General Social Survey – Social Identity

Diversity and Social Statistics Division, Cycle 35, 2020.

Social contact with relatives

Now a few questions about contact you have with your relatives, including your parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and in-laws.

Do most of your relatives live in the same city or region as you?

"City or region" means close enough to easily visit you.

Exclude people you live with.

Yes
No
No living relatives

Frequency and type of contact with relatives

Thinking of all the relatives you had contact with in the past month, how often did you communicate with any of your relatives by text message?

e.g., WhatsApp

Exclude people you live with.

Would you say:

Every day
A few times a week
Once a week
2 or 3 times a month
Once a month
Not in the past month
No cell or mobile device
Do not text message

Frequency and type of contact with relatives

Thinking of all the relatives you had contact with in the past month, how often did you do the following?

Every day
A few times a week
Once a week
2 or 3 times a month
Once a month
Not in the past month

a. See any of your relatives in person

Exclude people you live with

b. Talk with any of your relatives by telephone

Exclude:

text messages
people you live with

c. Communicate with any of your relatives by e-mail or online social networks

Include all forms of Internet communication. e.g., Facebook, Twitter, instant message, Skype and FaceTime.

Exclude people you live with.

Overall, how satisfied are you with how often you communicate with your relatives?

Are you:

Very satisfied
Satisfied
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
Dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied

Are you dissatisfied because you communicate with your family members too often or not often enough?

Too often
Not often enough

Relatives you feel at ease with

How many relatives do you have who you feel close to, that is, who you feel at ease with, can talk to about what is on your mind, or call on for help?

Include people you live with.

Number of relatives

Does this relative you feel close to live in the same city or local community as you?

Of these {number} relatives you feel at ease with, how many live in the same city or local community as you?

Number of relatives

Social contact with close friends

Now a few questions about your friends.

How many close friends do you have, that is, people who are not your relatives, but who you feel at ease with, can talk to about what is on your mind, or call on for help?

Include people you live with.

Number of close friends

Does your close friend live in the same city or local community as you?

Of these {number} close friends, how many live in the same city or local community as you?

Number of close friends

Social contact with other friends

Not counting your close friends or relatives, approximately how many other friends do you have?

Include acquaintances as well as online friends.

1
2-19
20-49
50-79
80 or more
No other friends

Frequency and type of contact with other friends

Does this other friend live in the same city or local community as you?

Of these other friends, how many live in the same city or local community as you?

Number of other friends

Frequency and type of contact with friends

Thinking of {your friend/all your friends}, in the past month how often did you do the following?

Every day
A few times a week
Once a week
2 or 3 times a month
Once a month
Not in the past month

a. See {your friend/any of your friends} in person

b. Talk with {your friend/any of your friends} by telephone

Include cellphones and landlines.

Exclude texting.

c. Communicate with {your friend/any of your friends} by text message

e.g., WhatsApp

d. Communicate with {your friend/any of your friends} by e-mail or online social networks

Include all forms of Internet communication. e.g., Facebook, Twitter, instant message, Skype and FaceTime.

Overall, how satisfied are you with how often you communicate with your {friend/friends}?

Are you:

Very satisfied
Satisfied
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
Dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied

Are you dissatisfied because you communicate with them too often or not often enough?

Too often
Not often enough

Characteristics of friends

Of all the friends you had contact with in the past month, approximately how many have the following characteristics?

Include contact in person, by telephone, by text, e-mail or any other form of online communication, e.g., Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, online gaming.

All
Most
About half
A few
None
Don't know

a. Have the same mother tongue as you

The mother tongue is the first language learned in childhood and still understood.

b. Come from an ethnic group that is visibly different from yours

c. Have the same religion as you

If you have no religion, indicate how many of your friends also do not have a religion.

d. Are the same sex as you

e. Have the same sexual orientation as you

Sexual orientation refers to being heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual or other sexual orientations.

f. Identify with the same gender as their sex assigned at birth

Gender refers to current gender which may be different from sex assigned at birth and may be different from what is indicated on legal documents.

g. Are around the same age group as you

Base your answer on what "same age group" means to you.

Of all the friends you had contact with in the past month, how many have roughly the same level of education as you?

Include contact in person, by telephone, by text, e-mail or any other form of online communication, e.g., Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, online gaming.

Would you say:

All
Most
About half
A few
None
Don't know

Of those friends who have a different level of education than you, how would you describe their level of education?

Would you say:

Most have a higher level than you
Most have a lower level than you
Half have a higher, half have a lower level
Don't know

Of all the friends you had contact with in the past month, how many have a similar level of household income as you?

Include contact in person, by telephone, by text, e-mail or any other form of online communication, e.g., Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, online gaming.

Would you say:

All
Most
About half
A few
None
Don't know

Of those friends who have a different level of household income than you, how would you describe their level of income?

Would you say:

Most have a higher level than you
Most have a lower level than you
Half have a higher, half have a lower level
Don't know

Social contact - new people

In the past month, outside of work or school, how many new people did you meet either face-to-face or online?

Include people you had not met before and who you intend to stay in contact with.

Number of new people

Did you meet this person on the Internet?

Include social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, etc.

Of these {number} people, how many did you meet on the Internet?

Include social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, etc.

Number of people

People whom you know

Here is a list of jobs that people you know may have. These people could be family or relatives, close friends or someone else you know.

By "knowing" a person, we mean that you know them by name and well enough to contact them.

Do you know any people with the following jobs?

a. Bus driver

b. Senior executive of a large company

c. Home or office cleaner

d. Hairdresser or barber

e. Human resources or personnel manager

f. Lawyer

g. Car mechanic

h. Nurse

i. Police officer

j. School teacher

Civic engagement – participation in groups

The next questions are about formal and informal groups, organizations or associations to which you may belong.

