Canada’s 2026 census has started and you could be fined up to $500 for ignoring it

If a letter shows up in your mailbox soon, you should probably give it a second look before tossing it.

Statistics Canada officially kicked off the 2026 Census of Population on May 4, and households across the country are now receiving invitation letters in the mail. Each one includes a unique 16-digit access code to complete the questionnaire online. If yours hasn’t arrived yet, it shouldn’t be long.

Participation isn’t optional. Under the Statistics Act, every Canadian household is legally required to fill out a census questionnaire. Ignoring it, or knowingly providing false information, can result in a fine of up to $500. There’s no way around it — the census has been mandatory in Canada since well before Confederation, and the 2026 edition is no different.

Most households will receive a short-form questionnaire with 12 questions covering the basics: age, language, marital status and household composition. However, about a quarter of households will get the longer version, which runs to 70 questions and covers education, employment, housing and economic circumstances. A few questions are new this year, including ones on general health status, sexual orientation for people 15 and older, and hidden homelessness, meaning people living in overcrowded or unstable housing situations who aren’t counted in traditional homeless tallies.

The census runs every five years and the data collected shapes more of daily life than most people realize. Transit routes, school locations, hospital funding, childcare availability and government programs at every level all get informed by what Canadians report. This is the country’s 24th national census of population, and Statistics Canada says the information is kept strictly confidential under the Statistics Act.

If you don’t complete the questionnaire online, a Statistics Canada employee will follow up to help you finish it. You can also call the Census Help Line to complete it over the phone, or request a paper copy if you don’t have reliable internet access.

The questionnaire is available at census.gc.ca.