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Official 2026 Census website:Welcome to the 2026 Census
Standards, data sources and methods: Surveys and statistical programs - Census of Population
Data from previous censuses:Census of Population
Statistics Act
For additional information, please refer to the Frequently asked questions—2026 Census or the census chatbot. You can learn about the chatbot terms of use on our website.
If the person passed away before May 12, 2026, they should be excluded from the questionnaire for the household. If they lived alone, a partially completed questionnaire must be submitted to notify Statistics Canada that the dwelling is unoccupied and to prevent follow-up activities.
Visit the census website, enter the 16-digit secure access code provided in the invitation letter you received and follow the instructions. You can enter "0" as the number of persons living at the address and, when prompted, choose "This dwelling is unoccupied (for rent, for sale, sold, rented, etc.) and no one lives in it."
If the person passed away on or after May 12, 2026, the questionnaire for the household should be completed as usual, including the deceased. If they lived alone, please complete the questionnaire to the best of your ability.
If you require additional assistance regarding the inclusion of a deceased person in the census questionnaire, please provide the required information in the "Comments" box.
Every census employee will have an identification card that features the Statistics Canada identifier, along with their name, employment number and photo.
If a follow-up phone call to a household is needed, the census employee will identify themselves clearly.
If you are contacted by phone, "GOCGDC" should be displayed on your caller ID. The acronym stands for "Government of Canada / Gouvernement du Canada."
If you would like to verify a census employee's identity, you can call the Census Help Line at 1-833-852-2026.
As part of the 2026 Census, Statistics Canada is sending text reminders to households that have not yet completed their census questionnaire. The number 236732 is the text message short code used by Statistics Canada to reach respondents. Standard message and data rates may apply.
If you need further assistance, please leave us a message in the "Comments" box provided below, including all relevant information.
A Census invitation letter is sent to all Canadian households by mail or delivered by an enumerator. If you have received yours, please visit the census website to complete your census questionnaire.
The invitation letter asks households to complete their 2026 Census questionnaire online and provides instructions on how to do so. It contains a unique 16-digit number located at the top of your invitation letter. It is associated with your census questionnaire and is required to complete the questionnaire online.
Reminders are also sent in the weeks following the initial invitation mail-out.
Respondents who have lost or did not receive an invitation letter with their secure access code (SAC) should visit the census website, select Obtain a secure access code and follow the instructions.
Alternatively, you may contact the Census Help Line at 1-833-852-2026 to obtain a SAC. Respondents with access to TTY (for persons who have a hearing or speech impairment) should call 1-833-830-3109. Video relay services (VRS) can also be used. Please note that at peak periods, a live agent may not be immediately available to provide a new code.
All households will receive a census invitation letter by mail or delivered by an enumerator. The invitation letter asks you to complete your census questionnaire online by May 12, 2026, and provides instructions on how to do so. It contains your secure access code (SAC), which is a unique 16-digit number located at the top of your invitation letter. It is associated with your census questionnaire and is required to complete the questionnaire online.
If you did not receive a secure access code or have misplaced it, you can visit the census website, select Obtain a secure access code and follow the instructions. This self-serve method is a quick and easy option to obtain your SAC and is available if you are a permanent resident in Canada responding from within Canada.
If you have questions, please contact the Census Help Line at 1-833-852-2026. Respondents with access to TTY (for persons who have a hearing or speech impairment) should call 1-833-830-3109. Video relay services (VRS) can also be used. Please note that at peak periods, a live agent may not be immediately available to provide a new code.
If your secure access code isn't working, your browser may not be configured to accept session cookies. If your computer does not meet the minimum requirements to access the online questionnaire, a page with instructions will be displayed.
Other possible reasons the system did not accept your secure access code include the following:
For more information, please visit Frequently asked questions—Need help with your questionnaire?.
Although the 2026 Census questionnaire is not available in other languages, the census questions and reasons why we ask the questions are available in 28 other languages for reference purposes.
Respondents can obtain the census questions in any of these languages by visiting Census information in many languages. The census questionnaire must be completed in either English or French, online or on paper.
People who do not understand English or French can call the Census Help Line at 1-833-852-2026.
Census employees who speak languages other than English and French are available to help. It is not guaranteed that staff will be able to respond immediately in the requested language, but every effort will be made to provide timely assistance.
