Faculties • Libraries • Campus Maps • York U Organization • Directory • Site Index

Census of Canada

Last updated 2008.05.22

This page lists sources of census data for Canada only; those wishing to find census data for other countries should consult the Population and demographics page, check out OFFSTATS for the country in question, or the United Nations list of links to national statistical offices of member countries.

• Census years 2006 / 2001 / 1996 / 1991 / 1986 / 1981 / 1976 / 1971 / pre-1971
• Canadian Census Analyzer
• E-STAT
• Finding information on census tracts

Please note: Off-campus York University users should log in to the library's proxy server to ensure access to all the data files available via the links listed below.

2006 census

• Census homepage at Statistics Canada
  
  
  • 2006 Census of Agriculture
  • Aboriginal peoples
  • Age and sex
  • Dwelling and household characteristics (not including 'shelter costs')
  • Education (including school attendance and educational attainment)
  • Ethnic origin and visible minorities
  • Families and households
  • Housing and shelter costs
  • Immigration & citizenship
  • Income and earnings
  • Labour (including labour market activity, industry and occupation)
  • Language
  • Marital status (including common-law status)
  • Mobility & migration
  • Place of work and commuting to work (including mode of transportation)
  • Population and dwelling counts
    
    
  
  
• Additional 2006 census links
  • Census Dictionary
  • Census Tract (CT) Profiles, 2006 Census
  • Census trends
  • Community Profiles
  • Geography products (including maps, spatial data, etc.)
    • GeoSearch 2006
  • How to cite census products
  • Reference material

Go to top

2001 census

• About the 2001 census
• Aggregate statistics (data tables)
• Census of agriculture
• Geography files (including maps, spatial data, etc.)
• Public-use microdata files (PUMFs)
• Reference products (e.g., census dictionary, handbook, etc.)

---

• Aggregate statistics
  • 2001 Community Profiles
    "These profiles contain free information for all Canadian communities (cities, towns, villages, Indian reserves and Indian settlements, etc.), counties or their equivalents and for metropolitan areas."
    
    
  • Canadian Census Analyser
    Provides access to 2001 Canadian census data down to the census tract or dissemination area levels
    
    
  • E-STAT
    Contains profile data at province, census division, census subdivision, and census tract levels. Also includes census of agriculture data at province and census division level.
    Access restrictions: IP domain addresses of registered educational institutions
    
    
  • Profiles and Topic-Based Tabulations
    • via the Statistics Canada 2001 Census website
      
      
    • via University of Toronto
      Access Restrictions: restricted to York University users
      May require Beyond 2020 6.0+
    
    

• Geographic and reference files
  Data files (cartographic boundary files) are in ArcInfo and MapInfo formats, at the national, provincial and CMA/CA levels.
  • Statistics Canada reference maps
  • Glossary of census geography terms
  • Finding information on census tracts
  • Thematic maps
  • Toronto Neighbourhoods (City of Toronto, Urban Development Services)
    
    
• Public-use microdata files (PUMFs)
  • Individual file -- user guide / other documentation
  • Family file -- user guide / other documentation
  • Household file -- user guide / other documentation
  • Contact the Data Librarian for access to the actual data files

Go to top

1996 census

• About the 1996 census
• Aggregate statistics (data tables)
• Census of agriculture
• Geography files (including maps, spatial data, etc.)
• Public-use microdata files (PUMFs)
• Reference products (e.g., census dictionary, handbook, etc.)

---

• Aggregate statistics
  • 1996 Community Profiles
    
    
  • Search aggregate data tables
    Searchable database of all table titles in the Nation, Dimensions, Profile, and Basic summary tabulations series.
    
    
  • Basic summary tabulations
    Tables containing one or more characteristics (e.g. age by sex), by large and small levels of geography, i.e. Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas (CMAs) and census agglomerations, census subdivisions, census tracts, enumeration areas, federal electoral districts, and forward sortation areas. (I.e. aggregate, multivariate distributions.)
    
    
  • Dimensions series
    More detailed tables on special topics, e.g. ethnocultural and social characteristics, income and earnings, place of work and mode of transporation. These tables contain one or more characteristics (e.g. immigration status by income groups), at very high levels of geography, i.e. Canada, provinces and territories (i.e. aggregate, multi-variate distributions.). For some tables, data are available for census metropolitan areas (CMAs) or census divisions (CDs) and census subdivisions (CSDs).
    
