Security

Does anyone see my information when my questionnaire is being submitted?

No. The information transmitted from your computer or device to Statistics Canada’s web server is protected using a secure encryption protocol.

How does Statistics Canada stop hackers or other unauthorized people from accessing census information?

Statistics Canada places the highest priority on protecting your information. Transport Layer Security (also known as TLS) enhances the privacy of the information passing between your browser and our servers. By encrypting the information, this protocol provides a safe passage for data transmission and authentication.

Advanced security tools, software, hardware, and established procedures are used to protect your information. Before being stored, information is encrypted on Statistics Canada’s web servers and remains encrypted until it is securely transferred to the high-security network. This network cannot be accessed by anyone who has not taken Statistics Canada’s oath of secrecy.

Does the online questionnaire have built-in security features to protect information in the event of a system failure?

Yes. In the event of a system failure, respondents’ data are not accessible by outside people or systems. Internally, Statistics Canada has strict rules to safeguard its data, which are in place to ensure that there is no unauthorized access.