2026 Census for Collective Dwellings

Getting started

Why are we conducting the census?

Thank you for participating in the 2026 Census. The information you provide is used to produce statistics that communities, businesses, and governments rely on to plan services, develop programs, and make informed decisions about employment, schools, public transportation, hospitals and more.

The answers are collected under the authority of the Statistics Act and kept strictly confidential. By law, all residents living in facilities and establishments must be included in the 2026 Census of Population.

Statistics Canada makes use of existing sources of information such as immigration, income tax and benefits data to reduce the burden placed on respondents.

The information you provide may be used by Statistics Canada for other statistical and research purposes or may be combined with other survey or administrative data sources.

Include the residents of this facility or establishment in Canada's statistical portrait by completing the census questionnaire as soon as possible.

Other important information

Authorization to collect this information

Data are collected under the authority of the Statistics Act, Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, Chapter S-19.

Confidentiality

By law, Statistics Canada is prohibited from releasing any information it collects that could identify any person, business or organization, unless consent has been given or as permitted by the Statistics Act.

Record linkages

The information you provide may be used by Statistics Canada for other statistical and research purposes or may be combined with other surveys or administrative data sources.

Facility and contact information

1. Verify or provide the facility name and correct where needed.

  • Facility name

2. Is this the civic address of this facility?
Note: If the address below is missing or incomplete, please answer "No" and provide the complete address.

  • Yes
  • No
    • Please enter the civic address of this facility.

      Note: For a non-civic address, please provide a rural route or land description in the "Street name" answer field.

      Example: 63532 Range Rd 444 or NW-34-42-4-W3

      • Civic number
      • Suffix
      • Unit number
      • Street name
      • Street type
      • Direction
      • City, municipality, town or village
      • Province or territory
      • Postal code
        • Example: A9A 9A9

3. Verify or provide the following information of the designated contact person for this facility and correct where needed.

Note: The designated contact person is the person who should receive this questionnaire, but may not always be the one who actually completes the questionnaire.

  • First name
  • Last name
  • Title
  • Preferred language of communication
  • Email address
    Example: user@example.gov.ca
  • Telephone number (including area code)
    Example: 123-123-1234
  • Extension number (if applicable)

Collective dwelling types

A collective dwelling is a dwelling of a commercial, institutional, or communal nature. It must provide care or services, or have common facilities shared by the occupants.

1. Which of the following best describes this facility or establishment?

  • Hospital
    • If selected, go to Question 4.
      • Is this facility licensed as a hospital?
        • Yes
        • No
  • Long-term care home or residence for older adults
    • Select the most applicable:
      • Long-term care home
        A facility that provides 24-hour nursing care or personal care. Residents receive help for most or all daily activities.
      • Residence for older adults
        A facility that offers personal support and assisted living care. Services are provided as part of the rent or available for an additional fee paid to the facility, e.g., retirement homes or assisted living homes. These facilities do not provide 24-hour nursing or personal care.
      • Both long-term care home and residence for older adults
      • No care or services are provided to residents
        • If selected, go to Question 6.
  • Residential care facility, related to disabilities, mental health, addiction, etc.
    • This facility is for:
      Select all that apply.
      • primarily children or minors
      • persons with psychological disabilities
      • persons with an addiction
      • persons with physical challenges or disabilities
      • persons with developmental disabilities
      • persons with other disabilities
        • Specify the types of disabilities
  • Shelter
    • This facility is primarily for:
      • persons lacking a fixed address, such as homeless persons
      • persons released from custody or on conditional release
      • victims of domestic violence or abuse
      • refugees and asylum seekers
      • other persons
        • Specify persons
  • Correctional or custodial facility, including municipal detachments
    • What type of facility is this?
      • Young offenders' facility
      • Temporary lock-up (e.g., police holding cell)
      • provincial or territorial detention centre or custodial facility
      • Federal correctional facility
  • Religious establishment
  • Establishment with temporary accommodation services
    • What type of establishment is this?
      • Hotel, motel or tourist establishment
      • Campground or park
      • Other establishment with temporary accommodation services, such as a YMCA-YWCA, Ronald McDonald House, or hostel
  • Hutterite colony
    • If selected, exit survey.
  • Lodging or rooming house
    • If selected, exit survey.
  • Other establishment
    • What type of establishment is this?
      • Residence for school or training centre
      • Military base
      • Commercial vessel
      • Work camp
      • Government vessel
      • Other type of establishment
  • None of the above
    • If selected, go to Question 2.

