Protecting your privacy

Protecting your privacy

The Statistics Act specifically requires that information about individuals be protected and kept strictly confidential. The federal Privacy Act also protects personal information held by Statistics Canada.

In Canada, great care is taken to ensure that information collected from a census is clearly in the public interest, cannot be obtained effectively from other sources, and can be collected efficiently to meet information requirements. Part of the process of preparing for the 2026 Census involves conducting the 2024 Census Test.

Security of the online questionnaire

Statistics Canada takes every precaution to protect information. The latest technologies are used to ensure that Statistics Canada’s strict security and confidentiality requirements are met.

Encryption technologies ensure that the information passing between respondents’ computers and the agency’s web server is secure.

Census data are processed and stored on a high-security internal network. Powerful firewalls, intrusion detection systems and stringent access control procedures limit access to computer systems and databases. Census employees can access census data only from secure Statistics Canada locations.

Confidentiality of completed questionnaires

Statistics Canada places the highest priority on maintaining the confidentiality and security of completed questionnaires. Stringent measures and procedures are followed to ensure that confidentiality is maintained at all times.