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Have you been invited to participate in this survey via email or mail? To log in to the survey, complete the following steps.
Step 1: Visit the electronic questionnaire portal and select Start my survey.
Step 2: Enter your secure access code (you will find this code in the invitation letter or email you previously received from Statistics Canada).
Step 3: Complete the survey.
Are you missing your secure access code, or do you need help?
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(TTY: 1-800-363-7629)
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One of the principal goals of the Government of Canada is to continually improve energy efficiency in Canada through practical and innovative programs and policies. Such improvements support a transition to a low carbon economy, reduce energy consumption and help lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Natural Resources Canada, in partnership with Statistics Canada, is working to establish a better understanding of this sector in order to develop effective federal, provincial, territorial and municipal government programs and policies in support of energy efficiency and lower GHG emissions.
This survey will collect detailed information on the energy demand and consumption patterns of commercial and institutional buildings in Canada. Information will include the types and quantities of energy being used (such as electricity, natural gas, etc.), and building characteristics to better understand energy consumption. Information from this survey will be used by analysts, policy-makers, governments, utilities, industry associations, building managers and business owners.
The survey is split into two components: the building component and the institution component.
Your information may also be used by Statistics Canada for other statistical and research purposes.
Collection period:
Confirmation of basic building or institution information (pre-contact):
Building component: September 24 to November 29, 2024
Institution component: January 21 to March 31, 2025
Detailed questionnaire:
Building component: January 20 to July 31, 2025
Institution component: May 14 to August 29, 2025
Collection methods:
Electronic questionnaire and telephone interview
Survey participation:
Mandatory
Confidentiality
Data are collected under the authority of the Statistics Act, Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, Chapter S-19.
By law, Statistics Canada is prohibited from releasing any information it collects that could identify any person, business, or organization, unless consent has been given by the respondent, or as permitted by the Statistics Act. Statistics Canada will use the information from this survey for statistical purposes only.
Data sharing agreements and record linkage
To reduce the response burden, Statistics Canada has entered into data sharing agreements with provincial and territorial statistical agencies and other government organizations, which have agreed to keep the data confidential and use them only for statistical purposes. Statistics Canada will only share data from this survey with those organizations that have demonstrated a requirement to use the data.
Section 11 of the Statistics Act provides for the sharing of information with provincial and territorial statistical agencies that meet certain conditions. These agencies must have the legislative authority to collect the same information, on a mandatory basis, and the legislation must provide substantially the same provisions for confidentiality and penalties for disclosure of confidential information as the Statistics Act. Because these agencies have the legal authority to compel businesses to provide the same information, consent is not requested and businesses may not object to the sharing of the data.
For this survey, there are Section 11 agreements with the provincial and territorial statistical agencies of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and the Yukon.
The shared data will be limited to information pertaining to business establishments located within the jurisdiction of the respective province or territory.
Section 12 of the Statistics Act provides for the sharing of information with federal, provincial or territorial government organizations. Under Section 12, you may refuse to share your information with any of these organizations by writing a letter of objection to the Chief Statistician, specifying the organizations with which you do not want Statistics Canada to share your data and mailing it to the following address:
Chief Statistician of Canada
Statistics Canada
Attention of Director, Centre for Special Business Projects
150 Tunney’s Pasture Driveway
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0T6
You may also contact us by email at infostats or by fax at 1-514-496-4879.
For this survey, there are Section 12 agreements with the statistical agencies of Prince Edward Island, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, as well as with Natural Resources Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Research Council Canada and the British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines, and Low Carbon Innovation.
Record linkage
To enhance the data from this survey and to reduce the response burden, Statistics Canada may combine the information you provide with data from other surveys or administrative sources.
Topics covered in the survey
In advance of conducting the survey, respondents will be contacted to confirm some basic information regarding their building or institution (pre-contact).
The detailed questionnaire asks questions about:
- Building or institution characteristics
- Construction
- Building or institution type
- Activity or function
- Capacity
- Equipment located on-site
- Types and quantities of energy used, generated or sold
- Energy conservation and energy efficiency practices
- Recommissioning or retro commissioning
- Renovations or retrofits