Family and community members who speak the respondent's requested language—in addition to English or French—are encouraged to help the respondent complete their questionnaire.
If a respondent does not return a questionnaire, a census employee will follow up and help them complete their questionnaire.
During the follow-up, if a language barrier is noticed and another household member is unable to help, a census employee who speaks the respondent's language will contact the household. Census employees carry a language card to help them assist respondents who do not speak English or French.
For more information, please visit Frequently asked questions—Accessibility, alternate formats, and non-official languages.
Although the questionnaire is not available in alternate formats, a presentation of the census questions and reasons why we ask the questions is available on Alternate formats of the census questions for reference purposes. The presentation is available in both American Sign Language and Quebec Sign Language, as well as in digital braille and audio formats.
People who are deaf or hard of hearing or have a speech impairment and need help completing their questionnaire should call the Census Help Line TTY number (1-833-830-3109) to request assistance. Video relay services (VRS) can also be used.
To request braille, audio, video and sign language interpretation material, please provide the required information in the "Comments" box.
For more information, please visit Frequently asked questions—Accessibility, alternate formats and non-official languages.
A Census invitation letter is sent to all Canadian households by mail or delivered by an enumerator. This letter provides instructions for completing your household's 2026 Census questionnaire online.
If you have received yours, please visit the census website to complete your census. Paper questionnaires are provided by request only.
Online collection of the Census of Population follows the Government of Canada's strategy for a digital-first approach to government services.
Online questionnaires also have better response rates for individual questions and higher data quality, because respondents are prompted when invalid data are entered or if data are missing. The online forms also provide help information for respondents who want additional information on a census question.
If you would prefer to receive a paper questionnaire, please call 1-833-663-2026 to request one. Enter the 16-digit secure access code indicated on the top of the invitation letter you received and follow the automated instructions. If you have not received your paper questionnaire within seven business days, please call 1-833-852-2026. You can then complete the paper questionnaire and return it by mail in the envelope provided.
To request a paper questionnaire, respondents can also provide the required information in the "Comments" box.
A large-print version of the questionnaire is available for the short- and long-form census questionnaires (the 2A and 2A-L). Large-print questionnaires are printed on legal-sized paper in a larger font size, with space to enumerate two individuals and are available in French or English.
People who wish to obtain a large-print format or who need help completing their questionnaire should call the Census Help Line at 1-833-852-2026.
To request a large-print format, respondents can also provide the required information in the "Comments" box.
You can mail your completed paper questionnaire to Statistics Canada using the return envelope provided in the package you received. The envelope is a postage-paid green envelope. If you lost the return envelope, please mail your questionnaire to the address listed on the questionnaire. Please ensure the barcode located at the top of the questionnaire shows through the envelope window.
To request a new return envelope, or if you have questions, please visit the census website, where you can also chat online with us, or contact us at 1-833-852-2026. Respondents with access to TTY (for persons who have a hearing or speech impairment) should call 1-833-830-3109. Video relay services (VRS) can also be used.
To request a return envelope, respondents can also provide the required information in the "Comments" box.
If you have your secure access code, you can complete your census questionnaire online on the census website.
If someone else is currently at your home, that person can complete the questionnaire for your household and include you.
If you live alone or do not have a secure access code and are travelling within Canada or the United States, you can contact us at 1-833-852-2026 to complete your questionnaire over the phone with one of our agents. Respondents with access to TTY (for persons who have a hearing or speech impairment) should call 1-833-830-3109. Video relay services (VRS) can also be used.
If you are travelling overseas, you may be able to complete your census questionnaire when you get home.
If you require a secure access code, please provide the required information in the "Comments" box.
If you moved on or before Census Day (May 12, 2026), complete your census questionnaire at your current address.
If you moved after Census Day (May 12, 2026), you should complete your census questionnaire for the address where you were staying on the night of May 11 to May 12, 2026.
Visit the census website, enter the 16-digit secure access code provided in the invitation letter you received and follow the instructions. Respondents who have lost or did not receive an invitation letter should select Obtain a secure access code and follow the instructions.
If you require additional help with your census participation, please provide the required information in the "Comments" box.
The questionnaire for your second residence must be partially completed and submitted.