In the past 12 months, were you a member or participant in the following groups, organizations or associations? These could be formally organized groups or just groups of people who get together regularly to do an activity or talk about things.

Include groups you are active in through the Internet.

a. Sports or recreational organization

e.g. hockey league, health club or golf club

b. Cultural, educational or hobby organization

e.g. theatre group, book club or bridge club

c. Union or professional association

d. Political party or group

e. Religious-affiliated group

Exclude regular attendance at your place of worship.

f. School group, neighbourhood, civic or community association

e.g. parent-teacher association (PTA), alumni association, block parents or neighbourhood watch

g. Humanitarian or charitable organization or service club

e.g. Meals on Wheels, United Way, Unicef, Heart and Stroke Foundation, Distress Centre, Rotary Club, Red Cross

h. Seniors' group

e.g. seniors' club, recreational association or resource centre

i. Youth organization

e.g. Me to We, Scouts, Guides, Big Brothers or Big Sisters, YMCA or YWCA

j. Immigrant or ethnic association or club

k. Environmental group

e.g. in the areas of conservation, ecology, the environment or animal rights

l. Other type of group, organization or association

Specify other type of group, organization or association

Civic engagement – number of groups

Of all the types of groups, organizations or associations we talked about, in how many were you a member or participant in the past 12 months?

Number of groups, organizations or associations

How many of these {number} groups were you active in through the Internet?

Include any involvement through the Internet in the past 12 months, whether you conducted part or all of your activities through the Internet.

Your answer should be based on what "being active through the Internet" means to you.

Number of groups, organizations or associations

Were you active in this group through the Internet?

Include any involvement through the Internet in the past 12 months, whether you conducted part or all of your activities through the Internet.

Your answer should be based on what "being active through the Internet" means to you.

How often did you participate in group activities and meetings on the Internet?

Exclude group activities and meetings in person.

Would you say:

At least once a week
A few times a month
Once a month
Once or twice a year
Not in the past year

How often did you participate in group activities and meetings in person?

Exclude group activities and meetings on the Internet.

Would you say:

At least once a week
A few times a month
Once a month
Once or twice a year
Not in the past year

Change in group participation – past 5 years

Over the past five years, would you say that your involvement in organizations has increased, decreased, or stayed the same?

Increased
Decreased
Stayed the same

Types of groups, organizations or associations most active in

What is the group, organization or association you are most active in?

If you are equally active in two or more groups, organizations or associations, select only one of these organizations.

A sports or recreational organization
e.g. a hockey league, health club or golf club
A cultural, educational or hobby organization
e.g. a theatre group, book club or bridge club
A union or professional association
A political party or group
A religious-affiliated group
Exclude regular attendance at your place of worship.
A school group, neighbourhood, civic or community association
e.g. parent-teacher association (PTA), alumni association, block parents or neighbourhood watch
A humanitarian or charitable organization or service club
e.g. Meals on Wheels, United Way, Unicef, Heart and Stroke Foundation, Distress Centre, Rotary Club, Red Cross
A seniors' group
e.g. seniors' club, recreational association or resource centre
A youth organization
e.g. Me to We, Scouts, Guides, Big Brothers or Big Sisters, YMCA or YWCA
Ethnic or immigrant association or club
An environmental club
e.g. in the areas of conservation, ecology, the environment or animal rights
Other type of group, organization or association

Length of time with organization

How long have you been involved with this organization?

Report number of years. Round to the nearest whole year, if necessary. If you have been involved for less than one year, enter 1.

Type of organization: {A sports or recreational organization/A cultural, educational or hobby organization/A union or professional association/A political party or group/A religious-affiliated group/A school group, neighbourhood, civic community association/A humanitarian or charitable organization or service club/A seniorʼs group/A youth organization/Ethnic or immigrant association or club/An environmental group/Other type}

'Involved' means being a member or participant of the organization.

Number of years

Compared with last year, would you say that your involvement with this organization has increased, decreased, or stayed the same?

Increased
Decreased
Stayed the same

Characteristics of people met through organizations

Of all the people you met through this organization, how many would you say have the following characteristics?

All
Most
About half
A few
None
Don't know

a. Have the same mother tongue as you

The mother tongue is the first language learned in childhood and still understood.

b. Are from an ethnic group that is visibly different from yours

c. Are the same sex as you

d. Are around the same age group as you

Base your answer on what "same age group" means to you.

Would you say that your involvement in this organization is primarily volunteering?

Voting

Now a few questions about your participation in political activities.

Did you vote in the last federal election?

The last federal election was held on October 21, 2019.

Were you eligible to vote in the last federal election?

What is the main reason you did not vote in the last federal election?

The last federal election was held on October 21, 2019.

Own illness or disability
Out of town or away from home
Too busy
Family obligations
Conflicting work or school schedule
Weather conditions
Not interested
Felt voting would not make a difference in election results
Didn't like candidates or campaign issues
Not on voters list, problems with ID requirements
Too difficult, transportation problems, too far to travel, lines too long
Forgot to vote
Religious beliefs
Not informed on political issues
Undecided
Did not vote to protest
Other

How likely is it that you will vote in the next federal election?

Is it:

Very likely
Somewhat likely
Not very likely
Not at all likely
Undecided

Did you vote in the last provincial election?

Were you eligible to vote in the last provincial election?

Did you vote in the last municipal or local election?

Were you eligible to vote in the last municipal or local election?

Engagement with politics

Generally speaking, how interested are you in politics?

e.g. international, national, provincial or municipal

Are you:

Very interested
Somewhat interested
Not very interested
Not at all interested

In the past 12 months, have you done any of the following activities?

a. Searched for information on a political issue

b. Volunteered for a political party

c. Expressed your views on an issue by contacting a newspaper or a politician

d. Expressed your views on a political or social issue through an Internet forum or news website

e. Signed a petition on paper

f. Signed an Internet petition

g. Boycotted or chosen a product for ethical reasons

In the past 12 months, have you attended a public meeting?

