2021 Canadian census

The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It recorded a total national population of 36,991,981 – a 5.2% increase over the five years from 2016. The 2021 census followed the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728, and will be succeeded by Canada's 2026 census. The overall response rate in 2021 was 98%, slightly lower than the response rate for the 2016 census.

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.

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 questionnaire came in two formats: short-form and long-form. The standard, short-form questionnaire was to be completed by 75% of households; it collected data on age, languages spoken, marital status, religious affiliation and other basic data about the household. The remaining 25% of households completed a long-form questionnaire: this collected more extensive information about the household's economic and social state, information about the occupied dwelling, and other more detailed information (in addition to the basic data collected in the short-form questionnaire).

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

Completing the questionnaire was at the time of the 2021 census, and remains, a legal requirement. Refusal to complete a questionnaire exposes a person to a fine of up to $500. It must be completed by Canadian citizens, permanent residents, refugee claimants, and those with a study or work permit.

Data from the 2021 census was released sequentially over the course of 2022, organised by topic/theme: