Housing indicators, 2021 Census

This interactive chart is comprised of two visualizations which show statistics of housing outcomes for selected population groups in private households. The chart displays one of four housing indicators: affordability, core housing need, suitability and adequacy. The data table describes the population group's tenure status of household. Housing outcomes can be produced by making selections from the age, gender, characteristic, household type and geography dropdown menus.

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Abbreviation notes:

List of abbreviations and acronyms found within various Census products.

Notes:

• Affordable housing:

  The indicator of housing affordability is the proportion of household total income that is spent on shelter costs, also referred to as shelter-cost-to-income ratio. Farm households and on-reserve households cannot be assessed for housing affordability because the concept is not applicable.

• Core housing need:

  Core housing need refers to whether a private household's housing falls below at least one of the indicator thresholds for housing adequacy, affordability or suitability, and would have to spend 30% or more of its total before-tax income to pay the median rent of alternative local housing that is acceptable (attains all three housing indicator thresholds). Only private, non-farm, non-reserve and owner- or renter-households with incomes greater than zero and shelter-cost-to-income ratios less than 100% are assessed for 'core housing need.'

• Suitable housing:

  The indicator for housing suitability (a topic often referred to as crowding) is whether the dwelling has enough bedrooms for the size and composition of the household. 'Housing suitability' refers to whether a private household is living in suitable accommodations according to the National Occupancy Standard (NOS). A household is deemed to be living in suitable accommodations if its dwelling has enough bedrooms, as calculated using the NOS.

• Adequate housing:

  The indicator for housing adequacy is the dwelling condition. 'Dwelling condition' refers to whether the dwelling is in need of repairs. This does not include desirable remodelling or additions. The category 'major repairs needed' includes dwellings needing major repairs such as dwellings with defective plumbing or electrical wiring and dwellings needing structural repairs to walls, floors or ceilings.

• Gender:

  "Men＋" includes men (and/or boys), as well as some non-binary persons.

  "Women＋" includes women (and/or girls), as well as some non-binary persons.

  For additional information, see Filling the gaps: Information on gender in the 2021 Census.

• Dwelling provided by the local government, First Nation or Indian band:

  This classification applies when the population of study includes households who live in a dwelling on an Indian reserve or settlement that has been provided to members of a First Nation or Indian band. For historical and statutory reasons, shelter occupancy on Indian reserves or settlements does not lend itself to the usual classification by standard tenure categories. Therefore, a special category, 'dwelling provided by the local government, First Nation or Indian band,' has been created and is available as a category in this classification.

Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2021.

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