Summary of changes to the 2001 Canadian Census of population

• Documentation
  • Stub sets available on STC web site under Topic-based tabulations: [topic] : About this product
  • On-line Census Communiqué lists revision information.
  • Reference maps available in WWW-viewable format.
  • Finding 2001 census concentrated on locating geographic areas.
  • Census handbook, dictionary, and catalogue are available early in computer-readable form, and kept more up-to-date.
  • Detailed list of aggregate data products and release dates available early, and in computer-readable form.
• New variables
  • Birthplace of father and mother.
  • Language of work
  • Same-sex common-law couples added to Census family structure.
  • Religion (last asked in 1991).
• Census geography
  • Dissemination areas (DAs) replace enumeration areas (EAs) in all products (49,361 EAs in 1996 become 52,993 DAs in 2001 census).
  • The block is added to the standard geographic hierarchy.
  • A new Statistical Area Classification (SAC) code is added to categorize census subdivisons in terms of MIZs (Metropolitan Influence Zones).
  • Urban areas are defined using population counts and population density data from the current census.
• Data products
  • New series Highlight tables, consisting of univariate frequencies for provinces/territories, CMAs and CAs, census divisions (counties), and census subdivisions (CSDs), added. Includes ranking and sorting capability.
  • Dissemination areas (DAs) replace enumeration areas (EAs) in all products (49,361 EAs in 1996 become 52,993 DAs in 2001 census).
  • New category Topic based tabulations, consisting of COTs, SITs, and BCTs.
  • Canadian overview tables (COTs) replace Nation series
  • Special interest tables (SITs) replace Dimensions series
  • Basic cross tabulations (BCTs) replace Basic summary tabulations series
  • Community profile expanded from 70 to ca 170 attributes.
  • Canadian overview tables (COTs) and Special interest tables (SITs) have data for all CMAs and CAs, not just 25 CMAs.
  • Profile files added for 'designated places', 'urban areas', and 'dissolved census subdivisions' levels of geography.
  • Aboriginal profile file added.
  • Basic cross tabulations (BCTs) added series for census metropolitan area and census agglomeration geography.
• Access
  • The Internet is the primary release vehicle.
  • Population counts for all levels of geography (excluding census tracts and dissemination areas) available on STC web site for public access, as well as in Geosuite and Geosearch.
  • Product release dates for most products listed in Topic-based tabulations : [topic] : About this product and Profiles : Electronic profiles : [topic] : About this product.
  • Some Topic-based tabulations, specifically, Canadian overview tables (COTs) and Special interest tables (SITs) are available on Statistics Canada web server for full public access.
  • Subject-specific Profile files at the census subdivision and census tract levels available on Statistics Canada E-stat web site as they are released, and are available to walk-in users of the public.
  • Profile files at the census division and census subdivision level are available for public access on Statistics Canada web site. Selected variables also available for public access in the 2001 Community Profiles.
  • Basic cross tabulations at all levels of geography with the exception of DA and FSA levels, are available on Statistics Canada's Topic-based tabulations web pages as they are released, and are available to walk-in users of the public. DA and FSA level basic cross tabulations files are accessible to faculty, students and staff of DLI member institutions for academic research and teaching only.
  • Data analysis service proposed for March 2003.
• Maps, georeference and geospatial products:
  • The datum for all spatial information now NAD83.
  • Cartographic boundary files (CBFs) replace Digital cartographic files (DCFs).
  • Digital boundary files (DBFs) are discontinued.
  • Road network files (RNFs) covering all Canada, replace Street network files (SNFs) covering only large urban centres.
  • Skeletal road network files (SRNFs) cover all Canada, and contain selected roads ranked according to 4 levels of detail.
  • The block face data file is discontinued.
  • Reference maps are available as .pdf files on STC web site, and UT/DLS web site, in addition to print format.
  • Thematic maps at national, regional, and CMA levels on STC web server.
  • GeoSearch provides map-based interface to census geography and population and dwelling counts data (essentially, Geosuite).