In the past 12 months, have you spoken out at a public meeting?

In the past 12 months, have you done any of the following activities?

a. Participated in a demonstration or march

b. Worn a badge, T-shirt or displayed a lawn sign in support of or opposition to a political or social cause

Media consumption

How frequently do you follow news and current affairs?

e.g., international, national, regional or local news and current affairs

Would you say:

Daily
Several times each week
Several times each month
Less than once a month
Never

Canadians use a variety of sources to keep informed on news and current affairs.

Which media do you use to follow news and current affairs?

Select all that apply.

Is it:

Newspapers
Include print copy or online.
Magazines
Include print copy or online.
Television
Include conventional or online.
Radio
Include conventional or online.
Internet
e.g., social media, news aggregator sites, podcasts
Other
- Specify which type of media

Knowledge of Canadian history

How would you rate your knowledge of Canadian history?

Is it:

Excellent
Very good
Good
Fair
Poor

Appreciation of national symbols

When thinking of Canadian identity, how important are the following symbols to you?

Very important
Somewhat important
Not very important
Not at all important

a. The Canadian flag

b. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

c. The art and culture of Indigenous people (First Nations, Métis and Inuit)

d. The national anthem "O Canada"

e. The RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police)

f. Hockey

When thinking of Canadian identity, what other symbol or image comes to mind?

Specify other symbol or image

Importance of Canadian institutions

In your opinion, how important are each of the following institutions to Canadian identity?

Very important
Somewhat important
Not very important
Not at all important

a. Arts and cultural institutions

Include theatres for live performances, museums, art museums, art galleries and planetariums.

b. Heritage sites and institutions

Include historic sites, historic buildings, botanical gardens, aquaria, zoological sites, national parks, provincial parks and reserves, conservancy sites and other conservation areas.

Shared values

The next questions ask about the extent to which you agree with a number of Canadian values.

To what extent do you personally agree with the following values?

To a great extent
To a moderate extent
To a small extent
Not at all

a. Human rights

b. Respect for the law

c. Gender equality

Gender equality means that diverse groups of women, men and non-binary people are able to participate fully in all spheres of Canadian life, contributing to an inclusive and democratic society.

d. English and French as Canada's official languages

e. Ethnic and cultural diversity

f. Respect for Indigenous (First Nations, Métis or Inuit) culture

And now some questions about how you feel Canadians in general share these same values.

To what extent do you feel that Canadians share the following values?

To a great extent
To a moderate extent
To a small extent
Not at all

a. Human rights

b. Respect for the law

c. Gender equality

Gender equality means that diverse groups of women, men and non-binary people are able to participate fully in all spheres of Canadian life, contributing to an inclusive and democratic society.

d. English and French as Canada's official languages

e. Ethnic and cultural diversity

f. Respect for Indigenous (First Nations, Métis or Inuit) culture

Labour market activities

Many of the following questions concern your activities last week.

Last week is from {REFBEGE} to {REFENDE}.

Last week, did you work at a job or business?

Select 'Yes' if you worked at least one hour:

for pay (wages, salary, etc.)
in self-employment.

Select 'No' if you:

were away from work for the entire week for a reason such as vacation, illness, work schedule or layoff
did not have a job or business.

Last week, did you have a job or business from which you were absent?

Select 'Yes' if you:

were away from work for the entire week for a reason such as vacation, illness, parental leave or work schedule
were self-employed with a business, but no work was available.

Select 'No' if you:

did not have a job or business
had a casual job, but no work was available.

What was the main reason you were absent from work last week?

Vacation
Own illness or disability
Caring for own children
Caring for elder relative
60 years of age or older
Maternity or parental leave
Other personal or family responsibilities
Labour dispute (strike or lockout)
Employees only
Temporary layoff due to business conditions
Employees only
Seasonal layoff
Employees only
Casual job, no work available
Employees only
Work schedule
e.g., 10 days on, 10 days off, employees only
Self-employed, no work available
Self-employed only
Seasonal business
Excluding employees
Other
- Specify the main reason you were absent from work last week

Labour market activities

In the 4 weeks ending {REFENDE} did you do anything to find work?

Last week, did you have a job to start at a definite date in the future?

Will you start that job before or after {NMBEGE}?

Before the date above
On or after the date above

How many hours did you want to work per week?

Would it be:

30 or more
Less than 30

Could you have worked last week?

What was the main reason that you were not available to work last week?

Going to school
Own illness or disability
Caring for own children
Caring for an elder relative
60 years of age or older
Vacation
Other personal or family responsibilities
Already has a job
Other
- Specify the main reason you were not available to work last week

Labour market activities

Were you an employee or self-employed?

Select 'Employee' if you worked:

for pay (wages, salary, tips or commissions).

Select 'Self-employed' if you worked:

for your own business, farm or professional practice
as an independent contractor, painter, babysitter, etc.

Employee
Self-employed
Working in a family business without pay

What was the full name of your business?

Enter the full name of the business. If there is no business name, enter the respondent's full name.

Specify the full name of your business

For whom did you work?

Enter the full name of the company, business, government department or agency, or person.

Specify who you worked for

What kind of business, industry or service was this?

Examples: new home construction, primary school, municipal police, wheat farm, retail shoe store, food wholesale, car parts factory, federal government

Specify the kind of business, industry or service

The following questions refer to the work or occupation in which you spent most of your time.

What kind of work were you doing?

Examples: legal secretary, plumber, fishing guide, wood furniture assembler, secondary school teacher, computer programmer

Specify the kind of work you were doing

What were your most important activities or duties?

Examples: prepared legal documents, installed residential plumbing, guided fishing parties, made wood furniture products, taught mathematics, developed software

Specify your most important activities or duties

Number of weeks employed

For how many weeks during the past 12 months were you employed?

If you had multiple jobs in the past 12 months, please select the total number of weeks employed for all of the jobs you had.

Include the weeks you were employed but absent because you were on vacation, sick leave with pay, strike, lockout or maternity, paternity or parental leave.

Number of weeks
‹‹‹ Select ›››
- 1 to 52

Work activities – Hours worked

Did you have more than one paid job last week?

How many hours a week do you usually work at your job?

Number of hours

How many hours a week do you usually work at your main job?

Number of hours

How many hours a week do you usually work at your other jobs?

Number of hours

Why do you usually work less than 30 hours a week?

Select all that apply.

Own illness or disability
Child care responsibilities
Care responsibilities for an adult
Other personal or family responsibilities
Going to school
Could only find part-time work
Did not want full-time work
Requirement of the work
Other reason
- Specify other reason

How many days a week do you usually work?

Include all jobs.

Number of days
‹‹‹ Select ›››
- 1 to 7

Which of the following best describes your usual work schedule at your {main job/job}?

On call means no prearranged schedules, but called as need arises, for example, a substitute teacher.

Irregular schedule is usually prearranged one week or more in advance, for example, pilots.

Is it:

A regular daytime schedule or shift
A regular evening shift
A regular night shift
A rotating shift
A rotating shift is one that changes periodically from days to evenings or to nights.
A split shift
A split shift is one consisting of two or more distinct periods each day.
A compressed work week
On call or casual
An irregular schedule
Other type of schedule

Work family responsibilities

How satisfied are you with the balance between your {jobs/job} and home life?

Are you:

Very satisfied
Satisfied
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
Dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied

Why are you dissatisfied?

Is it because you:

Do not have enough time for family
Include spouse or partner and children.
Spend too much time on job
Do not have enough time for other activities
Exclude work or family related activities.
Cannot find suitable employment
Have employment related reasons
Exclude spending too much time on job.
Have health reasons
Include sleep disorders
Have family related reasons
Exclude not enough time for family
Other
- Specify the other reason

Education

What is the highest certificate, diploma or degree that you have completed?

Less than high school diploma or its equivalent
High school diploma or a high school equivalency certificate
Trades certificate or diploma
CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma (other than trades certificates or diplomas)
University certificate or diploma below the bachelor's level
Bachelor's degree
e.g. B.A., B.A. (Hons), B.Sc., B.Ed., LL.B.
University certificate, diploma or degree above the bachelor's level

School attendance

Are you currently attending a school, college, CEGEP or university?

Report only attendance for courses that can be used as credits towards a certificate, diploma or degree. Distance learning for credit is included.

What type of educational institution are you attending?

Elementary, junior high school or high school
Trade school, college, CEGEP or other non-university institution
University

Are you enrolled as a full-time or part-time student?

Each educational institution classifies students as full-time or part-time depending on the type of program, and the number of courses, credits or hours of instruction.

Full-time student
Part-time student

Highest level of education

In what country was the institution that granted your highest certificate, diploma or degree located?

Specify the country according to current boundaries.

Select a country from the dropdown menu below. Type the first few letters to narrow down the choices.

Note: If the country is not listed, select "Other".

250 countries list
Other
- Specify country

In which province or territory was the institution that granted your highest certificate, diploma or degree located?

Specify the province or territory where your educational institution was physically located.

Province or territory
‹‹‹ Select ›››
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Northwest Territories
- Nova Scotia
- Nunavut
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Quebec
- Saskatchewan
- Yukon

In what year did you complete your highest certificate, diploma or degree?

Year

What was the major field of study of the highest certificate, diploma or degree you completed?

e.g., health care attendant, medical laboratory technology, early childhood education, civil engineering.

If you were in a trade or Journeyperson program, list the area of specialization. e.g., auto mechanics, hairstyling, carpentry.

Field of study

Main activity of spouse or partner

The next few questions are about your {spouse/partner}'s main activity and education.

During the past 12 months, what was your {spouse/partner}'s main activity?

If the main activity was "sickness" or "short-term illness", indicate the usual main activity.

Was it:

Working at a paid job or business
Looking for paid work
Going to school
Caring for children
Household work
Retired
Maternity, paternity or parental leave
Long-term illness
Volunteering or care-giving other than for children
Other
- Specify their main activity

Was {spouse/partner} enrolled as a full-time or part-time student?

Full-time student
Part-time student
Both full-time and part-time student

Did {he/she} have a job or was {he/she} self-employed at any time during the past 12 months?

Include vacation, illness, strikes, lockouts and maternity or paternity leave.

Education of spouse or partner

What is the highest level of education that {he/she} has attained?

Less than high school diploma or its equivalent
High school diploma or a high school equivalency certificate
Trades certificate or diploma
College, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma (other than trades certificates or diplomas)
University certificate or diploma below the bachelor's level
Bachelor's degree
e.g. B.A., B.A. (Hons), B.Sc., B.Ed., LL.B.
University certificate, diploma or degree above the bachelor's level

Gender, birthplace and education of parents

The following questions ask about your parents' gender, birthplace and education.

What is the gender of your Parent A?

"Parent" refers to the legal father, mother or parent of the person. Because of the possibility of multiple parents and same sex parents, we refer to them as "parent A" and "B". It is up to you to decide which of your parents to list as A and which as B.

Male
Female
Or please specify
- Specify your Parent A's gender

Where was your Parent A born?

