Census 2026 staff starting door-to-door follow-ups, phone calls this month

StatsCan Assistant Chief Statistician Geoff Bowlby explains why completing the census is ‘a key part of our democracy.’

If you haven’t filled out your mandatory census questionnaire yet, you can expect a visit or a phone call from a Statistics Canada employee soon.

The follow-ups to obtain responses for the 2026 Census of Population will begin this month, Statistics Canada said in a press release Tuesday. Millions of Canadians have already responded online, on paper or by phone, it added.

“These visits are intended to remind residents to complete the census and to offer assistance,” StatCan stated, noting that it had hired thousands of census enumerators to help collect the information. “Enumerators can help respondents complete the questionnaire in person if they have not yet done so or are unable to complete it on their own.”

The federal agency said those who have a hearing or speech impairment can call the Census Help Line at 1-833-830-3109 for assistance.

StatCan mailed information about the 2026 census to households across the country in early May, though some reported that they didn’t receive it by the May 12 deadline.

The federal agency collects census data every five years. The censuses are meant to help guide decisions about programs, services and infrastructure in communities nationwide, StatCan said.

Verifying census staff

Concerned about whether the visiting staff are legitimate? StatCan said people can contact the Census Help Line at 1-833-852-2026 to verify the identity of StatCan workers who call or show up at their homes. Census staff should have an official StatCan identification card, with their name, employment number and photo, it said.

Geoff Bowlby, assistant chief statistician for Statistics Canada, previously told CTVNews.ca that there isn’t a “hard deadline” for the mandatory census. However, those who still haven’t filled out their forms by around the end of July or August may face fines of up to $500, he added.

StatCan also said it will do phone and email follow-ups with those who didn’t fill out forms for the Census of Agriculture. The population census collects demographic, social and economic information, while the agriculture one gathers data on agricultural operations.