Every five years, Canadians are invited to participate in the national census. The Census began on May 4, 2026, and Statistics Canada continues to follow up with households that have not yet completed their questionnaires.

A question recently arose regarding whether caregivers should include information about children and youth in care — including their name, date of birth, and relationship as “foster child” — when completing the Census.

Following further review, it has been confirmed that caregivers are required to provide all requested information regarding children and youth in care when completing the Census.

The federal Statistics Act requires households to provide Census information and includes strict confidentiality protections to safeguard personal information and the identity of respondents. Information collected through the Census is protected and used only for statistical purposes.

Households can complete the questionnaire securely and confidentially online at census.gc.ca.