Census Family | Child | De Facto Marital Status | Dwelling | Household | Immigration | Income | Labour Market | Language | Mobility Status | Mode of Transportation | Population | Religion | Schooling

Census Family
Refers to a married couple (with or without children of either or both spouses), a couple living common-law (with or without children of either or both partners) or a lone parent of any marital status, with at least one child living in the same dwelling. A couple living common-law may be of opposite or same sex. "Children" in a census family include grandchildren living with their grandparent(s) but with no parents present.

Note: For the 2001 Census, several changes were made to the census family concept:

• Two persons living in a same-sex common-law relationship, along with any of their children residing in the household, will, from now on, be considered a census family.
• Children in a census family can have been previously married (as long as they are not currently living with a spouse or common-law partner). Before, they had to be "never married".
• A grandchild living in a three-generation household where the parent (middle generation) has never been married will, from now on, be considered a child in the census family of his or her parent, provided the grandchild is not living with his or her own spouse, common-law partner, or child. Previously, the census family usually consisted of the two older generations.
• Grandparents living with their grandchildren, where middle-generation parents are not present, will, from now on, be considered to form a census family, provided the grandchild is not living with his or her own spouse, common-law partner, or child. Previously, such a grandchild would not have been considered a member of the census family.

Child
Refers to a blood, step- or adopted son or daughter (regardless of age or marital status) who is living in the same dwelling as his or her parent(s), as well as to grandchildren in households where there are no parents present. Sons and daughters who are living with their spouse or common-law partner, or with one or more of their own children, are not considered members of the census family of their parent(s), even if they are living in the same dwelling. In addition, those sons and daughters who do not live in the same dwelling as their parent(s) are not considered members of the census family of their parent(s).

De Facto Marital Status
A couple or a person's actual marital situation.

Single
Persons who have never married and persons whose marriage has been annulled and who have not remarried. Persons who are single and live with a common-law partner are not included in this category.

Married
Persons currently married whose husband or wife is living, unless the couple is separated or divorced.

Common-law
Two persons of the opposite sex or same sex living together as a couple and not legally married to one another.

Separated
Persons currently married but who are no longer living with their spouse (for any reason other than illness or work) and have not obtained a divorce. Persons who are separated but who live with a common-law partner are not included in this category.

Divorced
Persons who have obtained a legal divorce and who have not remarried. Persons who are divorced but who live with a common-law partner are not included in this category.

Widowed
Persons who have lost their spouse through death and who have not remarried. Persons who are widowed but who live with a common-law partner are not included in this category.

Dwelling

Dwelling, Occupied Private
Refers to a private dwelling in which a person or a group of persons is permanently residing. Also included are private dwellings whose usual residents are temporarily absent on Census Day. Unless otherwise specified, all data in tables on housing are for occupied private dwellings, rather than for unoccupied private dwellings or dwellings occupied solely by foreign and/or temporary residents.

Dwelling, Occupied Private: Repairs Needed

Regular maintenance
Refers to painting, furnace cleaning, etc.

Minor repairs
Refer to the repair of missing or loose floor tiles, bricks or shingles, defective steps, railing or siding, etc.

Major repairs
Refer to the repair of defective plumbing or electrical wiring, structural repairs to walls, floors or ceilings, etc.

Dwelling, Occupied Private: Structural Type of Dwelling

Single-detached house
A single dwelling not attached to any other dwelling or structure (except its own garage or shed). A single-detached house has open space on all sides, and has no dwellings either above it or below it.

Semi-detached house
One of two dwellings attached side by side (or back to front) to each other, but not to any other dwelling or structure (except its own garage or shed). A semi-detached dwelling has no dwellings either above it or below it, and the two units together have open space on all sides.

Row house
One of three or more dwellings joined side by side (or occasionally side to back), such as a town house or garden home, but not having any other dwellings either above or below.

Apartment or flat in a detached duplex
One of two dwellings, located one above the other, but not attached to any other dwelling or structure (except its own garage or shed). The two units together have no other dwellings attached to the back, front, or sides, and have open space on all sides.

Apartment in a building with five or more storeys
A dwelling unit in a high-rise apartment building that has five or more storeys.

