Monday, February 7, 2022 – The District is sharing this information from Statistics Canada:
For over a century and a half, Canadians have relied on census data to see how the country is changing, and focus on the issues that matter to them.
The most recent census completed in 2021 will provide a treasure trove of data about the Canadian population, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how our country has evolved in the past five years. These data can be used by businesses, non-profit organizations, governments and individuals to understand their communities and make informed decisions.
Are you wondering how you and your community can benefit from census data? Here are some traditional and innovative ways:
- Business planning—census data may serve as the foundation for creating a viable business plan, analysing target markets, and pivoting businesses during the pandemic. It can be used to conduct an environmental analysis and help understand the local market.
- Choosing the community to live in—home listing services rely on census data to provide perspective home buyers with important demographic information about their communities and help them make the right choice that will accommodate their specific lifestyle.
- Academic research—thousands of academics, educators and students rely on census data to conduct research, data analysis and develop recommendations.
- Government program and service planning—thanks to census data, municipal, provincial and federal governments are able to offer support services and programs that are tailored to their residents, such as child care, schools, family services, housing, skills training for employment centres and retirement residences.
- Infrastructure—with census data, community organizations and local authorities can propose evidence-based planning and infrastructure projects that meet your neighbourhood’s needs.
- Public transportation—the census collects information about commute times and public transit use, which can be used to create new bus/train/subway routes and active transportation trails, bike or pedestrian lanes, as well as recreational paths near you.
As of February 9, 2022, Statistics Canada will start releasing population and dwelling count census data. Subsequent releases throughout 2022 will focus on Canada’s shifting demographic profile; families and households; military experience; income; linguistic diversity; First Nations people, Métis and Inuit; housing; citizenship and immigration; the ethnocultural and religious composition of the population; education; and the labour force.
Statistics Canada strives to make census data and analyses user-friendly and accessible to all Canadians. For more information about data release topics and timelines, please visit the 2021 Census dissemination planning web page. They are also releasing a new Apple and Android mobile app—StatsCAN—that provides interesting perspectives and analysis based on census data.
Find more information on census data on the Census of Population web page of the Statistics Canada website.