Statistics Canada 2026 Census Follow-up to Start Phone Calls, Visits

Statistics Canada 2026 Census Follow-up will start this month with phone calls and in-person visits to households that have not yet completed the 2026 Census of Population. Census enumerators will contact people who have not returned a questionnaire and can help them finish it on the spot.

Statistics Canada said the campaign is meant to remind residents to complete the mandatory census and to offer assistance. Millions of Canadians have already responded online, by phone or on paper, but some households will now hear from census staff directly.

Statistics Canada census help line

People who get a call or a visit can verify the worker’s identity by calling the Census Help Line at 1-833-852-2026. Statistics Canada said census staff should carry an official identification card with a name, employment number and photo.

The agency has hired thousands of census enumerators to support the follow-up work. Enumerators can help respondents complete the questionnaire in person if they have not yet done so or are unable to complete it on their own.

2026 Census deadline details

Canadians were encouraged to fill out the questionnaire by May 12, and a Statistics Canada spokesperson previously said that date was a reference date rather than a deadline. Refusing to answer altogether can lead to fines of between $500 and $1,000.

Statistics Canada said follow-up activities will also begin this month for the 2026 Census of Agriculture, with staff communicating by phone and email. Respondents with questions about that census can call 1-855-859-6273, and people with a hearing or speech impairment can use the TTY number 1-833-652-0195.

For households that have not responded yet, the next contact may come by phone or at the door. The practical step is simple: answer the census if it has not been completed, and use the help line if a caller or visitor needs to be verified.