Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth (CHSCY)

Data are collected under the authority of the Statistics Act, Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, Chapter S-19. Your information will be kept strictly confidential.

Data sharing agreements

To avoid duplication of surveys, Statistics Canada has signed agreements to share data from this survey with provincial and territorial ministries of health, and, for Quebec residents, the Institut de la statistique du Québec. The provincial and territorial ministries of health, and the Institut de la statistique du Québec may make these data available to local health authorities.

Data shared with your ministry of health, or the Institut de la statistique du Québec may also include identifiers such as your name, address, telephone number and health card number. Local health authorities would receive only survey responses and the postal code.

These organizations have agreed to keep the data confidential and use them only for statistical purposes. Statistics Canada will share the data you provide only with your consent.

To reduce the number of questions in this survey, Statistics Canada will use information from your tax forms submitted to the Canada Revenue Agency. With your consent, Statistics Canada will share this information from your tax forms with your provincial or territorial ministry of health and, for Quebec residents, the Institut de la statistique du Québec. These organizations have agreed to keep the information confidential and to use it only for statistical and research purposes.

Statistics Canada will share your tax information with these organizations with your permission only.

Record linkage

To enhance the data from this survey and to reduce the burden on respondents, Statistics Canada will combine the information you provide from tax data for all members of your household.

For respondents who provide consent to share, the information you provide may also be combined by your provincial or territorial ministry of health and, for Quebec residents, the Institut de la statistique du Québec with information from other surveys or administrative sources. This may include information on past and continuing use of health services such as visits to hospitals, clinics, and doctors' offices.

The survey collects data on various topics, including the perception of physical and mental health, chronic conditions, access to a regular health care provider and care needs, childhood experiences, suicide and substance use.

More specifically:

• Parents can expect questions about:
  • access to a regular health care provider;
  • long-term health conditions;
  • general and mental health;
  • feelings and behaviours of children;
  • perceived need for care;
  • childhood experiences.
• Youth (12 years and older) can expect questions about:
  • general and mental health;
  • perceived need for care (for youth 15 years and older);
  • feelings and behaviours;
  • substance use;
  • suicide;
  • discrimination;
  • loneliness;
  • childhood experiences (for youth 15 years and older).

Socio-demographic information is also collected. This allows for the analysis of specific population groups (by age group, geography, etc.).

Statistics Canada publishes the results of its surveys in many formats. To find all the documents related to this survey, follow the links below and type the name of the survey in the search engine located at the left of your screen to filter the results.

Data: You will find tables, profiles of a community or region, thematic maps, public use microdata files, and data visualization tools.

Analysis: You will have direct access to statistics in brief (e.g., releases from The Daily, fact sheets), articles and reports, and journals and periodicals.

• What are the objectives of this survey?
• How is this survey conducted?
• How long does it take to complete the survey?
• Why is participation important?
• Can I choose not to answer certain questions?
• As a parent, can I complete this survey with my child?
• I recently completed a survey on children and youth. Why is Statistics Canada contacting me again?
• How will you safeguard the confidentiality of my information?
• When will the results be available?

What are the objectives of this survey?

The main objectives of the Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth are to:

• offer young people the opportunity to share their experiences, in complete confidentiality, to reflect a true picture of what affects their health and well-being today;
• provide insights on issues impacting the physical and mental health of children and youth;
• monitor health trends based on sociodemographic information;
• support health surveillance programs by providing health data at the national, provincial, and territorial levels.

Researchers from various fields will be allowed to use the data to conduct research into the various factors that affect the health and well-being of children and youth in Canada.

How is this survey conducted?

The Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth (CHSCY), conducted by Statistics Canada, asks a variety of questions on the physical and mental health of children and youth. There are two parts to this survey: one part is for parents or guardians of children aged 1 to 17 years, and a second part is for selected youth aged 12 to 17 years. Once the questionnaire is completed by the parent or legal guardian, the youth will receive an email with a secure access code to complete their survey online. Parental consent for youth aged 12 to 14 years is required.

The collection is done using an electronic questionnaire, computer-assisted personal interviews, and a telephone follow-up.

How long does it take to complete the survey?

The interview length varies depending on each respondent's answers and on the age of the child selected for the survey.

• Parents or guardians of a selected child aged 1-17 years, may need on average 25 to 30 minutes to complete the survey.
• Youth aged 12 to 17 years, may need on average 15 to 20 minutes to complete the survey.

Why is participation important?

Your participation in this survey is voluntary, however, your participation ensures we have an accurate and up-to-date picture of the health status of the youth population aged between 1 and 17 years.

The information collected will provide a better understanding of the health care needs of children and youth and will be used to measure how health care is delivered across Canada. The data collected will also help policymakers and health researchers monitor Canadian children’s health over time.

Can I choose not to answer certain questions?

Yes. Even after having agreed to participate in the survey, you may choose not to answer specific questions you find sensitive or where you feel uncomfortable providing a response.

As a parent, can I complete this survey with my child?

To get the most truthful answers possible, we recommend that each respondent complete the survey on their own. Your child can skip questions they are not comfortable answering.

I recently completed a survey on children and youth. Why is Statistics Canada contacting me again?

In 2023, Statistics Canada conducted the Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth. The 2024 version is different, with some similar questions, but considerably shorter. Although every effort has been made to reduce the number of surveys each household is asked to complete, your household may still be contacted.

How will you safeguard the confidentiality of my information?

As with all Statistics Canada surveys, any information provided will remain confidential pursuant to the Statistics Act.

Statistics Canada takes the privacy of Canadians very seriously. Published data can never identify you or your household.

To find out more about the measures in place to safeguard the confidentiality of your information, visit Statistics Canada's Trust Centre.

When will the results be available?

Results will be released in the fall 2025. A report produced by Statistics Canada will be announced in The Daily, Statistic Canada's official release bulletin.