The Census of Population is conducted every five years by Statistics Canada. The goal of the census is to enumerate the entire population of Canada, a tradition dating back to North America’s first census carried out in 1665-1666 by Intendant Jean Talon. The participation of households is mandatory under the Statistics Act, and the information collected paints a detailed statistical portrait of the population and its distribution across the country.
The Institut de la statistique du Québec largely relies on these data to produce specific portraits of the population and analyze the demographic, social and economic evolution of the province and its regions. Census data are a key source of information for public policy and land use planning, as well as for decision making in various fields, and they contribute to the development and well-being of our whole society.