Apartment without direct ground access in a building with fewer than five storeys
A dwelling unit attached to other dwellings, commercial units or other non-residential space in a building that has fewer than five storeys. The dwelling's private entrance is not at ground level, nor can it be reached by a private or common outside stairway that leads from the ground, or raised terrace/patio, to the dwelling's private entrance.

Apartment with direct ground access in a building with fewer than five storeys
A dwelling unit attached to other dwellings, commercial units or other non-residential space in a building that has fewer than five storeys. The dwelling's private entrance is either at ground level, or it can be reached by a private or common outside stairway that leads directly to the ground, or raised terrace/patio.

Other single-attached house
A single dwelling that is attached to another building and that does not fall into any of the other categories, such as a single dwelling attached to a non-residential structure (e.g. a store or a church) or to another residential structure (e.g. an apartment building).

Mobile home
A single dwelling, designed and constructed to be transported on its own chassis and capable of being moved to a new location on short notice. It may be placed temporarily on a foundation, such as blocks, posts or a prepared pad (which may be covered by a skirt).

Other movable dwelling
A single dwelling, other than a mobile home, used as a place of residence, but capable of being moved on short notice, such as a tent, recreational vehicle, travel trailer or houseboat.

Dwelling, Occupied Private: Tenure
Refers to whether some member of the household owns or rents the dwelling, or whether the dwelling is Band housing (on an Indian reserve or settlement).

Owned dwelling
A dwelling is classified as "owned" even if it is not fully paid for, such as one which has a mortgage or some other claim on it. The dwelling may be situated on rented or leased land or be part of a condominium (whether registered or unregistered).

Rented dwelling
A dwelling is classified as "rented" even if it is provided without cash rent or at a reduced rent, or if the dwelling is part of a cooperative. For census purposes, in a cooperative, all members jointly own the cooperative and occupy their dwelling units under a lease agreement.

Band housing
For historical and statutory reasons, shelter occupancy on reserves does not lend itself to the usual classification by standard tenure categories. Therefore, a special category, Band housing, has been created for 1991 Census purposes.

Dwelling, Private
Refers to a separate set of living quarters with a private entrance either from outside or from a common hall, lobby, vestibule or stairway inside the building. The entrance to the dwelling must be one that can be used without passing through the living quarters of someone else. The dwelling must meet the two conditions necessary for year-round occupancy:

• a source of heat or power (as evidenced by chimneys, power lines, oil or gas pipes or meters, generators, woodpiles, electric lights, heating pumps, solar heating panels, etc.);
• an enclosed space that provides shelter from the elements (as evidenced by complete and enclosed walls and roof, and by doors and windows that provide protection from wind, rain and snow).

Household
Refers to a person or a group of persons (other than foreign residents), who occupy the same dwelling and do not have a usual place of residence elsewhere in Canada. It may consist of a census family, with or without other non-family persons, of two or more families sharing a dwelling, of a group of unrelated persons, or of one person living alone. Since several changes have been made to the concept of census family in 2001, it is preferable not to compare the data on single and multiple-family households in 2001 with those of previous censuses. Unless otherwise specified, all data in tables on households are for private households only.

Private household
Refers to a person or a group of persons (other than foreign residents) who occupy a private dwelling and do not have a usual place of residence elsewhere in Canada.

Collective household
Refers to a person or a group of persons who occupy a collective dwelling and do not have a usual place of residence elsewhere in Canada.

Also included in this category are rooming houses, hotels, motels, tourist homes, nursing homes, hospitals, staff residences, military camps, jails, reception centres, group homes, and so on.

Household size
Number of persons in a private household.

Shelter Costs

Average monthly rent
Refers to the total average monthly payments by tenant households to secure shelter. It includes payments for electricity, oil, gas, coal, wood or other fuels, water and other municipal services, and monthly cash rent.

Average monthly property expenses
Refers to the total average monthly payments paid by tenant households to secure shelter. It includes payments for electricity, oil, gas, coal, wood or other fuels, water and other municipal services, the mortgage payment, property taxes (municipal and school taxes), and condominium fees.

