Opened: November 2025
Closed: December 2025
Objective
Statistics Canada held targeted engagement with subject-matter experts and individuals with lived experience to inform a dissemination approach for 2021 Census data on transgender and non-binary children and youth aged 14 years and under in Canada.
Context
Statistics Canada is an internationally recognized leader in the collection and dissemination of gender data. It introduced a question on gender in the 2021 Census, consistent with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat’s policy direction Modernizing the Government of Canada's sex and gender information practices (2018). Although information about gender was collected for the total population, only analysis of the transgender and non-binary populations aged 15 and over was disseminated as part of the census release schedule. Data on all age groups have been available since April 27, 2022, and Statistics Canada intends to produce an analysis on the transgender and non-binary populations aged 14 and under once it has developed a dissemination approach based on the best evidence, including results from the targeted engagement, and has ensured data quality and confidentiality. Analysis on this age group has been funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada and supports the perspective of the Canadian Human Rights Commission that children and youth in Canada deserve safe and inclusive spaces.
Participants
From November 10 to December 12, 2025, Statistics Canada sought targeted, written feedback from stakeholders and partners, including civil society organizations, as well as researchers and individuals with lived experience. Many of these participants are part of a network providing expertise to Statistics Canada on concepts and terminology, data certification and on-going research since the introduction of the new question on gender for the 2021 Census.
Expected Outcome
Feedback obtained from this targeted engagement will be used to inform the dissemination approach for transgender and non-binary children and youth. It is planned that analysis on the topic will be disseminated by May 2026.