2024 Census Test for Collective Dwellings

Getting started

Why are we conducting this survey?

Thank you for taking the time to participate in the 2024 Census Test. The information you provide is converted into statistics used by communities, businesses, and governments to plan services and make informed decisions about employment, schools, public transportation and hospitals.

Preparations for the 2026 Census have begun, and Statistics Canada is seeking your participation in this important test.

The answers are collected under the authority of the Statistics Act and kept strictly confidential. By law, every facility and establishment must complete a 2024 Census Test questionnaire.

Statistics Canada makes use of existing sources of information such as immigration, income tax and benefits data to ensure the least amount of burden is placed on respondents.

The information that you provide may be used by Statistics Canada for other statistical and research purposes or may be combined with other survey or administrative data sources.

Make sure you count the residents into Canada's statistical portrait, and complete the census test questionnaire today.

Thank you.

Other important information

Authorization to collect this information

Data are collected under the authority of the Statistics Act, Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, Chapter S-19.

Confidentiality

All responses and personal information are strictly confidential and protected by law. The information provided cannot be given to anyone outside of Statistics Canada without your consent. Statistics Canada will use this information from this survey for statistical purposes only.

Record linkages

The information provided may be used by Statistics Canada for other statistical and research purposes or may be combined with other surveys or administrative data sources.

Facility and contact information

1. Verify or provide the facility name and correct where needed.

  • Facility name

2. Is this the civic address of this facility?

Note: If the address below is missing or incomplete, please answer "No" and provide the complete address.

  • Yes
  • No
    • Please enter the correct civic address of this facility.
      • Civic Number
      • Suffix
      • Street Name
      • Type
      • Direction
      • City
      • Province/territory

3. Verify or provide the following information of the designated contact person for this facility and correct where needed.

Note: The designated contact person is the person who should receive this questionnaire, but may not always be the one who actually completes the questionnaire.

  • First name
  • Last name
  • Title
  • Preferred language of communication
  • Mailing address (number and street)
  • City
  • Province, territory or state
  • Postal code or ZIP (Zone Improvement Plan) code
    Example: A9A 9A9 or 12345-1234
  • Country
  • Email address
    Example: user@example.gov.ca
  • Telephone number (including area code)
    Example: 123-123-1234
  • Extension number (if applicable)

Dwelling type definitions

The 2024 Census Test for the Census of Population counts people living in both Collective and Private Dwellings. This questionnaire will ask for information about persons residing at this facility, as well as any persons living in Private Dwellings that share the same civic address as this facility.

A Collective Dwelling is a dwelling of a commercial, institutional, or communal nature in which a person or group of persons reside or could reside. The Collective Dwelling must provide care or service, or common facilities shared by the occupants, such as a kitchen, dining room or bathroom. Examples include long-term care homes, residences for older adults, lodging or rooming houses, correctional facilities, group homes, hotels, motels, tourist establishments, hospitals, staff residences, military bases, and work camps.

A Private Dwelling is a separate set of living quarters that shares the same civic address as the Collective Dwelling but has a different apartment or unit number. The Private Dwelling must have a private entrance from either outside the building or from a common hall, lobby, vestibule, or stairway inside the building and cannot be accessed through another person's living quarters.

Residents of the dwelling do not receive any care or services provided by the facility.

Collective Dwelling types

1. Which of the following best describes this facility?

  • Hospital
    • If selected, go to Question 4.
      • Is this facility licensed as a hospital?
        • Yes
        • No
  • Long-term care home or residence for older adults
    • Select the most applicable:
      • Long-term care home

        A facility that provides 24-hour nursing care or personal care. Residents receive help for most or all daily activities.

      • Residence for older adults

        A facility where residents pay rent, and may pay additional fees if assisted living or support services are required. This facility does not provide 24-hour nursing or personal care e.g., retirement home or assisted living home.

