General Information
Purpose
The Households and the Environment Survey (HES) measures the environmental practices and behaviours of Canadian households that relate to the condition of our air, water and soils. The survey was also designed to collect data to develop and improve three key environmental indicators: air quality, water quality and greenhouse gas emissions.
Authority
This survey is conducted under the authority of the Statistics Act, Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, Chapter S-19. While completion of this questionnaire is voluntary, data from your household are essential if the results of this survey are to be accurate.
Introduction
Your household was recently contacted by Statistics Canada to ask information about activities that relate to the environment. In order to fully understand the impacts that the household sector has on our water, air, soils and resource use, information relating to the characteristics and energy use of your dwelling are needed. The survey results will be a valuable source of information to be used in the development of energy efficiency initiatives and to support energy conservation practices in Canada. A definition of being energy efficient is using technology or behavior to perform a certain task or function at the same level of quality with less energy. The efficient use of energy can be used to moderate the growth in energy demand and reduce associated emissions and often leads to lower energy bills.
This survey asks questions about home heating and cooling, appliances, the physical features of your dwelling, and your household's energy consumption.
Your information may also be used by Statistics Canada for other statistical or research purposes.
Confidentiality
The Statistics Act protects the confidentiality of information collected by Statistics Canada.
Data Sharing Agreement
To avoid duplication in surveys and to provide consistent statistics, Statistics Canada has entered into an agreement under section 12 of the Statistics Act with Environment and Climate Change Canada, Natural Resources Canada, British Columbia Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and National Research Council Canada for the sharing of information from this survey.
For more information about this agreement, please refer to page 6 of this questionnaire.
To complete your paper questionnaire:
- Read the instructions carefully
- Use a blue or black ballpoint pen;
- Print clearly in capitals in the middle of the box as follows;
- If you make an error, cross out the character(s) that is (are) wrong, and continue;
- Mark circles with an "X", as follows:
- To change an answer in a circle, black out the incorrect response and mark the correct one;
- When we use the word "You", we are referring to you or anyone else in your household who lives in the dwelling.
- Mail back your completed questionnaire in the envelope provided.
If you have any questions about this survey, please contact us 7 days a week, including evenings (except holidays) at 1-833-977-8287 (TTY: 1-866-753-7083*).
For more detailed information
For more detailed information about the Households and the Environment Survey: Energy Use questionnaire, please refer to the PDF version.
Dwelling Characteristics
The word "DWELLING" refers to a separate set of living quarters with a private entrance either from outside or from a common hall, lobby, vestibule or stairway inside the building. The entrance to the dwelling must be one that can be used without passing through the living quarters of someone else.
1. What is the heated area of your dwelling?
Exclude the basement and garage.
If the exact size is unknown, please indicate the range:
Mark one only.
- 01: 600 square feet (55 square metres) or less
- 02: 601 - 1,000 square feet (56 - 95 square metres)
- 03: 1,001 - 1,500 square feet (96 - 140 square metres)
- 04: 1,501 - 2,000 square feet (141 - 185 square metres)
- 05: 2,001 - 2,500 square feet (186 - 230 square metres)
- 06: 2,501 - 3,000 square feet (231 - 280 square metres)
- 07: 3,001 - 3,500 square feet (281 - 325 square metres)
- 08: 3,501 - 4,000 square feet (326 - 371 square metres)
- 09: 4,001 square feet (372 square metres) or more
- 10: Don't know
In this section, we are interested in obtaining accurate and complete information about the amount and type of energy (electricity, natural gas, heating oil, and propane) that the household consumes within the dwelling.
2. Which of the following energy sources does your household use in your dwelling?
Mark all that apply.
- 01: Electricity
- 02: Natural gas
- 03: Heating oil
- 04: Propane (do not include propane used for barbeques)
- 05: Wood (excluding wood pellets)
- 06: Wood pellets
- 07: Solar heat (for space or water heating)
- 08: Solar electricity (photovoltaic panels)
- 09: Wind power
- 10: Other - Specify
- 11: Do not use any sources of energy
- 97: Don't know
3. Is anyone in your dwelling responsible for paying the bills for any of the following: Electricity / Natural gas / Heating oil / Propane?
- 01: Yes
- 02: No (Go to question 15. Do NOT fill the energy consumption tables.)
- 97: Don't know (Go to question 15. Do NOT fill the energy consumption tables.)
4. Statistics Canada produces an estimate of the residential energy consumption for Canadian households. The most accurate and effective way to do this is to obtain your household's energy consumption data directly from your energy provider.
The only data that we will collect from the energy providers will be the energy consumption amount for the 2021 calendar year. No financial information (payments amounts, payments status, etc.) will be collected.
The only information that Statistics Canada will give to your energy provider will be:
- Your name
- Your address
- Your account number
No other information that you provide for this survey will be given to the energy provider.
5. Please read and sign the following authorization.
The account holder authorizes Statistics Canada to release the account numbers and the name of the account holders to the energy companies listed below.