To complete the questionnaire for your secondary residence, visit the census website and press the Start questionnaire button. Enter the 16-digit secure access code printed on the invitation letter for that residence. Answer the first few questions regarding contact information.
Enter "0" as the number of persons living at the address where the invitation letter was received, and, when prompted, choose the appropriate description of the address from one of the radio buttons, and enter your name and telephone number. You can then submit the questionnaire.
If you received an invitation letter at both your second residence and your main one, please complete a questionnaire for each location. The questionnaire for the dwelling where you live most of the time must be completed in full and submitted.
If Statistics Canada does not receive both questionnaires, you may be contacted for follow-up by phone or in person.
If you require additional assistance regarding your census participation, please provide the required information in the "Comments" box.
A questionnaire still needs to be submitted for nonexistent dwellings or addresses.
Please visit the census website and log in using the secure access code. Then begin the questionnaire and enter "0" as the number of persons living at the address. When prompted, choose a description of the address, and enter your name and telephone number. You can then submit the questionnaire.
This notifies Statistics Canada that follow-up activities are not required for the address. Please disregard any reminder you may receive in the meantime.
If you cannot complete the questionnaire for this address and wish to notify us, please provide the required information in the "Comments" box.
A questionnaire still needs to be submitted for unoccupied dwellings or addresses.
Requests for the Census of Agriculture are handled by a different team.
If you need any help with the Census of Agriculture, please contact the Census Help Line at 1-855-859-6273. Respondents with access to TTY (for persons who have a hearing or speech impairment) should call 1-833-652-0195. Video relay services (VRS) can also be used.
For general information on the Census of Agriculture, we invite you to consult the following web pages:
Participation in the 2026 Census is mandatory.
By law, all Canadian households are required to complete a Census of Population questionnaire. Answers are collected under the authority of the Statistics Act and are kept strictly confidential.
Statistics Canada is bound by law to protect the confidentiality of the information respondents provide in the census. The agency places the highest priority on maintaining the confidentiality of Canadians' information. Only Statistics Canada employees who have taken the oath of secrecy have access to census questionnaires.
For additional information on this topic, you can consult the Statistics Act.
For additional information, please refer to Frequently asked questions—General information or the census chatbot. You can learn about the chatbot terms of use on our website.
Data from previous censuses are available on this web page: Census of Population.
For any data enquiries, please communicate with the Statistics Canada "Contact Us" team. Agents are available Monday to Friday (except holidays) from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Eastern time.
Online form
Emailinfostats@statcan.gc.ca
Telephone Toll free: 1-800-263-1136 International: 1-514-283-8300 If you use an operator-assisted relay service, you can call us during regular business hours. You do not need to authorize the operator to contact us.
Fax1-514-496-4879
TTY1-800-363-7629
Mail Statistics Canada 150 Tunney’s Pasture Driveway Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0T6
To be able to help you with your request, please provide us with as many details below as possible.
Please provide your secure access code (if available), the name of the Statistics Canada representative (if available), the date and time you were contacted. If it was by phone, please tell us the phone number you called from or received the call from.
To be able to assist you with your request, please provide us with as many details as possible.
Please tell us which language you need, your secure access code (if available), your phone number and mailing address (if different from above).
Please tell us which format you need, your secure access code (if available), your phone number and mailing address (if different from above).
Please tell us your secure access code (if available), your phone number and mailing address (if different from above).
Please provide your previous and current full addresses, along with the associated secure access codes (if available), and the dates you moved out and moved in.
Please provide the full addresses of your main residence and secondary residence, along with the associated secure access codes (if available).
Please provide the full address where the census invitation letter was received, along with the associated secure access code (if available). Include any details and dates, such as whether the dwelling was demolished or is currently under construction.
Please provide the full address where the census invitation letter was received, along with the associated secure access code (if available). Please let us know if you are the main contact for this address and in what capacity (for example, owner, renter, administrator, real estate agent, etc.) and any other relevant details and dates.
The current form is for Census of Population respondents. For requests related to the Census of Agriculture, please contact the appropriate team using the information above.
If you continue with this form, we will forward your request to the appropriate team, but this may take more time. To help you with your request, please provide as many details as possible.
To be able to help you with your request, please provide us with as many details below as possible, including your secure access code (if available).
The current form is for census respondents. For data requests, please contact Statistics Canada using the information above.