      • Both long-term care home and residence for older adults
      • No care or services are provided to residents
        • If selected, go to Question 6.
  • Residential care facility, related to disabilities, mental health, addiction, etc.
    • This facility is for:
      Select all that apply.
      • Primarily children or minors
      • Persons with psychological disabilities
      • Persons with an addiction
      • Persons with physical challenges or disabilities
      • Persons with developmental disabilities
      • Persons with other disabilities
        • Specify
  • Shelter
    • This facility is primarily for:
      • Persons lacking a fixed address, such as homeless persons
      • Persons released from custody or on conditional release
      • Victims of domestic violence or abuse
      • Refugees and asylum seekers
      • Other
        • Specify
  • Correctional or custodial facility including municipal detachments
    • What type of facility is this?
      • Young offenders' facility
      • Temporary lock-up (e.g., police holding cell)
      • Provincial or territorial detention centre, or custodial facility
      • Federal correctional facility
  • Lodging or rooming house
    • If selected, exit survey.
  • Religious establishment
  • Hutterite colony
    • If selected, exit survey.
  • Establishment with temporary accommodation services
    • What type of establishment is this?
      • Hotel, motel or tourist establishment
      • Campground or park
      • Other establishment with temporary accommodation services such as a YMCA/YWCA, Ronald McDonald House or hostel
  • Other establishment
    • What type of establishment is this?
      • Residence for school or training centre
      • Military base
      • Commercial vessel
      • Work camp
      • Government vessel
      • Other type of establishment
  • None of the above
    • If selected, go to Question 2.

Go to Question 5, unless otherwise specified.

You previously selected "None of the above". The following questions will help determine if this establishment should be included in this questionnaire or not.

2. Does this establishment allow for a person or a group of persons to stay overnight?

  • Yes
    • Does this establishment provide care, service, or shared amenities?

      Include any medical service, health care or personal care that is provided by the facility. Shared amenities include access to a common kitchen, dining room or bathroom.
      Exclude services not provided by the establishment (e.g., Uber, SkipTheDishes, Hello Fresh, etc.).

      • Yes
      • No
        • If no, go to Question 6.
  • No
    • If no, go to Question 6.

3. Based on the answers provided, this facility must be included in the 2024 Census Test. Which of the following options best describes the primary purpose of this facility?

  • Hospital
    • If selected, go to Q4.
      • Is this facility licensed as a hospital?
        • Yes
        • No
  • Long-term care home or residence for older adults
    • Select the most applicable:
      • Long-term care home

        A facility that provides 24-hour nursing care or personal care. Residents receive help for most or all daily activities.

      • Residence for older adults

        A facility where residents pay rent, and may pay additional fees if assisted living or support services are required. This facility does not provide 24-hour nursing or personal care e.g., retirement home or assisted living home.

      • Both long-term care home and residence for older adults
  • Residential care facility, related to disabilities, mental health, addiction, etc.
    • This facility is for:
      Select all that apply.
      • Primarily children or minors
      • Persons with psychological disabilities
      • Persons with an addiction
      • Persons with physical challenges or disabilities
      • Persons with developmental disabilities
      • Persons with other disabilities
        • Specify
  • Shelter
    • This facility is primarily for:
      • Persons lacking a fixed address, such as homeless persons
      • Persons released from custody or on conditional release
      • Victims of domestic violence or abuse
      • Refugees and asylum seekers
      • Other
        • Specify
  • Correctional or custodial facility including municipal detachments
    • What type of facility is this?
      • Young offenders' facility
      • Temporary lock-up (e.g., police holding cell)
      • Provincial or territorial detention centre, or custodial facility
      • Federal correctional facility
  • Lodging or rooming house
    • If selected, exit survey.
  • Religious establishment
  • Hutterite colony
    • If selected, exit survey.
  • Establishment with temporary accommodation services
    • What type of establishment is this?
      • Hotel, motel or tourist establishment
      • Campground or park
      • Other establishment with temporary accommodation services such as a YMCA/YWCA, Ronald McDonald House or hostel
  • Other establishment
    • What type of establishment is this?
      • Residence for school or training centre
      • Military base
      • Commercial vessel
      • Work camp
      • Government vessel
      • Other type of establishment
        • Specify
  • Go to Q5, unless otherwise specified.

