Last year we undertook to count every Canadian, as well as to count all of the farms, farmers and livestock across the country. This year we are launching a comprehensive Census of Environment by working closely with Environment and Climate Change Canada and other partners to paint a complete picture of the land we call home.
Canadians are increasingly concerned about environmental issues such as climate change and biodiversity loss, which pose significant risks to their communities and wellbeing. The Census of Environment will provide Canadians with the standardized data they need to understand these issues, in one convenient location. It will also measure the results of interventions that aim to make Canada more resilient and adaptable to climate change.
At the foundation of the Census of Environment will be the first-ever national register of Canada’s ecosystems. It will help track the size and condition of ecosystems such as wetlands, coastal areas and urban forests over time.
The Census of Environment will build and expand upon work that we and other government departments have already undertaken, such as the recently released report Human Activity and the Environment 2021: Accounting for ecosystem change in Canada, which provides an initial assessment of the latest statistics on the extent and condition of Canada’s ecosystems, as well as estimates of the supply and use of selected ecosystem services.
Stay tuned. More data will be shared in the coming months.
Contact information
For more information, contact the Statistical Information Service (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).