Overview
- The 2026 Census, which began Monday, May 4, is mailing letters with 16-digit codes so households can respond at census.gc.ca, and a parallel Census of Agriculture is going to farm businesses.
- The May 12 date on the letter marks where you lived for the count, and Statistics Canada will send reminders through mid-May with phone or in-person follow-ups if needed.
- Participation is mandatory under the Statistics Act, with fines up to $500 and possible prosecution for persistent refusals starting in mid-July.
- Most households will receive a short form, while about one quarter will get a long form that now includes questions on health status, sexual orientation and homelessness.
- Results are kept confidential and used to plan services such as hospitals, schools and transit, and they help set the number of seats each province gets in the House of Commons.