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1. Data Collection and Coverage

This stage of the census process ensures that each of the 11.8 million households in Canada is enumerated. The census enumerates the entire Canadian population, which consists of Canadian citizens (by birth and by naturalization), landed immigrants, and non-permanent residents, together with family members who live with them. Non-permanent residents are persons living in Canada who have a Minister’s permit, a student or employment authorization, or who are claiming refugee status, and family members living with them.

The census also counts Canadian citizens and landed immigrants who are temporarily outside the country on Census Day. This includes federal and provincial government employees working outside Canada, Canadian embassy staff posted to other countries, members of the Canadian Armed Forces stationed abroad, and all Canadian crew members of merchant vessels. Because people outside the country are enumerated, the Census of Canada is considered a modified de jure census.

1.1 General

1.1.1. Collection Methods

To ensure the best possible coverage, the country is divided into small geographic areas called enumeration areas (EAs). Each census representative is responsible for at least one EA. The optimal number of households in an EA ranges from 175 in rural areas to 600 in urban areas. In the 2001 Census, there were 42,851 enumeration areas in Canada, and 38,000 people were engaged in collecting the data.

In 2001, approximately 98% of households were self-enumerated. Self-enumeration requires that a census representative drop off a questionnaire at each household during the two weeks before Census Day. An adult or responsible member of the household is asked to complete the questionnaire for all members of the household, and then mails the questionnaire in a pre-addressed envelope.

Approximately 2% of households were enumerated in the 2001 Census using the canvasser enumeration method. In this case, a census representative visits the household and completes a questionnaire for the household by interview. This method is normally used in remote and northern areas of the country, and on most Indian reserves. The canvasser enumeration method is also used in certain urban areas where it is considered highly possible that respondents would be unlikely to return a questionnaire.

1.1.2 Special Coverage Studies

Since 100% coverage is virtually impossible with such a large survey, a number of checks are performed on the collection of data. These studies measure the extent of coverage errors that occur when dwellings or individuals are missed, incorrectly included or double-counted. These checks are the Vacancy Check, the Reverse Record Check and the Overcoverage Study. These studies are discussed in the 2001 Census Technical Report on Coverage (Catalogue No. 92-394-XIE), planned for release in December 2004.

1.2 Questionnaire and Instructions

The Dwelling Universe consists of private dwellings and collective dwellings. However, unless otherwise stated, published data pertain to private dwellings occupied by usual residents in Canada only.

Data for private dwellings and private households were obtained from Questions H1 to H8 on the 2B and 2D questionnaires. The 2B questionnaires were used to enumerate a 20% sample of all private households in Canada, while the 2D questionnaires were used to enumerate private households on Indian reserves and in remote areas. Data for structural type of dwelling were coded by trained census representatives on a 100% basis. Details of Questions H1 to H8 are shown below.

Note that in this report Dwelling variables include: structural type of dwelling (coded on the front cover of the questionnaire), number of rooms (H3a), number of bedrooms (H3b), period of construction (H4) and condition of dwelling (H5).

Household variables refer to household maintainer (H1), tenure (H2) and tenure - condominium (H8e).

Shelter cost variables include payment for electricity (H6a), payment for oil, gas, coal, wood or other fuels (H6b), payment for water and other services (H6c), cash rent (H7), monthly mortgage payments (H8a), property taxes (H8b and H8c), value of dwelling (H8d), condominium fees (H8f), owner's major payments (derived from data for H6 and H8a, H8b and H8c) and gross rent (derived from H6 and H7).

In addition to data for the above variables, the census also released counts of the private dwelling stock, comprising all occupied private dwellings and unoccupied private dwellings. Limited data for collective dwellings were also released.

The classification of dwellings as occupied private dwellings, unoccupied private dwellings and collective dwellings was based on the information coded on the front cover of the questionnaire during enumeration.