For parents who were born in Canada, select the option "Born in Canada." For parents who were born outside Canada, please select the option "Born outside Canada" and report the country of birth according to present boundaries. For adopted persons, please report the place of birth of their adoptive parents.

Born in Canada
Born outside Canada

Specify the country of birth for parent A

Select a country from the dropdown menu below. Type the first few letters to narrow down the choices.

Note: If the country is not listed, select "Other".

250 countries list
Other
- Specify country

What is the highest certificate, diploma or degree that your Parent A has completed?

Less than high school diploma or its equivalent
High school diploma or a high school equivalency certificate
Trades certificate or diploma
College, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma (other than trades certificates or diplomas)
University certificate or diploma below the bachelor's level
Bachelor's degree
e.g. B.A., B.A. (Hons), B.Sc., B.Ed., LL.B.
University certificate, diploma or degree above the bachelor's level
Don't know

Gender, birthplace and education of parents

What is the gender of your Parent B?

Male
Female
Or please specify
- Specify your Parent B's gender

Where was your Parent B born?

Born in Canada
Born outside Canada

Specify your Parent B's country of birth

Select a country from the dropdown menu below. Type the first few letters to narrow down the choices.

Note: If the country is not listed, select "Other".

250 countries list
Other
- Specify country

What is the highest certificate, diploma or degree that your Parent B has completed?

Less than high school diploma or its equivalent
High school diploma or a high school equivalency certificate
Trades certificate or diploma
College, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma (other than trades certificates or diplomas)
University certificate or diploma below the bachelor's level
Bachelor's degree
e.g. B.A., B.A. (Hons), B.Sc., B.Ed., LL.B.
University certificate, diploma or degree above the bachelor's level
Don't know

Birthplace of spouse or partner

In what country was your {spouse/partner} born?

Specify country of birth according to current boundaries.

Select a country from the dropdown menu below. Type the first few letters to narrow down the choices.

Note: If the country is not listed, select "Other".

250 countries list
Other
- Specify country

In which province or territory was your {spouse/partner} born?

Specify the province or territory according to current boundaries.

Province or territory
‹‹‹ Select ›››
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Northwest Territories
- Nova Scotia
- Nunavut
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Quebec
- Saskatchewan
- Yukon

Place of birth, immigration and citizenship

Where were you born?

Specify place of birth according to present boundaries.

Born in Canada
Born outside Canada

Specify the province or territory

Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Northwest Territories
Nova Scotia
Nunavut
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
Yukon

Select a country from the dropdown menu below. Type the first few letters to narrow down the choices.

Note: If the country is not listed, select "Other".

250 countries list
Other
- Specify other country

In what year did you first come to Canada to live?

If exact year is not known, enter best estimate.

Year of arrival

Are you you now, or have you ever been a landed immigrant?

A 'landed immigrant' (permanent resident) is a person who has been granted the right to live in Canada permanently by immigration authorities.

In what year did you first become a landed immigrant?

If exact year is not known, enter best estimate.

Year of immigration

Of what country are you a citizen?

Are you a citizen of:

Canada
Another country

Is it:

By birth
By naturalization
i.e., the process by which an immigrant is granted citizenship of Canada, under the Citizenship Act.

Select a country from the dropdown menu below. Type the first few letters to narrow down the choices.

Note: If the country is not listed, select "Other".

250 countries list
Other
- Specify other country

Ethnic origin

The following question is about your ethnic ancestry, heritage or background.

What were the ethnic or cultural origins of your ancestors?

Canadian
English
French
Scottish
Irish
German
Italian
Indigenous
e.g., First Nations, Métis or Inuit
Ukrainian
Chinese
Dutch
Polish
South Asian
e.g., East Indian, Sri Lankan, Pakistani, Punjabi, etc.
Jewish
Portuguese
Filipino
Other
- Specify the other ethnic or cultural origins of your ancestors

Ethnic origin of spouse or partner

What were the ethnic or cultural origins of your {spouse/partner}'s ancestors?

Canadian
English
French
Scottish
Irish
German
Italian
Indigenous
e.g., First Nations, Métis or Inuit
Ukrainian
Chinese
Dutch
Polish
South Asian
e.g., East Indian, Sri Lankan, Pakistani, Punjabi, etc.
Jewish
Portuguese
Filipino
Other
- Specify other ethnic or cultural origins of your {spouse/partner}'s ancestors

Aboriginal identity

Are you an Aboriginal person, that is, First Nations (North American Indian), Métis or Inuk (Inuit)?

Note: First Nations (North American Indian) includes Status and Non-Status Indians.

Would you say:

No, not an Aboriginal person
OR
Yes, First Nation (North American Indian)
Yes, Métis
Yes, Inuk (Inuit)

Aboriginal identity of spouse or partner

Is your {spouse/partner} an Aboriginal person, that is, First Nations (North American Indian), Métis or Inuk (Inuit)?

Note: First Nations (North American Indian) includes Status and Non-Status Indians.

Would you say:

No, not an Aboriginal person
OR
Yes, First Nation (North American Indian)
Yes, Métis
Yes, Inuk (Inuit)

Sociodemographic characteristics

The following question collects information in accordance with the Employment Equity Act and its Regulations and Guidelines to support programs that promote equal opportunity for everyone to share in the social, cultural, and economic life of Canada.

Are you:

White
South Asian
e.g. East Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan
Chinese
Black
Filipino
Arab
Latin American
Southeast Asian
e.g. Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotian, Thai
West Asian
e.g. Iranian, Afghan
Korean
Japanese
Other
- Specify other racial or cultural group

Sociodemographic characteristics of partner or spouse

The following question asks about your spouse or partner.

The following question collects information in accordance with the Employment Equity Act and its Regulations and Guidelines to support programs that promote equal opportunity for everyone to share in the social, cultural, and economic life of Canada.

