2. Introduction

Statistics Canada's mandate is to ensure that Canadians have access to a trusted source of statistics that meet their highest priority information needs. The efficient production of relevant, accessible, high-quality statistics helps to ensure that the Canadian economy functions efficiently and our society is governed effectively (Statistics Canada 2011a).

As part of Statistics Canada's customary process to review and evaluate its statistical programs, and in light of the changes to the 2011 Canadian Census Program and changes to census-taking approaches internationally, Statistics Canada launched the 2016 Census Strategy Project in December 2010. The objective of the project was to study options and deliver a recommendation on the methodology of the 2016 Census Program to the federal government early enough in 2012 to allow sufficient time for the planning, development, testing and implementation of the 2016 Census Program methodology, and very importantly, the approval of funding for the planning and development phase.

This 12-month project reviewed the approaches for population censuses that exist around the world and evaluated their applicability to the Canadian context, as well as their adherence to Statistics Canada's mandate and business model. The project included a review of the constitutional and statutory requirements for the census and provided a content determination framework, including criteria for inclusion of content in the 2016 Census Program.

This report describes the process for the information gathering exercise on data uses and requirements, which took place over the summer and fall of 2011, as well as the findings of this exercise. It proposes a framework for determining the content of 2016 Census Program and concludes with recommendations on the consultation that should be undertaken as part of the content determination process for the 2016 Census Program.