Go to Question 5, unless otherwise specified.

The following question will help determine whether this establishment should be included in this questionnaire or not.

2. Does this establishment allow for a person or group of persons to stay overnight?

  • Yes
    • Does this establishment provide care, services or shared amenities?

      Include:

      • any medical service, health care or personal care that is provided by the facility
      • shared amenities, which include access to a common kitchen, dining room or bathroom.

      Exclude:

      • short-term vacation rentals, such as bed and breakfasts (e.g., Airbnb, Vrbo, etc.)
      • services not provided by the establishment (e.g., Uber, SkipTheDishes, Hello Fresh, etc.).
      • Yes
      • No
        • If no, go to Question 6.
  • No
    • If no, go to Question 6.

3. Based on the answers provided, this facility must be included. Which of the following options best describes the primary purpose of this facility or establishment?

  • Hospital
    • If selected, go to Question 4.
      • Is this facility licensed as a hospital?
        • Yes
        • No
  • Long-term care home or residence for older adults
    • Select the most applicable:
      • Long-term care home
        A facility that provides 24-hour nursing care or personal care. Residents receive help for most or all daily activities.
      • Residence for older adults
        A facility that offers personal support and assisted living care. Services are provided as part of the rent or available for an additional fee paid to the facility, e.g., retirement homes or assisted living homes. These facilities do not provide 24-hour nursing or personal care.
      • Both long-term care home and residence for older adults
  • Residential care facility related to disabilities, mental health, addiction, etc.
    • This facility is for:
      Select all that apply.
      • primarily children or minors
      • persons with psychological disabilities
      • persons with an addiction
      • persons with physical challenges or disabilities
      • persons with developmental disabilities
      • persons with other disabilities
        • Specify the types of disabilities
  • Shelter
    • This facility is primarily for:
      • persons lacking a fixed address, such as homeless persons
      • persons released from custody or on conditional release
      • victims of domestic violence or abuse
      • refugees and asylum seekers
      • other persons
        • Specify persons
  • Correctional or custodial facility, including municipal detachments
    • What type of facility is this?
      • Young offenders' facility
      • Temporary lock-up (e.g., police holding cell)
      • provincial or territorial detention centre, or custodial facility
      • Federal correctional facility
  • Religious establishment
  • Establishment with temporary accommodation services
    e.g., hotel, campground
    • What type of establishment is this?
      • Hotel, motel or tourist establishment
      • Campground or park
      • Other establishment with temporary accommodation services, such as a YMCA-YWCA, Ronald McDonald House, or hostel
  • Hutterite colony
    • If selected, exit survey.
  • Lodging or rooming house
    • If selected, exit survey.
  • Other establishment
    e.g., residence for school, work camp
    • What type of establishment is this?
      • Residence for school or training centre
      • Military base
      • Commercial vessel
      • Work camp
      • Government vessel
      • Other type of establishment
        • Specify the type of establishment
  • Go to Question 5, unless otherwise specified.

4. What services are provided at this hospital?

  • Short-term care
  • Long-term acute care
    • Is there also a care home for older adults at this facility?
      • Yes
      • No
  • Both short-term care and long-term acute care
    • Is there also a care home for older adults at this facility?
      • Yes
      • No

Maximum capacity

5. What is the maximum number of persons who could stay overnight?

If the number of persons is unknown, enter your best estimate.