Is your spouse or partner:

White
South Asian
e.g. East Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan
Chinese
Black
Filipino
Arab
Latin American
Southeast Asian
e.g. Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotian, Thai
West Asian
e.g. Iranian, Afghan
Korean
Japanese
Other
- Specify other racial or cultural group

Pride in Canadian achievements

How proud are you to be Canadian?

Are you:

Very proud
Proud
Somewhat proud
Not very proud
Not proud at all
No opinion

How proud are you to live in Canada?

Are you:

Very proud
Proud
Somewhat proud
Not very proud
Not proud at all
No opinion

How proud are you of Canada in each of the following?

Very proud
Proud
Somewhat proud
Not very proud
Not proud at all
No opinion

a. The way democracy works

b. Its political influence in the world

c. Canada's economic achievements

d. Its health care system

e. Its social safety net

The Canadian social safety net includes a broad spectrum of government programs—many run by the provinces—designed to give assistance to citizens. These include, but are not restricted to, education, employment insurance benefits, low-income support, the Canada and Quebec Pension plans, and many others.

f. Its scientific and technological achievements

g. Its achievements in sports

h. Its achievement in arts and literature

i. Canada's armed forces

j. Its history

k. Its treatment of all groups in society

l. Canada's Constitution

Sense of belonging

How would you describe your sense of belonging to the following?

Very strong
Somewhat strong
Somewhat weak
Very weak
No opinion

a. To your local community {in Canada}

b. To your town or city {in Canada}

c. To your province {in Canada}

d. To Canada

e. To your country of origin

f. To people with the same ethnic or cultural background as you

g. To people with the same religion as you

h. To people who speak the same first language as you

i. To the online communities that you are most active in

Online communities include, but are not restricted to, social media groups such as Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Twitter, LinkedIn, online gaming.

Trust in people

The following questions are about your life in general and how you view other people.

Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted or that you cannot be too careful in dealing with people?

Most people can be trusted
You cannot be too careful in dealing with people

Trust in different groups of people

Using a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 means "Cannot be trusted at all" and 5 means "Can be trusted completely", what is your level of trust in each of the following groups of people?

Cannot be trusted at all 1
2
3
4
Can be trusted completely 5

a. People in your family

b. People in your neighbourhood

c. People you work with

d. People you go to school with

e. People who speak a different language than you

f. People with a different religion than you

g. People with a different ethnic or cultural background than you

h. Strangers

Trust in neighbourhood people

How many people do you trust in your neighbourhood?

Is it:

Most of the people
Many of the people
A few of the people
Nobody

Return of lost money

If you lost a wallet or purse that contained two hundred dollars, how likely is it to be returned with the money in it, if it was found:

Very likely
Somewhat likely
Not at all likely

a. By a neighbour

b. By a police officer

c. By a stranger

Confidence in institutions

Now, a few questions about the level of confidence you have in various institutions. Using a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 means "No confidence at all" and 5 means "A great deal of confidence", please answer the following questions.

How much confidence do you have in the following institutions?

No confidence at all 1
2
3
4
A great deal of confidence 5

a. The police

b. The justice system and courts

c. The school system

d. Federal Parliament

e. Banks

f. Major corporations

g. Local merchants and business people

h. The Canadian media

Discrimination – Reasons for

In the 5 years before the Covid-19 pandemic, have you experienced discrimination or been treated unfairly by others in Canada because of any of the following?

Discrimination means treating people differently, negatively or adversely because of their race, age, religion, sex, etc.

Was it because of:

Your age
Your ethnicity or culture
Your race or colour
Your religion
Your language
Your physical appearance
Include discrimination on the basis of weight, height, hair style or colour, clothing, jewelry, tattoos and other physical characteristics.
Your sex
Your gender identity or expression
Include gender diverse identities such as transgender, two-spirit, or nonbinary.
Your sexual orientation
A physical or mental disability
Some other reason
OR
Did not experience discrimination
- Specify the other reason for discrimination

Discrimination – Types of situations

In what types of situations have you experienced discrimination in the 5 years before the Covid-19 pandemic?

Was it:

In a store, bank or restaurant
When attending school or classes
At work or when applying for a job or promotion
When dealing with the police
When dealing with the courts
When crossing the border into Canada
Excludes incidences of discrimination upon leaving Canada.
Any other situation
- Specify this other situation

Discrimination – Reasons for

Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, have you experienced discrimination or been treated unfairly by others in Canada because of any of the following?

Discrimination means treating people differently, negatively or adversely because of their race, age, religion, sex, etc.

Was it because of:

Your age
Your ethnicity or culture
Your race or colour
Your religion
Your language
Your physical appearance
Include discrimination on the basis of weight, height, hair style or colour, clothing, jewelry, tattoos and other physical characteristics.
Your sex
Your gender identity or expression
Include gender diverse identities such as transgender, two-spirit, or nonbinary.
Your sexual orientation
A physical or mental disability
Some other reason
OR
Did not experience discrimination
- Specify the other reason for discrimination

Discrimination – Types of situations

Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, have you experienced discrimination or been treated unfairly by others in Canada because of any of the following?

Was it:

In a store, bank or restaurant
When attending school or classes
At work or when applying for a job or promotion
When dealing with the police
When dealing with the courts
When crossing the border into Canada
Excludes incidences of discrimination upon leaving Canada.
Any other situation
- Specify this other situation

Self-rated mental health

In general, how would you rate your mental health?

Is it:

Excellent
Very good
Good
Fair
Poor

General health

The following question is about health. By health, we mean not only the absence of disease or injury but also physical, mental and social well-being.

In general, how is your health?

Would you say:

Excellent
Very good
Good
Fair
Poor

Life Satisfaction

Using a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 means "Very dissatisfied" and 10 means "Very satisfied", how do you feel about your life as a whole right now?

