Dictionary, Census of Population, 2021
Primary household maintainer

Definition

First person in the household identified as someone who pays the rent or the mortgage, or the taxes, or the electricity bill, and so on, for the dwelling.

In the case of a household where two or more people are listed as household maintainers, the first person listed is chosen as the primary household maintainer.

The order of the persons in a household is determined by the order in which the respondent lists the persons on the questionnaire. Generally, an adult is listed first followed, if applicable, by that person's spouse or common-law partner and by their children. The order does not necessarily correspond to the proportion of household payments made by the person.

Statistical unit(s)

• Person

Classification(s)

• Not applicable

Reported in

2021 and 2016 (25% sample); 2011^{Footnote 1} (30% sample); 2006, 2001, 1996 and 1991 (20% sample).

Reported for

Persons in private households

Question number(s)

Derived variable: Question 58

Responses

Person is not the primary household maintainer; Person is the primary household maintainer

Remarks

See also household maintainer definition.

Note(s)

Related 2021 data products

• Age of primary household maintainer by tenure: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (98-10-0232-01)
• Age of primary household maintainer by tenure: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations (98-10-0231-01)
• Value (owner-estimated) of dwelling by structural type of dwelling : Canada, provinces and territories and census subdivisions with a population 5,000 or more (98-10-0257-01)
• Value (owner-estimated) of dwelling by structural type of dwelling: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations (98-10-0256-01)