Title:Incompletely enumerated reserves and settlements Supporting documentation Description: This note explains the subdivisions defined as reserves and settlements that were incompletely enumerated in 2021. |
Supporting documentation |
| 2022-02-09 | Title:Consent to release personal information Supporting documentation Description: This reference document describes policy regarding the consent to release personal information after 92 years. It also provides information about the availability of historical census records. |
Supporting documentation |
| 2022-01-21 | Data quality and confidentiality Description: Information about administrative data used for the 2021 Census, during data processing, to impute (assign values to missing data) non-responding households. |
Data quality and confidentiality |
| 2021-11-17 | Title:2021 Census of Population collection response rates Supporting documentation Description: 2021 Census of population collection response rates for Canada, provinces and territories. Includes overall response, long form, Internet and self-response rates. These preliminary rates are obtained directly from collection results before data processing and data quality verification. |
Supporting documentation |
| 2021-11-17 | Title:Geographic name formats Supporting documentation Description: A list showing the differences between official geography names and those used in census products caused by technical system constraints. |
Supporting documentation |
| 2021-05-12 | Title:2021 Census dissemination planning Supporting documentation Description: Learn about our planning and progress on the dissemination of 2021 Census of Population products and services. |
Supporting documentation |
| 2021-05-12 | Title:2021 Census of Population release schedule Supporting documentation Description: There will be seven major 'themed' release dates for the dissemination of data from the 2021 Census of Population. Each major release of data by theme will be highlighted in The Daily, Statistics Canada's official release bulletin, and each major release will offer data, analytical, and reference products for our users to access and consume. |
Supporting documentation |
| 2021-05-12 | Title:2021 Census of Population products and services map Supporting documentation Description: Access information on the product and service line for Statistics Canada's 2021 Census of Population. |
Supporting documentation |
| 2020-07-24 | Title:Chief Statistician's virtual roundtable discussions: 2021 Census of Population questionnaire Supporting documentation: 11-631-X2020002 Description: This presentation gives an overview of the topics discussed during the virtual roundtables on the 2021 Census of Population questionnaire content. The five main topics are the following: family, demography and activity limitations; languages, ethnocultural diversity and immigration (including citizenship, religion, population groups, minority language education rights); Indigenous peoples; education, labour, commuting, and Veterans; and housing, income and expenditures. |
Supporting documentation |
| 2020-07-20 | Title:Technical reports on changes for the 2021 Census Technical report: 98-20-0002 Description: This series of technical reports provides an in-depth view of the changes in content for the 2021 Census of Population, as the census process is ever changing to reflect changes in the Canadian population and its demographic characteristics. |
Technical report |
| 2020-07-17 | Title:Questionnaire(s) and reporting guide(s) Questionnaire Description: Statistics Canada has published the 2021 Census of Population short-form (2A), long-form (2A-L, 2A-R) and Census of Agriculture questionnaires on its website. |
Questionnaire |
| 2020-07-17 | Title:Painting a Portrait of Canada: The 2021 Census of Population Supporting documentation: 98-26-0001 Description: This document outlines Statistics Canada’s planned approach for the 2021 Census of Population. |
Supporting documentation |
| 2020-07-17 | Title:2021 Census Fact Sheets: Updated content for the 2021 Census of Population Supporting documentation: 98-20-0001 Description: This series of fact sheets offers an overview of content changes for the 2021 Census. These concise documents explain why new and modified questions are asked and describe the changes considered along with the resulting approach for 2021. |
Supporting documentation |
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