What to know
- Canada’s 2026 census has been mailed to all households and farm businesses, with residents legally required to complete it online using a unique 16-digit code by May 12.
- Some Canadians are refusing to participate, sharing images on social media of census letters marked “return to sender” and criticizing Prime Minister Mark Carney.
- Failing to complete the census is against the law and could result in fines up to $1,000 or up to six months in jail.
- Experts say the census is essential for planning public services and infrastructure, with Statistics Canada set to follow up with non-respondents after the deadline.
The 2026 census has been mailed out for residents of Canada to fill out and submit, and despite people being required to complete the census by law, some people are refusing to do so.
The 2026 Census of Population and 2026 Census of Agriculture letters were distributed to all homes and farm businesses in the country earlier this year, targeting the entire population of Canada. It’s a count that happens every five years, gathering data to paint a picture about various demographics in the country.
The physical survey also includes a 16-digit access code, unique to each household, that allows residents to complete their questionnaire online.
Census collection began at the beginning of May, with the final day to submit the census on May 12.
Users on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), have posted images of their mailed-in census letter, with many writing “return to sender,” while also directly addressing Prime Minister Mark Carney.
“Hey Carney, your manufactured ‘majority’ government is illegitimate. You don’t deserve my information,” some envelopes said.
“Canadians are sending their census forms back. They’ve had enough,” one X user said.
Ignoring the census is illegal and could lead to a fine of up to $1,000 and/or jail time of up to six months, according to the federal government.
Nelson Wiseman is a retired professor, also known as a professor emeritus, of political science at the University of Toronto. Wiseman explained to Now Toronto that the purpose of the census was not for political gain, and instead was for data collection.
“The census is for the government to decide planning and allocation of resources,” he said. “It informs policymakers about highways that need building, housing that’s required, shopping centres and their location.”
Wiseman added that knowing more information about the population and their demographics helps the government know where to provide services based on where they’re needed.
“If we never even required the census, how would we plan how many hospitals we need and where they should be, or how many people should be going to medical school, and where should those schools be? Those are the kinds of things that are helpful to know,” Wiseman said.
Many people on social media platforms, like X, have shared that they don’t believe the Liberal government should have access to their personal information. Wiseman said these people don’t know what they’re talking about.
“It collects information, and that collective information allows us to do collective planning,” he explained. “It allows us, it helps us have an appreciation of what percentage of the population might need certain social services or certain kinds of tax breaks.”
Statistics Canada will follow up with people who haven’t submitted their completed form by May 12.
According to the Statistics Canada website, every census employee will have an ID card with a Statistics Canada identifier, their name, employment number and a photo of themselves. If a follow-up phone call to a household is needed, the census employee will identify themselves.