    
  • E-STAT
    Contains profile data at province, census division, census subdivision, and census tract levels. Also includes census of agriculture data at province and census division level.
    Access restrictions: IP domain addresses of registered educational institutions
    
    
  • Federal electoral district profile
    
    
  • Nation series
    Tables containing one or more characteristics (e.g. age by sex), at very high levels of geography, i.e. Canada, provinces and territories, and for some tables, 25 census metropolitan areas (CMAs). (I.e. aggregate, multi-variate distributions.)
    • Selected Nation tables (Statistics Canada; access unrestricted)
    
    
  • Population and dwelling counts
    
    
  • Profile series
    Census characteristics, by large and small levels of geography, i.e. Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas (CMAs) and census agglomerations, census subdivisions, census tracts, enumeration areas, federal electoral districts, and forward sortation areas. (I.e. aggregate, univariate distributions.)
    
    
• Geographic and reference files
  Data files (digital boundary & digital cartographic files) are in ArcInfo and MapInfo formats, at the national, provincial and CMA/CA levels.
  Access restrictions: DLI
  • Toronto CMA census subdivisions (showing CTs)
  • Toronto Neighbourhoods (City of Toronto, Urban Development Services)
  • Toronto 1996 census atlas
  
  
• Public Use Microdata Files (PUMFs)
  The 1996 Public Use Microdata Files (PUMFs) contain samples of anonymized responses to the 1996 census questionnaire (long form, 2B). The files have been carefully scrutinized to ensure the complete confidentiality of the individual responses. Three files will be available: an Individual file, a Household and Housing file, and a Family file. Microdata files give users access to unaggregated data. However, to ensure the anonymity of the respondents, geographic identifiers have been restricted to the provinces/territories and large metropolitan areas.
  Access restrictions: DLI
  • Variable descriptions and frequencies for individual PUMF
  • Comparative table of individual PUMF variables, 1971-1996 (PDF)
  • Documentation:
    • Individual file -- user guide / other documentation
    • Family file -- user guide / other documentation
    • Household file -- user guide / other documentation
    • Contact the Data Librarian for access to the actual data files

Go to top

Earlier census years

1991 census

• Availability of 1991 aggregate statistics in print and/or electronic form
• Table of 1991 census products
• Some 1991 data and documentation are available via E-STAT and the Canadian Census Analyzer. Contact Library Data Services for details on access to the rest. Data in print form are available in the Scott Library.
  Access restrictions: DLI

1986 census

• Availability of 1986 aggregate statistics in print and/or electronic form
• Some 1986 data and documentation are available via E-STAT and the Canadian Census Analyzer. Contact Library Data Services for details on access to the rest. Data in print form are available in the Scott Library.
  Access restrictions: DLI

1981 census

• Availability of 1981 aggregate statistics in print and/or electronic form
• Some 1981 data and documentation are available via the Canadian Census Analyzer. Contact Library Data Services for details on access to the rest. Data in print form are available in the Scott Library.
  Access restrictions: DLI

1976 census

• Availability of 1976 aggregate statistics in print and/or electronic form
• Some 1976 data and documentation are available via the Canadian Census Analyzer. Contact Library Data Services for details on access to the rest. Data in print form are available in the Scott Library.
  Access restrictions: DLI

1971 census

• Availability of 1971 aggregate statistics in print and/or electronic form
• Some 1971 data and documentation are available via the Canadian Census Analyzer. Contact Library Data Services for details on access to the rest. Data in print form are available in the Scott Library.
  Access restrictions: DLI

Pre-1971

• Aggregate statistics are available for the pre-1971 period; however, most are available only in print. Check the "Availability of aggregate statistics from the Canadian population census" page and select the census year of interest. In many cases, the contents pages of the print products are available online in PDF format.
  
  
• Some data for 1961 and 1966 are available in electronic form
  
  
• E-STAT
  Contains statistics from the 1665-1666 census of New France, the censuses (from 1685 through 1767) of Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Upper and Lower Canada, and the 1861 census of Upper and Lower Canada. Data in print form are available in the Scott Library.
  
  
• Prince Edward Island census of 1841
  A searchable database of the earliest census of the colony on Prince Edward Island. This database indexes approximately 4,000 families in 43 of the Island's 66 townships.
  
  
• The Microtext dept on the first floor of the Scott Library has microfilm reels containing copies of the actual census data for selected years between 1842 -1891, plus for all of 1901. You shold use the catalogue of microfilmed records of data from census years in the period 1666-1901 (available from the Library and Archives of Canada) to identify the particular reel of interest.

Go to top

Canadian Census Analyzer

• The Canadian Census Analyser provides access to Canadian census profile data at various levels of geography, as well as individual microdata files. It includes:
  • 2001, 1996, 1991, 1986 and 1981 Enumeration Area/Dissemination Area level Profile data
  • 2001, 1996, 1991, 1986, 1981, 1971, and 1961 Census Tract level Profile data
  • 2001, 1996 and 1991 Provincial and Federal District Profile data
  • 2001, 1996, 1991, 1986, 1981, and 1971 Individual Microdata Files.
  • Access restrictions: DLI

Go to top