  • Maximum number
    • If 0, go to Question 6.
  • Go to Question 7, unless otherwise specified.

Operation status

6. Based on the answers provided, this establishment either does not allow for persons to stay overnight or does not provide care, services, or shared amenities and as a result does not meet the requirements for this questionnaire.

Select the option that best describes the operational status.

  • Seasonal operations
    • When did this establishment close for the season?
      Example: YYYY-MM-DD
    • When does this establishment expect to resume operations?
      Example: YYYY-MM-DD
  • Temporarily inactive
    • When did this establishment become temporarily inactive?
      Example: YYYY-MM-DD
    • When does this establishment expect to resume operations?
      Example: YYYY-MM-DD
    • Why is this establishment temporarily inactive?
  • Ceased operations
    • When did this establishment cease operations?
      Example: YYYY-MM-DD
    • Why did this establishment cease operations?
      • Bankruptcy
      • Liquidation
      • Dissolution
      • Other
        • Specify the other reasons why operations ceased
  • Private dwelling
    • When did this establishment become a private dwelling?

      Example: YYYY-MM-DD

  • Other
    • Specify
  • Go to Question 26, unless otherwise specified.

Resident information

The census counts people at the place where they usually live.

7. How many persons live at this facility and consider it to be their main residence?

Include persons:

  • whose main residence is at this facility, even if they are temporarily away
  • who do not have a residence elsewhere
  • who have been living at this facility for six months or more (i.e., moved in or were admitted on or before November 12, 2025)
  • who are live-in employees (e.g., staff, managers, and owners).

Exclude persons:

  • who live in a private dwelling attached to this facility
  • who are residents of another country visiting Canada.
  • Number of persons
    • If 0, go to Question 8.
    • If greater than 20, go to Question 9.
    • If 1 to 20, go to Question 10.

8. Is there anyone who is staying at this address temporarily and has their main residence elsewhere?

  • Yes
  • No
  • Go to Question 24, unless otherwise specified.

To complete the 2026 Census, Statistics Canada requires that you provide the following information for the residents who live at this facility.

This information includes:

  • first name and last name
  • date of birth, gender, and sex at birth
  • marital status and common-law status
  • status at facility
  • languages.

By law, all residents living in facilities and establishments must be counted for the 2026 Census. Participation is required under the authority of the Statistics Act.

The administrator of a facility or establishment is required to provide the information and Statistics Canada is authorized to collect this information. The information collected is kept strictly confidential.

9. How will you provide this information for each resident?

  • Complete the online questionnaire
    Provide the information for each resident online
  • Fill in and upload the template provided by Statistics Canada
    Provide the residents’ information in the downloadable Collective Template (Excel, 87 KB)
    • If selected, go to Question 23a.
  • Upload this facility’s administrative records
    Attach the facility’s records that contains the residents’ information
    • If selected, go to Question 23b.

10. List the persons whose main residence is at this facility.

People whose main residence is at this facility

  • First name
  • Last name

After two hours of inactivity, the session will time out and the information may not be accessible. If the questionnaire cannot be completed in one session, save the information by pressing the Save and finish later button at the bottom left of any page when prompted to enter information. The session can be resumed at another time.

11. Select from the options below to provide information about each resident.

12. What is this person's unit or room number?

  • Unit or room number

Demographic information

13. What is this person's date of birth?

If exact date of birth is not known, enter best estimate.

  • Day
  • Month
  • Year

Example: 1974

14. What is this person's gender?

Gender refers to an individual's personal and social identity as a man (or a boy), a woman (or a girl), or a person who is not exclusively a man (or a boy) or a woman (or a girl), for example, non-binary, agender, gender fluid, queer or Two-Spirit.

  • Man or boy
  • Woman or girl
  • Non-binary person

15. What was this person's sex at birth?

Sex at birth refers to the sex recorded on a person's first birth certificate. It is typically observed based on a person's reproductive system and other physical characteristics.