0 — Very dissatisfied
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 — Very satisfied

Activities of daily living

The following questions are about difficulties you may have doing certain activities. Only difficulties or long-term conditions that have lasted or are expected to last for six months or more should be considered.

Seeing

Do you have any difficulty seeing?

Would you say:

No
Sometimes
Often
Always
Don't know

Do you wear glasses or contact lenses to improve your vision?

Would you say:

Yes
No
Don't know

{With your glasses or contact lenses, which/Which} of the following best describes your ability to see?

Would you say:

No diff
iculty seeing
Some difficulty seeing
A lot of difficulty seeing
Are-you legally blind
Are-you blind
Don't know

How often does this {difficulty seeing/seeing condition} limit your daily activities?

Would you say:

Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
Don't know

Hearing

Do you have any difficulty hearing?

Would you say:

No
Sometimes
Often
Always
Don't know

Do you use a hearing aid or cochlear implant?

Would you say:

Yes
No
Don't know

{With your hearing aid or cochlear implant, which/Which} of the following best describes your ability to hear?

Would you say:

No difficulty hearing
Some difficulty hearing
A lot of difficulty hearing
You cannot hear at all
Are-you Deaf
Don't know

How often does this {difficulty hearing/hearing condition} limit your daily activities?

Would you say:

Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
Don't know

Physical activities

Do you have any difficulty walking, using stairs, using your hands or fingers or doing other physical activities?

Would you say:

No
Sometimes
Often
Always
Don't know

Mobility

The following questions are about your ability to move around, even when using an aid such as a cane.

How much difficulty do you have walking on a flat surface for 15 minutes without resting?

This refers to your regular walking pace. If you use an aid for minimal support such as a cane, walking stick or crutches, please answer this question based on your ability to walk when using these aids.

Would you say:

No difficulty
Some difficulty
A lot of difficulty
You cannot do at all
Don't know

How much difficulty do you have walking up or down a flight of stairs, about 12 steps without resting?

Would you say:

No difficulty
Some difficulty
A lot of difficulty
You cannot do at all
Don't know

How often {does this difficulty walking/does this difficulty using stairs/do these difficulties} limit your daily activities?

Would you say:

Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
Don't know

Flexibility

How much difficulty do you have bending down and picking up an object from the floor?

Would you say:

No difficulty
Some difficulty
A lot of difficulty
You cannot do at all
Don't know

How much difficulty do you have reaching in any direction, for example, above your head?

Would you say:

No difficulty
Some difficulty
A lot of difficulty
You cannot do at all
Don't know

How often {does this difficulty bending down and picking up an object/does this difficulty reaching/do these difficulties} limit your daily activities?

Would you say:

Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
Don't know

Dexterity

How much difficulty do you have using your fingers to grasp small objects like a pencil or scissors?

Would you say:

No difficulty
Some difficulty
A lot of difficulty
You cannot do at all
Don't know

How often does this difficulty using your fingers limit your daily activities?

Would you say:

Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
Don't know

Pain

The following questions are about pain due to a long-term condition that has lasted or is expected to last for six months or more.

Do you have pain that is always present?

Would you say:

Yes
No
Don't know

Do you {also} have periods of pain that reoccur from time to time?

Would you say:

Yes
No
Don't know

How often does this pain limit your daily activities?

If you have both pain that is always present and pain that reoccurs from time to time, consider the pain that bothers {him/her} the most. If your pain is controlled by medication or therapy, please answer this question based on when you are using medication or therapy.

Would you say:

Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
Don't know

When you are experiencing this pain, how much difficulty do you have with your daily activities?

Would you say:

No difficulty
Some difficulty
A lot of difficulty
You cannot do most activities
Don't know

Cognitive activities

Please answer only for difficulties or long-term conditions that have lasted or are expected to last for six months or more.

Do you have any difficulty learning, remembering or concentrating?

Would you say:

No
Sometimes
Often
Always
Don't know

Learning

Do you think you have a condition that makes it difficult in general for {him/her} to learn? This may include learning disabilities such as dyslexia, hyperactivity, attention problems, etc.

Would you say:

Yes
No
Don't know

Has a teacher, doctor or other health care professional ever said that you had a learning disability?

Would you say:

Yes
No
Don't know

How often are your daily activities limited by this condition?

Would you say:

Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
Don't know

How much difficulty do you have with your daily activities because of this condition?

Would you say:

No difficulty
Some difficulty
A lot of difficulty
You cannot do most activities
Don't know

Developmental

Has a doctor, psychologist or other health care professional ever said that you had a developmental disability or disorder? This may include Down syndrome, autism, Asperger syndrome, mental impairment due to lack of oxygen at birth, etc.

Would you say:

Yes
No
Don't know

How often are your daily activities limited by this condition?

Would you say:

Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
Don't know

How much difficulty do you have with your daily activities because of this condition?

Would you say:

No difficulty
Some difficulty
A lot of difficulty
You cannot do most activities
Don't know

Memory

Do you have any ongoing memory problems or periods of confusion?

Exclude occasional forgetfulness such as not remembering where you put your keys.

Would you say:

Yes
No
Don't know

How often are your daily activities limited by this problem?

If the problem is controlled by medication or therapy, please answer this question based on when you are using medication or therapy.

Would you say:

Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
Don't know

How much difficulty do you have with your daily activities because of this problem?

If the problem is controlled by medication or therapy, please answer this question based on when you are using medication or therapy.

Would you say:

No difficulty
Some difficulty
A lot of difficulty
You cannot do most activities
Don't know

Mental health

Please remember that your answers will be kept strictly confidential.

Do you have any emotional, psychological or mental health conditions?

e.g., anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, substance abuse, anorexia, etc.