Shelter costs as a percentage of household income
Proportion of average monthly household income devoted in 2000 to rental or property expenses.

Average value of dwelling
Refers to the value the owner would expect to receive for his dwelling and not to the amount that it would actually sell for.

Immigration

Age at immigration
Refers to the age at which an immigrant obtained landed immigrant status.

Year of immigration
Refers to the year in which a person received landed immigrant status.

Landed immigrant
Refers to a person who has been granted the right to live in Canada permanently by immigration authorities.

Period of immigration
Refers to the range of years including the year in which a person obtained landed immigrant status.

Immigrant
Refers to a person with landed immigrant status in Canada, whether the person has resided in Canada for a number of years or has arrived recently. Children born in Canada of immigrant parents are considered non-immigrants in the census data.

Non-immigrant
Refers to a person who is a Canadian citizen by birth.

New immigrant
Refers to a person having obtained immigrant status during the last period of immigration, i.e. between 1996 and 2001.

Income

Total Income
Refers to the total money income received from the following sources during calendar year 2000 by persons 15 years of age and over:

• wages and salaries (total);
• net farm income;
• net non-farm income from unincorporated business and/or professional practice;
• Canada Child Tax Benefits;
• Old Age Security pension and Guaranteed Income Supplement;
• benefits from Canada or Québec Pension Plan;
• benefits from Employment Insurance;
• other income from government sources;
• dividends, interest on bonds, deposits and savings certificates, and other investment income;
• retirement pensions, superannuation and annuities, including those from RRSPs and RRIFs;
• other money in income.

Average Income
Refers to the weighted mean income of households, census families, economic families, non-family persons, persons with an income or an employment income during the year preceding the census, i.e. 2000.

The average income of a specified group is calculated by dividing the aggregate income of that group by the number of units (household, family or individual) in the group.

Employment Income
Refers to net income received during calendar year 2000:

• wages and salaries;
• income from non-farm unincorporated business;
• income from professional practice;
• farm self-employment income.

Government Payment Transfers
Refers to income from all government transfer payments received from federal, provincial or municipal governments during calendar year 2000:

• Old Age Security pension and Guaranteed Income Supplement;
• benefits from Canada or Québec Pension Plan;
• benefits from Employment Insurance;
• Canada Child Tax benefits;
• other income from government sources.

Other Income Sources
Refers to income received during calendar year 2000 not declared in one of the other categories, among others:

• alimony;
• child support;
• periodic support from other persons not in the household;
• income from abroad (except dividends and interest);
• non-refundable bursaries and scholarships;
• severance pay and royalties.

Full-time employment
Thirty hours or more per week of paid work.

Part-time employment
Less than thirty hours per week of paid work.

Labour Market

Participation in Labour Market

Labour force
Refers to persons 15 years of age and over who were either employed or unemployed in the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day (May 15, 2001).

Employed labour force
Refers to persons 15 years of age and over who, in the week prior to Census Day:

• did any work what so ever for pay or in self-employment or without pay in a family farm, business or professional practice;
• were absent from their job or business, with or without pay, for the entire week because of a vacation, an illness, a labour dispute, or any other reasons.
  

Unemployed labour force
Refers to persons 15 years of age and over who, in the week prior to Census Day, were without paid work or without self-employment work and were available for work and either:

• had actively looked for paid work in the past four weeks; or
  
• were on temporary lay-off and expected to return to their job; or had definite arrangements to start a new job in four weeks or less.

Population not in the labour force
Refers to persons 15 years of age and over and who, in the week prior to Census Day, were neither employed nor unemployed. It includes students, homemakers, retired workers, seasonal workers in an "off" season who were not looking for work, and persons who could not work because of a long-term illness or disability.

Participation rate
Refers to the labour force in the week prior to Census Day, expressed as a percentage of the population 15 years of age and over.

Employment rate
Refers to the number of persons employed in the week prior to Census Day, expressed as a percentage of the total population 15 years of age and over.

Unemployment rate
Refers to the unemployed expressed as a percentage of the labour force in the week prior to Census Day.

