The 2026 census saw record high response rates despite a “return to sender” social media trend. Statistics Canada reports the 2026 census having a general response rate of 98.4 per cent, surpassing the 98 per cent recorded in 2021 and matching the rate seen in 2016. Meanwhile, the online and self-response rates broke records with 88.6 per cent and 91.2 per cent respectively. “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 of Canada Andre Loranger said in a Monday press release. “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 director general of the Census Program called the 2026 census a “success” in an interview with CTVNews.ca Monday. “(The) majority of Canadians did it actually right away, as soon as they received their census invitation letter by mail, and we’re grateful for that,” Patrice Mathieu said. “So, we’re grateful to Canadians for that extraordinary participation.” Is there a penalty for not completing it? Mathieu confirmed that completing the census is required by law, and those who don’t fill out the census may get up to two reminder letters, phone calls, a visit by a StatCan employee and potential fines of up to $500. However, StatCan itself does not issue the fines, the director general clarified. The fines will be enforced by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC). StatCan is currently compiling information on those who haven’t filled the 2026 census, and a small portion of them will be referred to the PPSC in the next few weeks. However, Mathieu said not all are composed of refusals, as some may be away from their homes or otherwise unavailable during the window of collection. “These referrals represent a very small number, (a) small fraction of the non-response that we have received. So, that reflects our approach, which is to prioritize communications with Canadians and making sure that they understand the value of the census,” he added. “And the strong response rates demonstrate that a majority of Canadians believe in that.” ‘Return to sender’ The 2026 census was challenged by a social media trend where Canadians mailed their census form back with “return to sender” on it. Some burned or otherwise destroyed their form as an act of protest. Prime Minister Mark Carney was occasionally personally targeted in messages on the returned envelopes. Mark Gerretsen, Liberal MP for Kingston and the Islands, took to social media in May to explain how the census helps Ottawa determine where to invest resources. “When people refuse the census, they’re not sticking it to Ottawa. They’re sticking it to their own community,” he said. Meanwhile, Mathieu said such “criticisms” around the census aren’t new and have not impacted the information collection operation. “We have seen them before,” he said, adding that it may have been more visible this time around due to social media. “But it was still minority of cases … (a) minority of the population was expressing such negative comments about the census. For a majority of Canadians, the census is a positive thing.” The federal Statistics Act mandates a census every five years. One in every four households receives what is known as the long-form census, while the rest get the short-form census. The 2026 census results will be shared next year in seven separate releases covering a range of topics from population, gender, and income to citizenship, cultural and religious diversity, language, and homelessness. With files from The Canadian Press and CTV News’ Heather Wright