The account holder authorizes the companies below to provide Statistics Canada with the consumption of energy used by the dwelling identified on this questionnaire for the 2021 calendar year.
If you are answering on behalf of other people, please consult each person.
- Signature
- Year
- Month
- Day
6. Do you pay an electricity provider to supply your home?
- Yes
- No (Go to question 8)
7. Provide the following information about your electricity provider.
- 01: Name of energy company
- 02: Account number
- 03: Account holder - Last name
- 04: Account holder - First name
- 05: Telephone number of energy company
- 06: Extension
8. Do you pay a natural gas provider to supply your home?
- Yes
- No (Go to question 10)
9. Provide the following information about your natural gas provider.
- 01: Name of energy company
- 02: Account number
- 03: Account holder - Last name
- 04: Account holder - First name
- 05: Telephone number of energy company
- 06: Extension
10. Do you pay a heating oil provider to supply your home?
- Yes
- No (Go to question 12)
11. Provide the following information about your heating oil provider.
- 01: Name of energy company
- 02: Account number
- 03: Account holder - Last name
- 04: Account holder - First name
- 05: Telephone number of energy company
- 06: Extension
12. Do you pay a propane provider to supply your home?
- Yes
- No (Go to question 14)
13. Provide the following information about your propane provider.
- 01: Name of energy company
- 02: Account number
- 03: Account holder - Last name
- 04: Account holder - First name
- 05: Telephone number of energy company
- 06: Extension
14. Do you have an energy supplier for which you did not provide the requested account information?
- 01: Yes (Go to question 15. Fill the concerned energy consumption tables at the end.)
- 02: No (Go to question 15. Do not fill the energy consumption tables.)
15. To avoid duplication, Statistics Canada has entered into an agreement with Environment and Climate Change Canada, Natural Resources Canada, the British Columbia Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and National Research Council Canada to share the information that you provided on this survey. This includes the information obtained during the electronic questionnaire and/or telephone interview, the information provided on this questionnaire, and if you gave Statistics Canada the authorization to do so, the information obtained directly from the energy supplier(s). Names, addresses, telephone numbers and account numbers will not be shared. Environment and Climate Change Canada, Natural Resources Canada. the British Columbia Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and National Research Council Canada have agreed to keep your information confidential and use it only for statistical purposes.
Do you authorize Statistics Canada to share the combined information from this survey with Environment and Climate Change Canada, Natural Resources Canada, the British Columbia Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and National Research Council Canada?
- 01: Yes
- 02: No
Record linkage
To enhance the data from this survey and to minimize the reporting burden for respondents, Statistics Canada may combine the information you provide with other survey or administrative data sources.
Place an "X" in the circle if you object to linkage of your survey responses with other survey or administrative data sources.
Energy Consumption Tables
Please fill the following tables for all energy types you did NOT give Statistics Canada consent to automatically gather your energy consumption data.
The requested energy consumption information should cover 14 months from the end of 2020 until the beginning of 2022. The information can be gathered from your online account or your bills.
Ignore the tables for the energy types you do not use or for which you already gave consent.
TABLE A - Electricity Consumption
Please obtain all of your electricity bills for the 14 months covering 2021 (including December 2020 and January 2022). Sort the electricity bills in chronological order (oldest first). Please complete the table below with the information from your electricity bills.
NOTE: If you have one or more recent electricity bills, the previous month's consumption summary may be available on the bills. You can use that information to transcribe the energy consumption for all 14 months without having to produce all bills.
- 01: Start Date (DD / MM / YYYY)
- 02: End Date (DD / MM / YYYY)
- 03: Number of days covered
- 04: Unit of measure (kW)
- 05: Unit of measure (GJ)
- 06: Energy Consumption
TABLE B – Natural Gas Consumption
Please obtain all of your natural gas bills for the 14 months covering 2021 (including December 2020 and January 2022). Sort the natural gas bills in chronological order (oldest first). Please complete the table below with the information from your natural gas bills.
- 01: Start Date (DD / MM / YYYY)
- 02: End Date (DD / MM / YYYY)
- 03: Number of days covered
- 04: Unit of measure (m3)
- 05: Unit of measure (GJ)
- 06: Energy Consumption
TABLE C – Heating Oil Consumption
Please obtain your most recent heating oil delivery bills covering 2021 (including last 2020 and first 2022 deliveries). Sort the heating oil bills in chronological order (oldest first). Please complete the table below with the information from your heating oil bills. If you cannot locate your most recent heating oil bills, please provide your best estimate.
- 01: Delivery Date (DD / MM / YYYY)
- 02: Unit of measure (Litres
- 03: Unit of measure (Gallons)
- 04: Amount of oil purchased
- 05: Actual (from bills)
- 06: Estimate
Comments
All the information that you have provided on this survey will be kept confidential.
Thank you for completing the questionnaire.
Please ensure that you have completed the Information Sharing Section on page 6 before returning your questionnaire. Thank you.