Census Public Use Microdata File (PUMF), 2021

Statistics Canada conducts the Census of Population in order to paint a statistical portrait of Canada and Canadians on one specific day. The census is designed to provide information about people and housing units in Canada by their demographic, social and economic characteristics. The Census of Population is a reliable basis for the estimation of the population of the provinces, territories and municipal areas. These counts are essential for maintaining Canada’s equitable representation, as they are used to set electoral boundaries; estimate the demand for services in minority official languages; and calculate federal, provincial and territorial transfer payments. The census also provides information about the characteristics of the population and its housing within small geographic areas and for small population groups to support planning, administration, policy development and evaluation activities of governments at all levels. The information provided by the census for these geographic areas and population groups is also used by the private sector as well as data users in their decision-making process. In 2021, for the first time, immigrant status and year of immigration was obtained from administrative files provided by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). These data provide vital information to help understand the living conditions and socioeconomic outcomes of immigrants and their children in Canada.