The 2006 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16, 2006. The following census was the 2011 census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897. This count was lower than the official July 1, 2006 population estimate of 32,623,490 people. The previous census was the 2001 census and the following census was in 2011 census.
Summary Over 12.7 million households, 32.5 million people were expected to be counted. Canada Post delivered census forms by mail to 70% of the country, primarily residents in urban areas. Census enumerators delivered to the remaining 30% of households. Every fifth home received the long questionnaire (53 questions versus 8 questions on the short form). For the first time, Canadian residents were able to go online to fill in their forms. Statistics Canada expected approximately 20% of households to file their surveys electronically. Persistent census staff are contacting tardy households. The total estimated cost of the 2006 census is $567 million spread over seven years, employing more than 25,000 full and part-time census workers.
New in the 2006 census questionnaire: Education. Where did individuals receive their highest level of education? (Only on extended questionnaire) Income. Permission to use income information from an individual's income tax file. Income from child benefits. Income tax paid. (Also only on extended questionnaire) Access to personal information. Permission to make information public in 92 years.
Questions not asked in the 2006 census: Religion. Normally asked only once every 10 years, and the religion question was asked in the 2001 census. Education. The number of years of schooling received.
Modified questions Education
Data products As the data were compiled, Statistics Canada released various census data products. The first set of data products was released on March 13, 2007, originally scheduled for release on February 13, 2007, covering population and dwelling counts by geographical unit. This was followed by other census data products.
Population and dwelling counts The first release of 2006 census dataStatistics Canada, The Daily, Tuesday, March 13, 2007 The Daily (pdf) was on March 13, 2007, covering population and dwelling counts by geographical unit.
Population of the provinces and territoriesStatistics Canada, Population and Dwelling Count Highlight Tables, 2006 Census , Catalogue number 97-550-XWE2006002 , released March 13, 2007, Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, province and territories, 2006 and 2001 censuses - 100% data
Population and dwellings Rank Province or territory Population as of2006 census Population as of2001 census Change Percentchange 1Ontario 12,160,282 11,410,046 750,236 6.6 2Quebec 7,546,131 7,237,479 308,652 4.3 3British Columbia 4,113,487 3,907,738 205,749 5.3 4Alberta 3,290,350 2,974,807 315,543 10.6 5Manitoba 1,148,401 1,119,583 28,818 2.6 6Saskatchewan 968,157 978,933 -10,776 -1.1 7Nova Scotia 913,462 908,007 5,455 0.6 8New Brunswick 729,997 729,498 499 0.1 9Newfoundland and Labrador 505,469 512,930 -7,461 -1.5 10Prince Edward Island 135,851 135,294 557 0.4 11Northwest Territories 41,464 37,360 4,104 11.0 12Yukon 30,372 28,674 1,698 5.9 13Nunavut 29,474 26,745 2,729 10.2 Canada 31,612,897 30,007,094 1,605,803 5.4
Age and sex The second release of 2006 census dataStatistics Canada, The Daily, Tuesday, July 17, 2007 The Daily (pdf) was on July 17, 2007, covering age and sex of the Canadian population. Among other findings, Statistics Canada reported that the 65-and-over population was at a record high of 13.7% of the total population of Canada. By comparison, the 2001 census found that the 65-and-over population was 13.0% of the total population of Canada.
Population of each province and territory by ageStatistics Canada, Age and Sex Highlight Tables, 2006 Census , catalogue number 97-551-XWE2006002 , released July 17, 2007, Population by broad age groups, 2006 counts for both sexes, for Canada, provinces and territories - 100% data and sexAge and Sex Highlight Tables, 2006 Census, 2006 counts for males, for Canada, provinces and territories - 100% data , 2006 counts for females, for Canada, provinces and territories - 100% data Province / territory 0 to 14 15–64 65+ Males FemalesNewfoundland and Labrador78,230356,97570,265245,730259,740Prince Edward Island23,98591,68520,18565,59570,260Nova Scotia146,435628,815138,210439,835473,630New Brunswick118,255504,110107,635355,495374,500Quebec1,252,5105,213,3351,080,2853,687,6953,858,435Ontario2,210,8008,300,3001,649,1805,930,7006,229,580Manitoba225,175761,340161,890563,275585,125Saskatchewan187,695631,155149,305475,240492,915Alberta631,5152,305,425353,4101,646,8001,643,550British Columbia679,6052,834,075599,8102,013,9852,099,495Yukon5,72022,3652,29015,28015,090Northwest Territories9,92029,5701,97521,22520,240Nunavut10,00018,66081015,10514,365Canada5,579,83521,697,8054,335,25515,475,97016,136,925
Families, marital status, households and dwelling characteristics The third release of 2006 census dataStatistics Canada, The Daily, Wednesday, September 12, 2007 The Daily (pdf) was on September 12, 2007, and covered families/households, marital status, and dwelling characteristics.Release no. 3: dwelling and household characteristics
The following table displays various census data (derived from the 20% sample that completed the long questionnaire) on marital status for the Canadian population aged 15 years or more, as well as data on the number of couples by various criteria, and where available the percentage change from the 2001 census:
Number % change(2001–2006) Population aged 15 years and overStatistics Canada, Catalogue number 97-552-XWE2006007 , 26,033,060 +7.2 Legally married (and not separated) 12,470,400 +3.8 Separated, but still legally married 775,425 +5.7 Divorced 2,087,390 +12.5 Widowed 1,612,815 +4.6 In a common-law relationship 2,731,635 +19.6 In a same-sex union 90,695 +32.6 Same-sex couples 45,350 Male same-sex married couples 4,010 Female same-sex married couples 3,455 Male same-sex common-law couples 20,730 Female same-sex common-law couples 17,155 All couples 7,482,780 +6.0 Married couples with children 3,443,775 -0.7 Married couples without children 2,662,130 +9.5 Common-law couples with children 618,150 +16.4 Common-law couples without children 758,715 +20.9
Immigration, citizenship, language, mobility and migration The fourth release of 2006 census dataStatistics Canada, The Daily, Tuesday, December 4, 2007 The Daily (pdf) was on December 4, 2007, and covered immigration, citizenship, language, mobility, migration and other population data.
