The 2021 Canadian census is a nationwide initiative that has a local impact.

Data collected from the census will not only help plan community services that support education, employment skills training, recreation, health care, market development, transportation, infrastructure and more, but it is also used by Brock University faculty members in their research.

The Brock community is encouraged to complete the mandatory census as soon as possible. Every household in Canada should have received a 16-digit code to access the online questionnaire. Answers are collected under the authority of the Statistics Act and kept strictly confidential.

Statistics Canada enumerators have begun to follow up with households who have not yet responded to the census. They may contact people via mail, phone or in-person visits. Anyone in need of assistance is encouraged to call the Census Help Line at 1-855-340-2021.

Several articles are available online to answer questions about the census and explain how census data helps people and communities.

Interesting facts from the 2016 census:

• The Canadian population had grown by more than five per cent since 2011.
• More than 70 Indigenous languages were reported in the census.
• The top five countries of birth of immigrants admitted to Canada were the Philippines, India, China, Iran and Pakistan.
• Nearly 65 per cent of people aged 25 to 64 in Canada had a post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree.