The 2026 Census Teacher's Kit has been developed for K-12 teachers across Canada to help them incorporate information about the census into their teaching programs.
This kit is designed to:
- provide you with ready-to-use activities that make subjects like mathematics and social studies come to life in a fun and dynamic way,
- give you and your students access to valuable census data tools for your research projects, and
- help your students relate to an important part of our Canadian heritage and gain a new perspective on their community.
If you have questions or comments about the 2026 Census Teacher's Kit, please contact Census Communications.
Note: A separate 2026 Census Adult Education Kit is available for educators who teach English or French as a second language (ESL or FSL) classes.
Planning
The best time to incorporate the Teacher's Kit into your curriculum is early April to May 2026. This will coincide with Statistics Canada's national census awareness campaigns and with the arrival of census information in households across Canada. Teachers are also encouraged to use these activities and concepts, and statistics obtained through the census, throughout the school year.
Note: these activities are intended as a suggestion or a source of inspiration; educators should feel free to adapt activities to their program and student needs.
Each activity plan includes the following:
- Overview: A short paragraph outlining what the students will be doing in the activity.
- Estimated completion time: An estimate of how long the three-part activity should take to complete with a group of students. Activities range from 50 to 100 minutes of total in-class time, with suggestions for "next steps" to follow. Teachers are encouraged to add or omit sections to meet their classroom needs.
- Suggested grade level: A recommended grade range for the activity.
- Learning objectives: A set of cross-curricular learning goals for each activity.
- Curriculum connections: A list of curriculum expectations that are related to the activity.
- Materials needed: A list of general classroom supplies, online resources and handouts to support each activity.
- Lesson procedure: A suggested road map for the lesson, including a hook/mind on activity, the activity itself, and a way to wrap up the lesson.
- Opportunities for assessment: Aspects of the lesson that can be used to assess students' knowledge or progress regarding certain topics and skills.
- Adaptations and differentiation: A short list of simplification, extension, and support strategies to help teachers accommodate a range of student needs.
- Teacher tips: Context or references for teachers to aid them in leading the activity.
Quick census facts
What is the census?
The Census of Population provides a statistical picture of Canada and its people. Almost every country in the world conducts a census on a regular basis.
The Census of Population collects information, in five-year intervals, on every person living in Canada, with some exceptions. For more details, refer to the section "Who will be included in the census?"
The Census of Agriculture is conducted every 5 years, at the same time as the Census of Population. The Census of Agriculture collects information on every agricultural operation in Canada. It provides a comprehensive profile of the physical, economic, social and environmental characteristics of Canada's agriculture industry.
When will the next census be held?
The next census will take place in May 2026 throughout the country, except for select Northern and remote communities where collection begins in February 2026.
Why conduct the census?
The census collects important information that is used for making informed decisions. Census information is used to plan programs and services that support employment, schools, public transportation and hospitals.
It is the primary source of sociodemographic data for specific population groups, such as lone-parent families, Indigenous Peoples, immigrants, seniors and language groups.
According to the Statistics Act, a census must be conducted every 5 years, and every household in Canada must participate.
Privacy and confidentiality
In Canada, great care is taken to ensure that information collected in the census is clearly in the public interest and cannot be obtained effectively from other sources.
Statistics Canada places the highest priority on maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of individuals and their questionnaires. Stringent instructions and procedures have been implemented to ensure that confidentiality is maintained at all times. For instance, census data are processed and stored on a highly restricted internal network and cannot be accessed by anyone who has not taken the Statistics Canada oath of secrecy.
Who will be included in the census?
Canadian citizens, landed immigrants (permanent residents), people who have claimed refugee status (asylum seekers), and people from another country with a work or study permit and family members living here with them are included in the census.
How can I complete the questionnaire?
Most households will receive a letter in the mail or hand-delivered by a census employee, that invites them to complete the census questionnaire online.
Completing the questionnaire online helps to improve data quality, saves time for respondents and reduces paper waste. Instructions on other methods of completion, for those unable to complete their census online, are outlined in the census invitation letter.
Who uses census data?
All levels of governments, Indigenous leadership, businesses, associations, community organizations and many others use census data. The following are some examples:
- Demographic data from the census are used to produce population estimates. In turn, these population estimates are used to determine representation in Parliament, to calculate transfer payments between levels of government and to support various government programs across the country.
- Government departments use census data to determine population age trends to estimate future demand for child tax benefits and Old Age Security pensions.
- Indigenous leadership uses census information on Indigenous languages to assess the need for services in traditional languages and to create programs to support the learning and growth of these languages in their community.
- Communities use census information on population growth and movement to plan services such as schools, daycares, police services and fire protection services.
- Town planners, social welfare workers and other government agencies use census information on families.
- Life insurance companies base their premium tables on census age data.
- Businesses determine new factory, store and office locations based largely on the size and distribution of the population in different areas, which are determined through census data.
- Manufacturers of household and farm equipment use census data in determining the best market locations for their products. They can also assess the benefits of developing specific products by knowing the characteristics of the population in particular areas.
Resources
- The Census of Population on the Statistics Canada website provides information on past Census of Populations as well as the upcoming 2026 Census of Population.
- The Census of Agriculture on the Statistics Canada website provides information on past Census of Agricultures as well as the upcoming 2026 Census of Agriculture.
- A brief history of the Canadian census is a Statistics Canada resource on the history of the census from the first one conducted in North America 1666 to our most recent one in 2021. It also has information regarding how historical census records can be obtained.
- Library and Archives Canada collections database contain information provided by Library and Archives Canada. Educators can search and access images, videos, articles, statistics and other featured resources about Canada and its history.
- Statistics Canada's data repository is an online socioeconomic database of statistics obtained through various Canadian surveys and census questionnaires. Statistics Canada encourages people to download and reuse its data.
- The Census of Agriculture survey is an online resource for both general and specific information about the Census of Agriculture, including archived versions of census questionnaires and data from previous years.
- The Census of Population survey is an online resource for both general and specific information about the Census of Population, including data sources, methods used by the census and archived versions of census questionnaires.
- The Indigenous Liaison Program serves as a bridge between Statistics Canada and First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, and Indigenous organizations. Program objectives include increasing understanding of and access to Statistics Canada's data, products and services, and helping to build the statistical capacity of Indigenous peoples and organizations.