General Social Survey on Time Use - Component

Getting started

Why do we conduct this survey?

Statistics Canada is conducting a survey on Time Use. The purpose is to understand how much time Canadians spend on various activities. The information will be used to better understand the effect and cost of time stress, commuting times, time spent on paid and unpaid work and sleeping patterns of Canadians. This survey could also show how technology is helping us perform day-to-day tasks.

Although your participation is voluntary, your cooperation is important so that information collected will be as accurate and complete as possible.

Other available information

Authority to collect

This information is collected under the authority of the Statistics Act, Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, Chapter S-19.

Confidentiality

Your answers are collected under the authority of the Statistics Act and will be kept strictly confidential.

Record linkages

To enhance the data from this survey and to minimize the reporting burden for respondents, Statistics Canada may combine the information you provide with other survey or administrative data sources.

1. What is your age?

2. What is your name?

First name
Last name

3. To start, a few general questions related to time.

How often do you feel rushed?

Include: times when being pressed for time was a positive stimulant as well as times where
stress was felt because of the number of activities that needed to be done in a day.

  1. Every day
  2. A few times a week
  3. About once a week
  4. About once a month
  5. Less than once a month
  6. Never

4. How often do you feel you have time on your hands that you don't know what to do with?

Exclude: times when you chose to do nothing and times when you have to think for a few minutes about what to do next.

Select 'Never' if you can always think of something to do.

  1. 1 Every day
  2. A few times a week
  3. About once a week
  4. About once a month
  5. Less than once a month
  6. Never

The next questions will deal with your use of time for a 24-hour period starting at 4:00 in the morning.

You will be asked to provide details of your activities over a 24-hour period on a specific day. Please report all activities that lasted at least 10 minutes, including activities such as travelling from place to place.

You will be asked to list the different activities done yesterday.

5. The next questions will deal with your use of time for 24-hour period starting at 4:00 in the morning.

You will be asked to provide details of your activities over a 24-hour period on a specific day. Please report all activities that lasted at least 10 minutes, including activities such as travelling from place to place.

You will be asked to list the different activities done yesterday.

6. What were you doing at 4:00 am?

7. Starting at 4:00 am, how long did this activity last?

8. Please indicate if you were doing any of these activities at the same time.

9. Where were you?

10. Which mode of transport did you use?

11. Who was with you?

  • 200 On my own
    OR
  • 201 Spouse, partner
  • 202 Household child, children (less than 15 years old)
  • 203 Household child, children (15 years or older)
  • 204 Parents or parents-in-law
  • 205 Other household adult(s)
  • 206 Other family member(s) from other households
  • 207 Friends(s)
  • 208 Colleague(s), classmate(s)
  • 209 Other people

12. During this time period, did you use any information technology device such as a tablet, smartphone, computer or laptop?

  1. Yes
  2. No

13. On a scale of -3 to +3 where -3 means very unpleasant and +3 means very pleasant; at 4:00 o'clock, how would you rate the activity you were doing?

  • -3
  • -2
  • -1
  • 0
  • +1
  • +2
  • +3
Date modified: