First census results due Feb. 10

By Your Southwest Media Group

Officials will issue the first results from the 2026 Canadian census in February, according to a Statistics Canada statement congratulating residents for their participation.

"The overall response rate . . . reached 98.4 per cent nationally," the statement said. "This is above the 98 per cent recorded in 2021 and equal to the rate that was achieved in 2016."

The online response rate increased to 88.6 per cent this year from 84.1 per cent in 2021, it said.

Also, 91.2 per cent completed their questionnaires without help from census staff, which "reflects a strong engagement with the census and a good understanding of its importance," the statement added.

"Our overall response rate for the census of population is one of the highest in the world for such an exercise, making the data it provides as accurate and reliable as can be," chief statistician André Loranger said. "The information obtained from the census provides invaluable insights into the evolving characteristics of our country that are needed to make well-informed, fact-based decisions."

The first of seven census releases, on Feb. 10, "will provide new data on the population and dwelling counts," the statement said. The first results from the farm census come out in May.