4. What services are provided at this hospital?

  • Short-term care
  • Long-term acute care
    • Is there also a care home for older adults at this facility?
      • Yes
      • No
  • Both short-term care and long-term acute care
    • Is there also a care home for older adults at this facility?
      • Yes
      • No

Maximum capacity

5. What is the maximum number of persons who could stay overnight?

If the number of persons is unknown, enter your best estimate.

  • Maximum number
    • If 0, go to Question 6.
  • Go to Question 7, unless otherwise specified.

Operation status

6. Based on the answers provided, this establishment either does not allow for persons to stay overnight or does not provide care, service, nor shared amenities and as a result does not meet the requirements for this questionnaire.

Select the option that best describes the operational status.

  • Seasonal operations
    • When did this establishment close for the season?

      Example: YYYY-MM-DD

    • When does this establishment expect to resume operations?

      Example: YYYY-MM-DD

  • Temporarily inactive
    • When did this establishment become temporarily inactive?

      Example: YYYY-MM-DD

    • When does this establishment expect to resume operations?

      Example: YYYY-MM-DD

    • Why is this establishment temporarily inactive?
  • Ceased operations
    • When did this establishment cease operations?

      Example: YYYY-MM-DD

    • Why did this establishment cease operations?
      • Bankruptcy
      • Liquidation
      • Dissolution
      • Other
        • Specify the other reasons why operations ceased
  • Private dwelling
    • When did this establishment become a private dwelling?

      Example: YYYY-MM-DD

  • Other
    • Specify
  • Go to Question 26, unless otherwise specified.

Resident information

The census counts people at the place where they usually live.

7. How many persons live at this facility and consider it to be their main residence?

Include persons:

  • whose main residence is at this facility, even if they are temporarily away
  • who do not have a residence elsewhere
  • who have been living at this facility for more than six months (i.e., moved in or were admitted before November 14, 2023)
  • who are live-in employees (e.g., staff, managers, and owners).

Exclude persons:

  • who live in a private dwelling attached to this facility
  • who are residents of another country visiting Canada.
  • Number of persons
    • If 0, go to Question 8.
    • If greater than 20, go to Question 9.
    • If 1 to 20, go to Question 10.

8. Is there anyone staying at this address temporarily and has their main residence elsewhere?

  • Yes
  • No
  • Go to Question 24, unless otherwise specified.

To complete the 2024 Census Test, Statistics Canada requires that you provide the following information for the residents who live at this facility.

This information includes:

  • first name and last name
  • date of birth, gender, and sex at birth
  • legal marital status
  • person living with a partner
  • languages.

By law, residents living in facilities and establishments that were selected for the 2024 Census Test must be counted. Participation is required under the authority of the Statistics Act. The administrator of the Collective Dwelling is required to provide the information and Statistics Canada is authorized to collect it. The information are collected under the authority of the Statistics Act and are kept strictly confidential.

9. How will you provide this information for each resident?

  • Electronic questionnaire

    Provide the information for each resident online

  • Template provided by Statistics Canada

    Provide the residents’ information in the downloadable Collective Template (Excel, 87 KB)

    • If selected, go to Question 23.
  • This facility's administrative records

    Attach your facility's records that contains the residents' information

    • If selected, go to Question 23.

10. List the persons whose main residence is at this facility.

  • First name
  • Last name

After 2 hours of inactivity, the session will time out and the information may not be accessible. If the questionnaire cannot be completed in one session, save the information by pressing the Save and finish later button at the bottom left of any page when prompted to enter information. The session can be resumed at another time.

11. Select from the options below to provide information about each resident.

12. What is this person's unit or room number?

  • Unit/room number

Demographic information

13. What is this person's date of birth?

If exact date is not known, enter best estimate.

  • Day
  • Month
  • Year

Example: 1974

14. What is this person's gender?

Gender refers to an individual's personal and social identity as a man (or a boy), woman (or a girl), or a person who is not exclusively a man (or a boy) or a woman (or a girl), for example, non-binary, agender, gender fluid, queer, or Two-Spirit.

  • Man or boy
  • Woman or girl
  • Non-binary person

15. What was this person's sex at birth?

Sex at birth refers to the sex recorded on a person's first birth certificate. It is typically observed based on a person's reproductive system and other physical characteristics.

  • Male
  • Female

16. What is this person's status at this facility?

  • Resident (e.g., client, tenant, patient)
  • Roommate, lodger or boarder
  • Employee (e.g., staff, manager, owner)
  • Employee's family member
  • Other status
    • Specify other status

17. What is the relationship between this person and any other persons living in the same unit or room?

  • Lives alone
  • Lives with a spouse or partner
  • Lives with others, excluding spouse or partner

18. What is this person's marital status?

  • Never legally married
  • Legally married (and not separated)
  • Separated, but still legally married
  • Divorced
  • Widowed

19. Is this person living with a partner?

Living with a partner refers to two people who live together as a couple and who are not married, regardless of the duration of the relationship.

  • Yes
  • No

Languages for this person

20. Can this person speak English or French well enough to conduct a conversation?

  • English only
  • French only
  • Both English and French
  • Neither English nor French

21 a. What language(s) does this person speak on a regular basis at home?

  • English
  • French
  • Other language(s)
    • Specify language 1
    • Specify language 2
    • Specify language 3
    • Specify any other language(s)

21 b. Of these languages, which one does this person speak most often at home?

Indicate more than one language only if they are spoken equally at home.

  • English
  • French
  • Other language
    • Specify language based on answers given to question 21 a

22. What is the language that this person first learned at home in childhood and still understands?

If the person no longer understands the first language learned, indicate the second language learned.

  • English
  • French
  • Other language
    • Specify other language

File containing information about residents

After 2 hours of inactivity, the session will time out and the information may not be accessible. If the questionnaire cannot be completed in one session, save the information by pressing the Save and finish later button at the bottom left of any page when prompted to enter information. The session can be resumed at another time.

23. Provide the information for all residents whose main residence is at this facility using the template.

Select the link to download the Collective Template (Excel, 87 KB), then provide the information about the residents. Save the template and attach below.

To attach files

  • Press the Attach files button.
  • Choose the file to attach. Multiple files can be attached.

Note

  • Each file must not exceed 5 MB.
  • The attachments combined must not exceed 50 MB.
  • The name and size of each file attached will be displayed on the page.

Private Dwellings at this facility

As part of the Canadian Census of Population, Statistics Canada is also collecting information about Private Dwellings that share the same address as your facility.

A Private Dwelling:

  • is a separate set of living quarters that shares the same civic address as the collective dwelling but has a different apartment or unit number
  • must have a private entrance from either outside the building or from a common hall, lobby, vestibule, or stairway inside the building and cannot be accessed through another person's living quarters.

Residents of the Private Dwelling do not receive any care or services provided by the facility.

24. Are there any Private Dwellings that share this address with this facility?

  • Yes
    • Number of dwellings
    • If 0, go to Question 26.
  • No
  • If no, go to Question 26.

25. Provide the information for each Private Dwelling.

  • Unit/Apartment number

    Is this dwelling occupied or unoccupied?

    • Occupied
      • Number of occupants
    • Unoccupied

Feedback

26. Do you have any comments about this questionnaire?

Please use this section if you have concerns, suggestions or comments to make about

  • the steps to follow or the content of this questionnaire (e.g., a question that was difficult to understand or to answer)
  • the characteristics of the online questionnaire (e.g., the navigation, the online help, the design, the format, the size of the text)
  • any technical issues encountered.
    • Enter your comments
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