The 2026 Census is officially complete, and while we’ll have to wait until next year for the detailed results, one number is already getting attention.
According to Statistics Canada, the response rate for the 2026 Census reached 98.4 per cent. That’s higher than the 2021 Census and matches the response rate achieved in 2016. Statistics Canada says it’s among the highest response rates in the world for a national census, so we can pat ourselves on the back for that!
Canadians also mostly did it online. The online response rate climbed to 88.6 per cent, up from 84.1 per cent in 2021, meaning nearly nine out of every 10 households completed their census online.
The strong participation helps the government and social programs have a great snap shot of life in Canada. Census data is used by governments, businesses, and community organizations to help make decisions about everything from services and infrastructure to housing and future planning.
As for what the census actually found, the in depth version will be available starting in February!
Check out the Stats Can report so far.