Aboriginal peoples The fifth release of 2006 census dataStatistics Canada, The Daily, Tuesday, January 15, 2008 The Daily (pdf) was on January 15, 2008, covering aboriginal peoples.
Labour, place of work/commuting to work, education, language The sixth release of 2006 census dataStatistics Canada, The Daily, Tuesday, March 4, 2008 The Daily (pdf) was on March 4, 2008, covering labour, education and some other topics going with that.
Ethnic origin, visible minorities The seventh release of 2006 census dataStatistics Canada, The Daily, Wednesday, April 2, 2008 The Daily (pdf) was on April 2, 2008, covering ethnic origins and visible minorities and commuting to work.
Income/earnings, shelter costs The eighth release of 2006 census data was on May 1, 2008, covering income and earnings, and shelter costs.
Advertising
In contrast to 1996 focus-groups that found it important to know the legal requirement at the outset, participants of 2005 focus-groups were annoyed or provoked by draft ads reminding Canadians about the census law. As a result of the finding, Statistics Canada's initial newspaper, radio and TV ads avoided mention of the legal requirement. Instead, reference to the census law was highlighted only in ads appearing after census day, to capture late filers.
To encourage participation, Statistics Canada set aside $13 million for "saturation" advertising, including billboards, bookmarks, inserts in municipal tax bills, and ads on bags of sugar and milk cartons.
Outsourcing Statistics Canada reports less than 20% of the work will be outsourced, spending $85 million over 5 years. Despite an open public tender process, controversy arose on the announcement of a $43.3 million deal awarded to Lockheed Martin Canada—a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, the world's largest defense contractor by defense revenue—for the purchase of scanning and printing software and hardware.
Forms A variety of forms were available in both official languages, varying in length, colour, and recipient's location.
Most households (80%) received the short form (2A): English: orange French: yellow
One in five received the long form (2B): English: red French: purple
Federal and provincial employees and their families working in embassies and National Defence bases abroad (2C): English: purple French: red
In the three northern territories and on Aboriginal communities and settlements (2D): English: orange French: yellow
Census of Agriculture (6): English: yellow French: orange
Controversy Special interest groups criticised Statistics Canada over the design of questions, accuracy, and the future of the census data:
Question 6: Relationship. Couples in same-sex marriages were offended by and/or objected to Statistics Canada's instruction that they use the write-in field "Other" instead of checking the "husband or wife" box. Question 16: Mother tongue. An anonymous email misinformation campaign advised bilingual francophones to not mention their knowledge of English. Question 53: Election to release census data after 92 years. Genealogists worried that future research will be hampered if Canadians didn't check this box. Nationally, there was a yes response in respect of 55.58% of persons enumerated in the census. The yes percentage was highest in Prince Edward Island, 64.50%, and lowest in Nunavut, 51.39%.Statistics Canada, 2006 Census results: The 92-year question . Retrieved April 21, 2008. Individual respondents are permitted to change their response to this question by mailing in a request-for-change form.
In addition, Statistics Canada's online questionnaire had been criticized over accessibility issues:
Failure to comply with Treasury Board, guidelines to meet W3C accessibility recommendations for the visually impaired Failure to support open source, operating systems. Support for Linux was eventually added, but support for other operating systems was not.
The quality of data was further hampered by individuals who advocated minimal cooperation or non-cooperation, in protest to the outsourcing contract awarded to Lockheed Martin. Many people believed that Lockheed Martin would have access to their information, and that the US government could then access that information through the USA PATRIOT Act. However, despite assurances to the contrary (i.e., only Statistics Canada employees would and could handle, store, and access the information), some people refused to participate fully in the census.
The release of data was postponed to numerous issues during enumeration. These included: the recruitment of enumerators amid a competitive job market, particularly in Western Canada the requirement of some people to fill out a second form after their first forms did not arrive in the mail; and delays in payments to enumerators
As a result, the first release of data from the census, originally scheduled for release on February 13, 2007, was delayed to March 13, 2007.
See also 2011 Canadian census Demographics of Canada Statistics Act Population and housing censuses by country
External links 2006 Census by topics and regions - Statistics Canada's page on the 2006 census Census 2006 - 2A (Short Form) Census 2006 - 2B (Long Form)
References