Classes of Workers
Population 15 years of age and over, excluding institutional residents, who worked since January 1, 2000. The job reported was the one held in the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to enumeration (May 15, 2001) if the person was employed, or the job of longest duration since January 1, 2000, if the person was not employed during the reference week. Persons with two or more jobs in the reference week were asked to provide information for the job at which they worked the most hours.

Wage and salary earners
Refers to persons 15 years of age and over having worked mainly for wages, salaries, commissions, tips, piece-rates or payments "in kind" (payments in goods or services rather than money). Some examples include: those who worked in someone else's private household at such jobs as babysitting and cleaning; salespersons on commission working for only one company and not maintaining an office or staff; and those who worked for payment "in kind" in non-family enterprises, such as members of a religious order who received free room and board or other supplies in lieu of cash.

Self-employed
Refers to persons 15 years of age and over for whom the job reported consisted mainly of operating a business, farm or professional practice, alone or in partnership. Some examples include: operating a farm, whether the land is rented or owned; working on a freelance or contract basis to do a job (e.g. architects, private duty nurses); operating a direct distributorship selling and delivering products such as cosmetics, newspapers, brushes and household supplies; and fishing with own equipment or with equipment in which the person has a share.

Unpaid family workers
Refers to persons 15 years of age and over who worked without regular money wages, for a relative who was a member of the same household. The job reported consisted mainly of the operation of a professional practice or of tasks contributing to the operation of a business or farm, owned or operated by the relative.

Industry
Refers to the general nature of the business carried out in the establishment where the person worked. If the person did not have a job during the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to enumeration (May 15, 2001), the data relate to the job of longest duration since January 1, 2000. Persons with two or more jobs were to report the information for the job at which they worked the most hours.

The 2001 industry data are produced according to the 1997 NAICS. The NAICS provides enhanced industry comparability among the three North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) trading partners (Canada, United States and Mexico). This classification consists of a systematic and comprehensive arrangement of industries structured into 20 sectors, 99 subsectors and 300 industry groups. The criteria used to create these categories are similarity of input structures, labour skills or production processes used by the establishment. For further information on the classification, see Statistics Canada's website at www.statcan.ca.

The variable "Industry (based on the 1997 NAICS)" does not permit direct comparison to any previous census industry data. The 1980 Standard Industrial Classification should be used for comparisons between the 1986, 1991, 1996 and 2001 Censuses.

The 2001 occupation data are classified according to the 2001 National Occupational Classification for Statistics (NOC-S 2001). This classification is composed of four levels of aggregation. There are 10 broad occupational categories containing 47 major groups that are further subdivided into 140 minor groups. At the most detailed level, there are 520 occupation unit groups. Occupation unit groups are formed on the basis of the education, training, or skill level required to enter the job, as well as the kind of work performed, as determined by the tasks, duties and responsibilities of the occupation.

Note that to make comparisons with 1991 and 1996 census data, the Occupation (Historical) variable must be used.

Language

Mother tongue
Refers to the first language learned at home in childhood and still understood at the time of the census.

Home language
Refers to the language spoken most often or on a regular basis at home at the time of the census.

Note: The question on the language spoken at home has changed since 1996. Prior to that, it referred only to the language spoken most often at home but, in 2001, it also included the language spoken on a regular basis at home. Consequently, the 2001 data cannot be compared with those of previous censuses.

Language of work
Refers to the language used most often at work and other languages used at work on a regular basis at the time of the census.

Knowledge of official languages
Refers to the ability to conduct a conversation in English only, in French only, in both English and French, or in neither of the official languages of Canada.

Mobility Status

Place of residence 1 or 5 years ago

Mobility status refers to the relationship between a person's usual place of residence on Census Day and his or her place of residence one or five years earlier. This means that we have "non-movers" (whose usual place of residence is the same) and "movers". There are different types of "movers": people who moved within the same municipality or who moved from a different one, people who moved within the same province or moved from a different one, and people who came from another country to live in Canada.

The population referred to is one year of age or five years of age and over, as the case may be. Immigrants (persons who came from another country to live in Canada one or five years ago) are counted. However, emigrants (persons residing in Canada one or five years ago and who have since left) are not counted.

