Canada's Census Records

The first national census enumeration occurred in 1871. From then a Canada-wide census was taken every 10 years until 1951. Starting in 1956 the census was taken every five years with the most recent occurring in 2016.

The Prairie provinces (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta) had a census every five years starting in 1906.

Due to privacy laws census records are held by Statistics Canada for 92 years before being released to Library & Archives Canada (LAC). Once in the care of LAC it can take a year or more to process and ready the census for public viewing.

The Battery and overlooking downtown St. Johns Copyright © R Blenkinsopp 2001/2 :: www.richiebee.ca

The chart below includes only national census records or those that cover more than one province. For province-specific census records, please see the GenWeb that covers that area.

Unless marked with a $ all links to available census records are free to view. Some websites may require free registration.
Province/territory abbreviation legend available below the table
Census Year Provinces/Territories Included Where Available
1666QC (New France)Library & Archives Canada
1671-1753NS, NB, QC (Acadia)Acadian & French-Canadian Ancestral Home
1 Feb 1842QC, ONLibrary & Archives Canada
FamilySearch (ON)
FamilySearch (QC)
$ Ancestry (QC)
1851 /
12 Jan 1852		NB, NS, ON, QCLibrary & Archives Canada
FamilySearch (index only)
$ Ancestry
14 Jan 1861NB, NS, ON, PE, QCLibrary & Archives Canada
$ Ancestry
2 Apr 1871NB, NS, ON, QCLibrary & Archives Canada
FamilySearch (index only)
$ Ancestry
4 Apr 1881BC, MB, NB, NS,
NT, ON, PE, QC		Library & Archives Canada
FamilySearch
$ Ancestry
6 Apr 1891BC, MB, NB, NS,
NT, ON, PE, QC		Library & Archives Canada
FamilySearch (index only)
$ Ancestry
31 Mar 1901BC, MB, NB, NS, NT,
ON, PE, QC, YT		Library & Archives Canada
FamilySearch
$ Ancestry
Automated Genealogy
24 Jun 1906AB, MB, SKLibrary & Archives Canada
FamilySearch (index only)
$ Ancestry
Automated Genealogy
1 Jun 1911AB, BC, MB, NB, NS, NT,
ON, PE, QC, SK, YT		Library & Archives Canada
FamilySearch (index only)
$ Ancestry
Automated Genealogy
1 Jun 1916AB, MB, SKLibrary & Archives Canada
FamilySearch
$ Ancestry
1 Jun 1921AB, BC, MB, NB, NS, NT,
ON, PE, QC, SK, YT		Library & Archives Canada
Ancestry
1 Jun 1926AB, MB, SKLibrary & Archives Canada
FamilySearch
1 Jun 1931AB, BC, MB, NB, NS, NT,
ON, PE, QC, SK, YT		Will be transferred to Library & Archives Canada on or after 1 Jun 2023
1 Jun 1936AB, MB, SKWill be transferred to Library & Archives Canada on or after 1 Jun 2028

AB = Alberta
BC = British Columbia
MB = Manitoba
NB = New Brunswick
NL = Newfoundland 

NS = Nova Scotia
NT = Northwest Territories
NU = Nunavut
ON = Ontario

PE = Prince Edward Island
QC = Quebec
SK = Saskatchewan
YT = Yukon

Additions and corrections to this page are welcome

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Prince Edward Island GenWeb
Québec GenWeb
Saskatchewan GenWeb
Yukon GenWeb

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