Would you say:

No
Sometimes
Often
Always
Don't know

How often are your daily activities limited by this condition?

If the condition is controlled by medication or therapy, please answer this question based on when you are using medication or therapy.

Would you say:

Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
Don't know

When you are experiencing this condition, how much difficulty do you have with your daily activities?

If the condition is controlled by medication or therapy, please answer this question based on when you are using medication or therapy.

Would you say:

No difficulty
Some difficulty
A lot of difficulty
You cannot do most activities
Don't know

Other health condition

Do you have any other health problem or long-term condition that has lasted or is expected to last for six months or more?

Exclude any health problems previously reported.

Would you say:

Yes
No
Don't know

How often does this health problem or long-term condition limit your daily activities?

If you have more than one other health problem or condition, please answer based on the health problem or condition that limits your daily activities the most.

Would you say:

Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
Don't know

Pain

The following questions are about pain due to a long-term condition that has lasted or is expected to last for six months or more.

Do you have pain that is always present?

Would you say:

Yes
No
Don't know

Do you {also} have periods of pain that reoccur from time to time?

Would you say:

Yes
No
Don't know

How often does this pain limit your daily activities?

Would you say:

Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
Don't know

When you are experiencing this pain, how much difficulty do you have with your daily activities?

Would you say:

No difficulty
Some difficulty
A lot of difficulty
You cannot do most activities
Don't know

Dwelling

The following questions are about your housing characteristics.

What type of dwelling are you living in now?

If you are living in a condominium or seniors' housing, identify the type of building.

Single detached house
Semi-detached or double
i.e., side by side
Garden home, town-house or row house
Duplex
i.e. one above the other
Low-rise apartment of less than 5 stories
High-rise apartment of 5 or more stories
Mobile home or trailer
Other
- Specify the type of dwelling

Ownership of dwelling

Do you, or another member of your household own or rent this dwelling?

Owned by you or a member of this household, even if it is still being paid for
Rented, even if no cash rent is paid

Is there a mortgage on this dwelling?

Renting of dwelling

Is your household's monthly rental payment reduced for any of the following reasons?

Government subsidized housing
Include federal, provincial and municipal programs.
Any other reasons, such as services to landlord or company housing
No reduced rent

Length of time lived in dwelling

How long have you lived in this dwelling?

Is it:

Less than 6 months
6 months to less than 1 year
1 year to less than 3 years
3 years to less than 5 years
5 years to less than 10 years
10 years and over

Length of time lived in neighbourhood

How long have you lived in this neighbourhood?

Is it:

Less than 6 months
6 months to less than 1 year
1 year to less than 3 years
3 years to less than 5 years
5 years to less than 10 years
10 years and over

Length of time lived in city or local community

How long have you lived in this city or local community?

Is it:

Less than 6 months
6 months to less than 1 year
1 year to less than 3 years
3 years to less than 5 years
5 years to less than 10 years
10 years and over

Characteristics of immediate neighbourhood

Now a few questions about your immediate neighbourhood.

How many people do you know in your neighbourhood?

Is it:

Most of the people
Many of the people
A few of the people
None of the people

Would you say this neighbourhood is a place where neighbours help each other?

Yes
No
Just moved in the area

In the past month, have you done a favour for a neighbour?

e.g., picking up the mail, watering plants, shovelling, lending tools or garden equipment, carrying things upstairs, feeding pets when neighbours go on holiday or shopping

Yes
No
Just moved in the area

In the past month, have any of your neighbours done a favour for you?

Yes
No
Just moved into the area

How many people in your neighbourhood do you know well enough to ask for a favour?

e.g., picking up the mail, watering plants, shovelling, lending tools or garden equipment, carrying things upstairs, feeding pets when you go on holiday or shopping

None
1 to 5
6 to 10
Over 10

Religion

What is your religion?

Specify your denomination or religion, even if you are not currently a practicing member of that group.

e.g. Roman Catholic, United Church, Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran, Muslim, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, Greek Orthodox

Religion

To search for a religion, type the first few letters to narrow down the choices.

Note: If the religion is not listed, select "Other".

list of 144 religions
Other
OR
No religion

Specify the religion

Not counting events such as weddings or funerals, during the past 12 months, how often did you participate in religious activities or attend religious services or meetings?

Exclude rites of passage such as weddings, funerals, baptisms, bar mitzvahs.

Was it:

At least once a week
At least once a month
At least three times a year
Once or twice a year
Not at all

In the past 12 months, how often did you engage in religious or spiritual activities on your own?

Include prayer, meditation and other forms of worship taking place at home or in any other location.

Was it:

At least once a day
At least once a week
At least once a month
At least three times a year
Once or twice a year
Not at all

Religion – In childhood

What was your religion up until age 15?

Specify one denomination or religion only, even if you were not a practicing member of that group.

e.g., Roman Catholic, United Church, Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran, Muslim, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, Greek Orthodox

Same as current religion
Different from current religion
No religion

Religion

To search for a religion, type the first few letters to narrow down the choices.

Note: If the religion is not listed, select "Other".

No religion
Other - specify
list of 144 religions

Specify the religion

Importance of religion

How important are your religious or spiritual beliefs to the way you live your life?

Are they:

Very important
Somewhat important
Not very important
Not at all important

Language

Can you speak English or French well enough to conduct a conversation?

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

What language do you speak most often at home?

English
French
Other
- Specify other language

What is the language that you first learned at home in childhood and still understand?

If you no longer understand the first language learned, indicate the second language learned.

English
French
Other
- Specify other language

Veteran Identifier Question

Have you ever served in the Canadian military?

Canadian military service includes service with the Regular Force or Primary Reserve Force as an Officer or Non-Commissioned Member. It does not include service with the Cadets.