Data collection

Data collection began in May

Conducting the Census of Agriculture jointly with the Census of Population in mid-May helps streamline collection procedures and saves millions of dollars. In 2011, most Census of Population forms and all Census of Agriculture forms were delivered to households and farm operations by Canada Post.

A question on the Census of Population questionnaire was used to identify farm operators who may have been missed. Head Office might have followed up with a phone call to help the operator fill out the questionnaire.

All Census of Agriculture respondents were asked to mail back their completed questionnaires in the pre-addressed, postage-paid envelopes provided.

Options for completing the Census of Agriculture

The questionnaires were either completed and submitted through the Internet or on paper and mailed back to Statistics Canada's Data Operations Centre for data capture. (For more information please see Data processing.) Farm operators could also complete the form on the phone by calling the toll-free Census Help Line.

The Census Help Line

A Census Help Line was a toll-free telephone service that respondents could call during the collection period to obtain assistance in completing the questionnaire.

The Census of Agriculture and the Internet

In 2011 the option of completing the Census of Population or Census of Agriculture questionnaires over the Internet was offered once again. Both the agriculture and population questionnaires used a single portal, or entry point. Instructions for accessing the website address and the Internet forms were included on the paper questionnaires delivered to respondents, as was the unique secure access code that respondents used to access the electronic questionnaire. This authenticated users and confirmed that a questionnaire was received from that household. The Internet version also included navigational aids, drop-down menus, help pages and online edits.

Internet security—completing your questionnaire online

Statistics Canada takes the protection of confidential information provided online very seriously. A secure login process and strong encryption were key elements in helping to prevent anyone from accessing or tampering with your census information when you completed and sent it online.

Census follow-up

Once the data were collected and captured, Statistics Canada employees edited or checked them for completeness. Any questionnaire with missing or incomplete data was followed up by telephone. A non-response telephone follow-up was required when questionnaires were not returned within a certain period of time.