The notion of "moving" is always with regard to municipalities, even if the data are presented by administrative region or by regional county municipality (RCM). For example, it can be said that 28,190 people in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region moved within their municipalities of residence but not within the same administrative region.

When Statistics Canada tabulates usual place of residence one or five years ago by current place of residence, all geographic areas reflect their 2001 boundaries, even when referred to as places of residence in 2000 (1 year ago) or in 1996 (5 years ago).

Mode of Transportation
Refers to the most often used mode of transportation to work of non-institutional residents 15 years of age and over who worked at some time since January 1, 2000. However, if the person did not work during the week preceding May 15, 2001 but had worked at some time since January 1, 2000, the information relates to the job held longest during that period. Persons who use more than one mode of transportation are asked to identify the single mode they use for most of the travel distance.

Population
The Population Universe of the 2001 Census includes the following groups:

Permanent residents

• Canadian citizens (by birth or by naturalization) and landed immigrants with a usual place of residence in Canada;
• Canadian citizens (by birth or by naturalization) and landed immigrants who are abroad, either on a military base or attached to a diplomatic mission;
• Canadian citizens (by birth or by naturalization) and landed immigrants at sea or in port aboard merchant vessels under Canadian registry;

Non-permanent residents

• Persons with a usual place of residence in Canada who are claiming refugee status and members of their families living with them;
• Persons with a usual place of residence in Canada who hold student authorizations (visas or permits) and members of their families living with them;
• Persons with a usual place of residence in Canada who hold employment authorizations (or work permits) and members of their families living with them;
• Persons with a usual place of residence in Canada who hold Minister's permits (including extensions) and members of their families living with them.

The Population Universe of the 2001 Census does not include foreign residents because they have not been enumerated since 1991. Foreign residents are persons who belong to the following groups:

• Government representatives of another country attached to the embassy, high commission or other diplomatic body of that country in Canada, and members of their families living with them;
• Members of the Armed Forces of another country who are stationed in Canada, and members of their families living with them;
• Residents of another country visiting Canada temporarily (for example, a foreign visitor on vacation or on business, with or without a visitor's permit).

Usual Place of Residence
In general, the usual place of residence is the dwelling in Canada where a person lives most of the time. Individuals are assigned a geographic location for collection, processing and dissemination, upon the basis of their usual place of residence.

However, in certain cases, it is harder to determine the usual place of residence; therefore, special rules have been set down with a view to defining usual place of residence. To find out more about the methodological concepts related to usual place of residence, we invite you to consult the "Census" section in the Statistics Canada website at: http://www.statcan.ca/.

Religion

Refers to specific religious denominations, groups or bodies, as well as to sects, cults, or other religiously defined communities or systems of belief.

Please note that respondents were instructed to report a specific denomination, even if they were not practising members. For infants or children, respondents were instructed to report the denomination in which they will be raised. In most cases, this would normally be the religion of their parents (or guardians). Persons who had no connection or affiliation with any religious group or denomination were instructed to mark the circle "No religion". However, if respondents considered terms such as "atheist" or "agnostic" to be applicable to them, they were instructed to specify them.

Schooling

School Attendance
Refers to either full-time or part-time (day or evening) attendance at school, college or university between September 2000 and May 15, 2001. Attendance is counted only for courses which could be used as credits towards a certificate, diploma or degree.

Full-time
Attendance is considered to be full-time if the person was taking 75% or more of the normal course load in the grade or year in which the person is registered.

Part-time
Attendance is considered to be part-time if the person was taking less than 75% of the normal course load in the grade or year in which the person is registered. Short-term courses of six weeks or less taken during the day are considered to be part-time attendance.

Highest Level of Schooling
Refers to the highest grade or year of elementary or secondary (high) school attended, or to the highest year of university or college education completed.

Major Field of Study
Refers to the predominant discipline or area of learning or training of a person's highest postsecondary degree, certificate or diploma. The classification structure consists of 10 broad or major categories, in turn, subdivided into minor classification categories and unit groups.

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Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census Dictionary.

Adaptation: Institut de la statistique du Québec, Direction de l'édition et des communications.

Update: September 22, 2003