CCA Bulletin 18/11

May 4, 2011

Participate in the 2011 census and the National Household Survey!

Just the facts

In addition to being federal election day, Monday marked the debut of the 2011 mandatory short-form census.  On May 2, 2011, the eight-question document began to make its way by mail to approximately 15 million households across the country.  According to the Statistics Act, all Canadian residents are legally required to complete the census questionnaire. The census questionnaire can be completed online or on paper. To complete the forms online, Canadians will need the secure access code located at the top of the letter or paper questionnaires.

Approximately four weeks after the mandatory short-form census, some 4.5 million Canadian households will also receive the new National Household Survey (NHS). The voluntary NHS has replaced the mandatory long-form census questionnaire after a controversial decision by the government in June 2010. If you receive the NHS, it is very important that you complete this voluntary survey in full!

Why does this matter to you?

The census questions cover basic demographic characteristics such as age, sex, marital and common-law status, household relationships and mother tongue.  The NHS covers questions on demography, citizenship and immigration, language and language of work, ethnic origins, aboriginal groups and status, religion, mobility, work activity and place of work, education, income, housing, etc.

Census results are used to make decisions that affect our neighbourhoods, province or territory, and the entire country. Governments, businesses, associations and community organizations use census information to plan services and policies that benefit everyone who lives in Canada. This included schools and daycare, health and police services, fire protection…and cultural policies!

There is also a question that asks for your consent to release your personal census and NHS information to the National Archives after 92 years. Granting such permission is important for future historians, genealogists and researchers who will want to study the state of Canadian society at the beginning of the 21st century.

Tell me more

The decision to abolish the mandatory long-form questionnaire and replace it with a voluntary National Household Survey has elicited disapproval from all corners of society. For our nation's cultural organizations, the long-form census has been a useful tool both directly and indirectly. An understanding of the changing demographics of individual communities and neighbourhoods is essential when planning cultural programs, designing cultural infrastructure, and more.

There are fears that a voluntary survey with an anticipated response rate of 50% (versus 94% with the last mandatory long-form census) will under-represent a number of Canadians, including First Nations, the poorest and richest of Canadians and the self-employed, who cover a very large number of artists and creators.  

We therefore risk losing important data on the Canadian cultural workforce. Governments, the CCA, the Cultural Human Resources Council and arts organizations across the country need the data collected by the now voluntary NHS to get appropriate information on cultural professionals. Artists are mobile, often living in non-traditional housing (commercial and industrial areas) and working in other occupations to earn their primary income. 

For a description of the data quality emerging from a voluntary survey, click here.

What can I do?

You are legally obliged to respond to the short-form census. For those of you who do receive the voluntary NHS, we urge you to complete it in full. The survey must be filled out upon reception. It is vital that we get the most complete and reliable information on Canadian artists, creators and cultural workers from all over the country. Census data reflects an important source of information on the Canadian population, and goes a long way in assisting with the development of policy and programs for the federal, provincial and territorial governments, including those related to arts, culture and heritage.

Please make sure you circulate this information and call to action within your organization and to your networks.

Click here for more information of the 2011 census. You can also find more information on the NHS, and the rationale behind the questions that are asked.