  • Male
  • Female

16. What is this person's status at this facility?

  • Resident (e.g., client, tenant, patient)
  • Roommate, lodger or boarder
  • Employee (e.g., staff, manager, owner)
  • Employee's family member
  • Other status
    • Specify other status

17. What is the relationship between this person and any other persons living in the same unit or room?

  • Lives alone
  • Lives with a spouse or partner
  • Lives with others, excluding spouse or partner

18. What is this person's marital status?

  • Never legally married
  • Legally married (and not separated)
  • Separated, but still legally married
  • Divorced
  • Widowed

19. Is this person living with a common-law partner?

Common-law refers to two people who live together as a couple and who are not married, regardless of the duration of the relationship.

  • Yes
  • No

Languages for this person

20. Can this person speak English or French well enough to conduct a conversation?

  • English only
  • French only
  • Both English and French
  • Neither English nor French

21 a. What language(s) does this person speak on a regular basis at home?

  • English
  • French
  • Other language(s)
    • Specify language 1
    • Specify language 2
    • Specify language 3
    • Specify any other language(s)

21 b. Of these languages, which one does this person speak most often at home?

Indicate more than one language only if they are spoken equally at home.

  • English
  • French
  • Other language
    • Specify language based on answers given to question 21 a.

22. What is the language that this person first learned at home in childhood and still understands?

If the person no longer understands the first language learned, indicate the second language learned.

  • English
  • French
  • Other language
    • Specify other language

File containing information about residents

After two hours of inactivity, the session will time out and the information may not be accessible. If the questionnaire cannot be completed in one session, save the information by pressing the Save and finish later button at the bottom left of any page when prompted to enter information. The session can be resumed at another time.

23 a. Provide the information for all residents whose main residence is at this facility using the template.

  1. Select the link to download the Collective Template (Excel, 87 KB).
  2. Provide the information about the residents.
  3. Save the completed template to your computer.
  4. Select "Attach files" and attach the template.

23 b. Provide the information for all residents whose main residence is at this facility using administrative records.

The records should contain the following information for each resident:

  • first name and last name
  • date of birth, gender and sex at birth
  • marital status and common-law status
  • status at facility
  • languages.

Administrative records maintained by this facility can be attached below in the following formats: .txt, .pdf, .docx, .xlsx.

To attach files

  • Press the Attach files button.
  • Choose the file to attach. Multiple files can be attached.

Note

  • Each file must not exceed 5 MB.
  • The attachments combined must not exceed 50 MB.
  • The name and size of each file attached will be displayed on the page.

Private dwellings at this facility

A private dwelling attached to a collective dwelling is a separate set of living quarters located within the collective grounds or attached to the collective dwelling structure.

A private dwelling:

  • shares the same civic address as the collective dwelling but has a different apartment or unit number, and
  • must have a separate entrance either from outside the building or from a common hall or lobby, and
  • is not affiliated with, or considered part of, the collective dwelling.

Residents of a private dwelling do not receive any care or services provided by the collective dwelling.

24. Are there any private dwellings that share this address with this facility?

  • Yes
    • Number of dwellings
    • If 0 or greater than 99, go to Question 26.
    • If 1 to 99, go to Question 25.
  • No
  • If no, go to Question 26.

25. Provide the information for each private dwelling.

  • Unit or apartment number
    Is this dwelling occupied or unoccupied?
  • Occupied
    • Number of occupants
  • Unoccupied

Comments

26. Please use this section if you have concerns, suggestions or comments.

For example, you may have concerns, suggestions or comments about:

  • the steps to follow or the content of this questionnaire (a question that was difficult to understand or to answer, etc.)
  • the characteristics of the online questionnaire (the navigation, the online help, the design, the format, the size of the text, etc.)
  • any technical issues encountered.
    • Enter your comments.
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