LibGuides: Data and Statistics: Census

2021 Census - Data and Documentation

This is not an exhaustive list of census data products and documentation. Data releases for the 2021 census will be ongoing with major releases planned up to November 30, 2022 and further releases to be expected.

2021 Census of Population
Statistics Canada portal for the census.

Data

2021 Census Data Release Plans
Next major release on November 30, 2022. Further release might happen.
2021 Census Profiles (incomplete)
Available at different levels of geography. More variables will be added throughout 2022.
2021 Census Data Tables (incomplete)
Predefined cross-tabulations of several census variables. More tables will be released throughout 2022.
2021 GeoSearch
Interactive mapping application that allows you to explore Statistics Canada's geography and find census data products available for specific locations at a specified level of geography.
Article - Canada first country to provide census data on transgender and non-binary people
Goes over gender diversity data in Canada. Includes tables and charts, most with 2021 data, and a list of some surveys from 2018 to 2022 that have included gender and sex at birth variables.

Documentation

2021 Census Dictionary
Concepts, universes, variables, and geographic terms.
Guide to the Census of Population, 2021
"provides an overview of the Census of Population content determination, collection, processing, data quality assessment and data dissemination."
Basic Components of a Table (video)
"This video is designed to provide viewers with a basic understanding of how census concepts (for example, focuses, population of interest and variables) are logically structured and to show different ways of looking at data. "
2021 Census Reference Material
Dictionary, guides, questionnaire, supporting documentation, technical report.

2021 Census - Maps and Geography

This is not an exhaustive list of products and documentation, see the catalogue (last link in the documentation section) for more. More geographical products might make an appearance throughout 2022 and beyond.

Census Geography
Statistics Canada geography portal for the census including reference maps.

Products

2021 Reference Maps (PDFs)
PDF maps of different levels of geography for the 2021 census.
2021 Boundary Files (geospatial software)
Different levels of geography for the 2021 census of population and census of agriculture in several formats compatible with geospatial software.
2021 Dissemination Geographies Relationship File
"Dataset at the dissemination block level that contains the links to all census geographic areas."
GeoSuite
Free software to view Statistics Canada census geography (2006-2021) and extract geographical codes. Online version.
2021 Halifax Urban Census Tract Maps

Documentation

2021 Hierarchy of Standard Geographic Units
2021 Census Dictionary - Geography
Definitions of geographical terms.
2021 Illustrated Glossary
Short illustrated definitions of geographical terms.
2021 Standard Geographical Classification
The classification structure allows you to navigate geographical codes to drill-down from regions to census subdivisions. The variants offer additional options.
Role of Geography (video)
"The objective of this course is to describe the role of geography in the context of the activities of the 2021 Census and previous censuses"
2021 Geography Catalogue
Contains references to all geography products and documentation including: population ecumene, road network file, geographic attribute file, etc.

2021 Census of Agriculture

An agriculture linkage with the census of population data product is still to be released as of mid-2022.

2021 Census of Agriculture
Statistics Canada portal for the census of agriculture.

Select Data and Products

Agriculture Census Farm and Farm Operator Data
Has data tables from the 2011 to the 2021 census of agriculture at various levels of geography including census divisions, census agricultural regions, and census consolidated subdivisions.
Census of Agriculture Community Profiles
Look up a province or territory, Census Agricultural Region (CAR), Census Division (CD) or Census Consolidated Subdivision (CCS) to find a wide range of data on the chosen area.
2016 and 2021 Census of Agriculture Mapping Tool
Covers provinces, census agricultural regions, census divisions, and census consolidated subdivisions.
2021 Census of Agriculture Farm and Farm Operator Data Visualization Tool
View data about types of farms, farm operators, paid labour, and operating revenues. Currently limited to provinces.

Maps and Geography

2021 Census of Agriculture Reference Maps (PDF)
PDF maps of census agricultural regions and census consolidated subdivisions for the 2021 census of agriculture.
2021 Boundary Files (geospatial software)
Different levels of geography for the 2021 census of population and census of agriculture - including the agricultural ecumene - in several formats compatible with geospatial software.

Documentation

Guide to the Census of Agriculture, 2021
Includes "A new conceptual definition of a 'farm' or an 'agricultural holding'" section that goes over a "significant conceptual change" introduced in the 2021 census.

For data about population, age, sex, dwellings, families, marital status, language, immigration and ethnocultural diversity, aboriginal peoples, education and labour, mobility and migration, language of work, income and housing.

Agriculture

2016 Census of Agriculture
The 2016 Census of Agriculture is the most recent measure of Canada's overall agricultural performance (Statistics Canada).
2016 Census of Agriculture Farm and Operator Data
2016 Census of Agriculture Historical Data
2016 Census of Agriculture Mapping Tool
2016 Boundary Files (geospatial software)
Different levels of geography of 2016 census of population and census of agriculture in ArcGIS, GML, and MapInfo.

Data

2016 Census Profiles
Available at different levels of geography.
2016 Census Profiles - Halifax Profile (CMA)
Includes HRM as a whole, and the province for comparative context.
2016 Census Data Tables
Predefined cross-tabulations of several census variables.

Documentation

2016 Census Dictionary
Concepts, universes, variables, and geographic terms.

2016 Halifax Urban Census Tract Map
2016 Hierarchy of Standard Geographic Units
2016 Boundary Files (geospatial software)
Different levels of geography of 2016 census of population and census of agriculture in ArcGIS, GML, and MapInfo.
2016 Census Profiles
Click on "Nova Scotia" to get a list of places organized by levels of geography.
2016 Standard Geographical Classification
Click on geographic codes to drill-down to other levels of geography.
Census Geography
Statistics Canada geography portal for the census including reference maps.
GeoSearch 2016
Interactive mapping application that allows you to explore Statistics Canada's geography, view geographical codes, download reference maps, and download data tables.
GeoSuite
Free software to view Statistics Canada census geography (2006-2021) and extract geographical codes. Online version.
Scholars GeoPortal
Download boundary files from current and historical Canadian censuses.

2011 Census and National Household Survey (NHS)

For data about population, age, sex, dwellings, families, marital status and language.

Agriculture

Data

2011 Census Profiles
Available at different levels of geography. Click on "Nova Scotia" to get a list of NS places organized by levels of geography.
2011 Census Profiles - Halifax Profile (HRM)
Includes HRM as a whole, and the province for comparative context.

Documentation

2011 Census Dictionary
Concepts, universes, variables, and geographic terms.
Random rounding
Why almost all counts end in a 0 or 5.

For data about immigration and ethnocultural diversity, aboriginal peoples, education and labour, mobility and migration, language of work, income and housing.

Data

2011 NHS Profiles
Available at different levels of geography. Click on "Nova Scotia" to get a list of NS places organized by levels of geography.
2011 National Household Survey: Data tables
These offer cross-tabulations of two or more variables, but only down to the CSD level.
2011 NHS Focus on Geography Series
Data on Aboriginal Peoples, Immigration and Ethnocultural Diversity, Education, Labour, Income and Housing at different levels of geography.

Documentation

NHS Dictionary
Concepts, universes, variables, and geographic terms.
National Household Survey User Guide
Suppressed NHS Census Tracts
Including suppressed census tracts 4.2 and 8 in downtown Halifax.
Suppressed NHS Census Subdivisions

2011 Boundary Files (geospatial software)
Different levels of 2011 Statistics Canada geography in ArcGIS, GML, and MapInfo.
Census Geography
Statistics Canada geography portal for the census including reference maps.
2011 Census Profiles
Click on "Nova Scotia" to get a list of places organized by levels of geography.
GeoSuite
Free software to view Statistics Canada census geography (2006-2021) and extract geographical codes. Online version.
2011 Halifax Urban Census Tract Map
2011 Hierarchy of Standard Geographic Units
2016 Standard Geographical Classification
Click on geographic codes to drill-down to other levels of geography.
Scholars GeoPortal
Download boundary files from current and historical Canadian censuses.

2001 and 2006 Census

Agriculture

2001 Census of Agriculture

Census Data

2001 Aboriginal Population Profiles
2001 Community Profiles
Free selection of variables for individual Census Divisions (CDs), Census Subdivisions (CSDs), Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs), Health Regions, and Indian Reserves and settlements.
2001 Federal Electoral District (FED) Profiles
Free selection (not all) of variables for the 308 FEDs, or ridings, which elect members to the House of Commons.

Documentation

2001 Census Dictionary
Census Handbook
Random rounding, area suppression, questionnaire, etc.

Agriculture

Census of Agriculture

Census Data

Aboriginal Population Profiles
2006 Census Tract Profiles
Small, relatively stable geographic areas that usually have a population of 2,500 to 8,000. They are identified using seven-character numeric 'names' (e.g., 0005.00) and are located in census metropolitan areas (CMAs) and larger census agglomerations (CAs).
2006 Community Profiles
To find selected variables for a single Census Subdivision (CSD), which are municipalities, reserves, parishes etc. If you put in a place name for a small unit it will offer you the larger geographic unit. For example, Bedford > HRM.
2006 Complete Cumulative Profiles
For all variables for a single location in EXCEL format and/or all variables for all geographic units in Beyond 20/20 format.
Federal Electoral District (FED) Profiles
2006 Public Use Microdata Files (PUMF)
Find the 2006 census PUMF in the census analyzer or in SDA.
2006 Topic-Based Tabulations
Standard cross-tabulations.

Documentation

2006 Census Dictionary
Covers many topics, including the difference between an economic family and a census family, and why you need to be aware of random rounding.
2006 Census Questionnaires (short and long)
The census information is collected either from 100% of the population or on a 20% sample basis (from a random sample of one in five households) with the data weighted up to provide estimates for the entire population.
more...less...
For any given geographic area, the weighted population, household, dwelling or family total or subtotal may differ from that shown in reports containing data collected on a 100% basis. Such variation (in addition to the effect of random rounding) will be due to sampling. Note that, on Indian reserves and in remote areas, most data were collected on a 100% basis.

Maps and Geography

2006 Boundary Files (Geospatial Files)
2006 Census Tracts - Halifax Urban
Census tracts (CTs) are small, relatively stable geographic areas that usually have a population of 2,500 to 8,000. They are located in census metropolitan areas and in census agglomerations with an urban core population of 50,000 or more.
2006 Census Tracts - Halifax Rural
Census tracts outside the urban core.
2006 CSD and CDs - Nova Scotia
Census Subdivisions (towns, villages, municipal districts etc) and Census Divisions (counties).
2006 Dissemination Areas - Halifax
Can only be retrieved with the census tract code.
2006 Dissemination Areas - Nova Scotia
Retrievable by CSD.
2006 Dissemination Areas for Census Agglomerations - Nova Scotia
2006 Reference Maps
Scholars GeoPortal
Download boundary files from current and historical Canadian censuses.

Historical Census

The Killam Library holds a comprehensive collection of census publications back to Confederation:

Other Resources

Statistic Canada's Census Datasets
Allows you to retrieve census data at various levels of geography for 1981+.
Canadian Census Questions Since Confederation
Census tract conversion file, 1966-1971
Halifax census tracts were completely renumbered. This file must be consulted for any historical comparisons of data.
1961 Halifax Census Tracts Map
Census maps for 1911 - 1951
From the Canada Century Research Infrastructure.
1911 Census maps for NS
Scholars GeoPortal
Download boundary files from current and historical Canadian censuses.

Practice retrieving census data

Beyond 20/20
Learn to use Beyond 20/20 to more easily create complex data tables.
Canadian Census Analyser
Learn to use the Canadian Census Analyser to retrieve census data (profiles and PUMF).
Canadian Census Profiles and Data Tables
Scroll down and find "Stat Can's Census Profile and Data Tables." Learn to retrieve census profile data and census data tables publicly accessible online (some census years only).

Tips for Citing Statistical Sources

How to Cite Statistics Canada Products - Census Products
Adapt the elements suggested by Statistics Canada to fit your citation style.
Citing guide for Statistics Canada and other statistical sources