More information on Population group

Censuses:

2006 (1/5 sample), 2001 (1/5 sample), 1996 (1/5 sample)

Reported for:

Total population, excluding institutional residents and persons who reported 'Yes' to Question 18 (Aboriginal peoples)

Question number:

Direct variable: Question 19

Responses:

Response categories included 11 mark-in circles and one write-in space. Respondents were asked 'Is this person:' and were instructed to mark more than one of the following response categories, or to specify another group, if applicable:

• White
• Chinese
• South Asian (e.g., East Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, etc.)
• Black
• Filipino
• Latin American
• Southeast Asian (e.g., Vietnamese, Cambodian, Malaysian, Laotian, etc.)
• Arab
• West Asian (e.g., Iranian, Afghan, etc.)
• Korean
• Japanese
• Other – Specify

Remarks:

A note on the census questionnaire informed respondents that this information is collected to support programs which promote equal opportunity for everyone to share in the social, cultural and economic life of Canada.

In addition, the 2006 Census Guide provided the following instructions:

Population group should not be confused with citizenship or nationality.

For persons who belong to more than one population group, mark all the circles that apply. Do not report 'bi-racial' or 'mixed' in the box provided.

The population group question on the census is used to derive counts for the visible minority population, as defined by the Employment Equity Act. The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as 'persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour'. For information on the visible minority variable that is derived from the population group question, refer to the definition of Visible minority population.

The mark-in response categories listed in the 2006 population group question, with the exception of 'White', were based on the visible minority groups identified by the Employment Equity Technical Reference Papers, published by Employment and Immigration Canada in 1987, and used for federal employment equity programs. The visible minority groups identified by these papers included: Chinese, South Asian, Black, Filipino, Latin American, Southeast Asian, Arab, West Asian, Japanese, Korean and other visible minority groups, such as Pacific Islanders. Data on other visible minority groups, including Pacific Islanders, are collected in the 'Other – Specify' area of the census population group question. After 'White', population groups were listed on the 2006 Census questionnaire in order of the frequency (largest number) of visible minority counts derived from the 2001 Census.

Three of the population groups included on the 2006 Census questionnaire were followed by examples in parentheses. Examples were provided for only a few of the population groups to serve as guidelines and to help respondents who may be more familiar with one term instead of another (e.g., East Indian instead of South Asian, Vietnamese instead of Southeast Asian, Iranian instead of West Asian).

The 1996 Census was the first time a question on population group was asked in the census. For information on the comparability of data from the population group question over time, refer to the Visible Minority Population and Population Group Reference Guide, 2006 Census.