Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada is the
Canadian federal government bureau commissioned with producing
statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. The bureau is commonly called
StatCan or
StatsCan.
Statistics is a federal responsibility in Canada and StatCan produces statistics for all the provinces as well as the federal government. In addition to conducting about 350 active surveys on virtually all aspects of Canadian life, StatCan undertakes a country-wide
census every five years on the first and sixth year of each decade. Every household must complete the census form.
[Statscan.ca. 2006 Census] The last Canadian census was the
2001 census; the
most recent census (May
2006) is the first time an Internet version will be widely available.
The head of Statistics Canada is the
Chief Statistician of Canada. The heads of Statistics Canada and the previous agency, the Dominion Bureau of Statistics, are:
*
Ivan P. Fellegi (1985 - Present)
*
Martin B. Wilk (1980 - 1985)
* James L. Fry (1980)
* Peter G. Kirkham (1975 - 1980)
*
Sylvia Ostry (1972 - 1975)
* Walter E. Duffett (1957 - 1972)
* Herbert Marshall (1945 - 1956)
* Sedley A. Cudmore (1942 - 1945)
*
Robert H. Coats (1918 - 1942)
Statistics Canada is governed by:
*
Statistics Act, Revised Statutes of Canada 1985Statistics Canada publishes numerous documents covering a range of statistical information about Canada, including census data, economic and health indicators, and social and justice conditions. A press release on April 24, 2006, indicated that "effective today, all electronic publications on Statistics Canada's Web site will be available free of charge."
StatCan uses a variety of terms to designate regions in Canada for statistical purposes:
*
Census Agglomeration - Metropolitan areas smaller than 100,000 people
*
Census Metropolitan Area - Metropolitan areas greater than 100,000 people
*
Census division - Collection of census subdivisions
*
Census subdivision - Cities, towns, municipalities, etc.
**
City**
Chartered community - found in the Northwest Territories
**
County municipality - rural territories in Alberta
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Community - villages in Prince Edward Island
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Canton - Townships in Quebec
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United cantons - Townships which have been united in Quebec
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District municipality - Rural or urban territories of British Columbia
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Hamlet - Small communities in the territories
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Improvement district - Rural territories in Alberta
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Indian government district - found in British Columbia
**
Island municipality**
Local government district - found in Manitoba
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Township and royalty - Rural territories in Prince Edward Island
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Municipality - Rural territories in Quebec
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Municipal district - Rural territories in Alberta and Nova Scotia
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Northern hamlet - found in Saskatchewan
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Nisga'a land**
Northern village - found in Saskatchewan and Quebec (Village nordique)
**
Nisga'a village - found in British Columbia
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Parish - rural territories in Quebec (Parish municipalities) and New Brunswick
**
Indian reserve **
Rural community**
Regional district electoral area - Unorganized rural areas in British Columbia
**
Region**
Regional municipality - At the CSD level, an amalgamation of a large region. Found in Alberta and Nova Scotia
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Rural municipality - rural territories in Manitoba and Saskatchewan
**
Resort village - found in Saskatchewan
**
Indian settlement**
Special area - rural territories in Alberta
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Subdivision of county municipality - rural territories of Alberta
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Settlement - small communities in the territories
**
Subdivision of unorganized - unorganized rural territories of Newfoundland and Labrador
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Summer village - found in Alberta
**
Town **
Inuit land - found in Quebec
**
Teslin land**
Township - At the CSD level, only in Ontario
**
Reserve lands - found in Quebec
**
Unorganized area**
Ville - cities and towns in Quebec
**
Cree village - found in Quebec
**
Naksapi village**
Village*
Urban area*
Designated place*
Maxime Bernier*
Statistics Canada website*
2006 Census
