2001 Census Definitions
The following definitions are excerpts from the Statistics Canada 2001 Census Dictionary. Please refer to the Statistics Canada website for further detail and definitions not included here.
- Aboriginal Identity
- Aboriginal Origin
- Census Family
- Children
- Common-law Status
- Economic Family
- Employment Rate
- Generation Status
- Household
- Immigrant Population
- Incidence of Low Income
- Institutional Resident
- Labour Force
- Marital Status
- Median Income
- Mode of Transportation
- Participation Rate
- Private Household
- Unattached Individuals
- Unemployment Rate
- Unpaid Work
- Visible Minorities
Aboriginal Identity
Refers to those persons who reported identifying with at least one Aboriginal group, i.e. North American Indian, Métis or Inuit, and/or those who reported being a Treaty Indian or a Registered Indian as defined by the Indian Act of Canada and/or who were members of an Indian Band or First Nation.
Aboriginal Origin
Refers to those persons who reported at least one Aboriginal origin to the ethnic origin question (North American Indian, Métis or Inuit).
- Ethnic origin refers to the ethnic or cultural group(s) to which the respondent's ancestors belong.
Census Family
Refers to a married couple (with or without children of either or both spouses), a couple living common-law (with or without children of either or both partners) or a lone parent of any marital status, with at least one child living in the same dwelling.
For the 2001 Census, several changes were made to the census family concept:
- Two persons living in a same-sex common-law relationship, along with any of their children residing in the household, will be considered a census family.
- Children in a census family can have been previously married (as long as they are not currently living with a spouse or common-law partner). Previously, they had to be "never-married".
- A grandchild living in a three-generation household where the parent (middle generation) is never-married will, contrary to previous censuses, now be considered as a child in the census family of his or her parent, provided the grandchild is not living with his or her own spouse, common-law partner, or child. Traditionally, the census family usually consisted of the two older generations.
- A grandchild of another household member, where a middle-generation parent is not present, will now be considered as a child in the census family of his or her grandparent, provided the grandchild is not living with his or her own spouse, common-law partner, or child. Traditionally, such a grandchild would not be considered as the member of a census family.
Children
Refers to blood, step- or adopted sons and daughters (regardless of age) who are living in the same dwelling as their parent(s), as well as to grandchildren in households where there are no parents present.
- Sons and daughters who are living with their spouse or common-law partner, or with one or more of their own sons and/or daughters, are not considered to be members of the census family of their parent(s), even if they are living in the same dwelling. In addition, sons and daughters who do not live in the same dwelling as their parent(s) are not considered members of the census family of their parent(s).
Common-law Status
Refers to two people of the opposite sex or of the same sex who live together as a couple, but who are not legally married to each other.
Economic Family
Refers to a group of two or more persons who live in the same dwelling and are related to each other by blood, marriage, common-law or adoption.
- By contrast, the census family concept requires that family members be either a male or female spouse, a male or female common-law partner, a male or female lone parent, or a child with a parent present. The concept of economic family may therefore refer to a larger group of persons than does the census family concept. All census family persons are economic family persons.
Employment Rate
Refers to the number of persons employed in the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day (May 15, 2001), expressed as a percentage of the total population 15 years of age and over. The employment rate for a particular group is the number employed in that group, expressed as a percentage of the population 15 years of age and over in that group. In past censuses, this was called the Employment-Population Ratio.
Generation Status
Refers to whether the respondent or the respondent's parents were born in or outside Canada.
Household
Refers to a person or a group of persons (other than foreign residents), who occupy the same dwelling and do not have a usual place of residence elsewhere in Canada. It may consist of a family group (census family) with or without other non-family persons, of two or more families sharing a dwelling, of a group of unrelated persons, or of one person living alone.
- Household members who are temporarily absent on Census Day (e.g. temporary residents elsewhere) are considered as part of their usual household. For census purposes, every person is a member of one and only one household. Households are classified into three groups: private households, collective households and households outside Canada. Unless otherwise specified, all data in household reports are for private households only.
Immigrant Population
Refers to people who are or who have ever been landed immigrants. Landed immigrants are people who have been permitted by immigration authorities to live in Canada permanently; some will have lived in Canada for a number of years, while others have arrived recently.
Incidence of Low Income
The proportion or percentage of economic families or unattached individuals in a given classification below the low income cut-offs. These incidence rates are calculated from unrounded estimates of economic families and unattached individuals 15 years of age and over.
- Low Income Cut-Offs (LICOs) : Income levels at which families or unattached individuals spend 20% more than average on food, shelter and clothing.
The LICOs for economic families and unattached individuals in Winnipeg in 2000 are:
Family size |
LICO |
1 |
$18,371 |
2 |
$22,964 |
3 |
$28,560 |
4 |
$34,572 |
5 |
$38,646 |
6 |
$42,719 |
7 |
$46,793 |
Institutional Resident
Person, other than a staff member and his or her family, who lives in an institution, such as a hospital, a senior citizens' home or a jail.
Labour Force
Refers to persons who were either employed or unemployed during the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day (May 15, 2001).
- Not in the Labour Force : Refers to persons who, in the week prior to Census Day, were neither employed nor unemployed. It includes students, homemakers, retired workers, seasonal workers in an "off" season who were not looking for work, and persons who could not work because of a long-term illness or disability.
Marital Status
Refers to the conjugal status of a person. The various responses are defined as follows:
- Never legally married (single) : Persons who have never married (including all persons less that 15 years of age) and persons whose marriage has been annulled and who have not remarried. Persons who are single and live with a common-law partner are not included in this category.
- Married and common-law : Persons currently married whose husband or wife is living, unless the couple is separated or divorced, and persons living common-law. In 1996, Aboriginal people married according to traditional customs were instructed to report themselves as legally married. In 2001, same-sex partners living common-law are included in this category.
- Separated, but still legally married : Persons currently married, but who are no longer living with their spouse (for any reason other than illness or work) and have not obtained a divorce. Persons who are separated but who live with a common-law partner are not included in this category.
- Divorced : Persons who have obtained a legal divorce and who have not remarried. Persons who are divorced but who live with a common-law partner are not included in this category.
- Widowed : Persons who have lost their spouse through death and who have not remarried. Persons who are widowed but who live with a common-law partner are not included in this category.
Median Income
The median income of a specified group of income recipients is that amount which divides their income size distribution into two halves, i.e. the incomes of the first half of individuals are below the median, while those of the second half are above the median. Median income is calculated from the unrounded number of individuals with income in that group.
Mode of Transportation
Main means a person uses to travel between home and place of work.
Participation Rate
Refers to the labour force in the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day (May 15, 2001), expressed as a percentage of the population 15 years of age and over. The participation rate for a particular group is the total labour force in that group, expressed as a percentage of the population 15 years of age and over, in that group.
Private Household
Refers to a person or a group of persons (other than foreign residents) who occupy a private dwelling and do not have a usual place of residence elsewhere in Canada. The number of private households is equal to the number of occupied private dwellings in the 2001, 1996, 1991, 1986, 1981 and 1976 Censuses.
Unattached Individuals
Refers to household members who are not members of an economic family. Persons living alone are included in this category.
Unemployment Rate
Refers to the unemployed expressed as a percentage of the labour force in the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day (May 15, 2001). The unemployment rate for a particular group (age, sex, marital status, geographic area, etc.) is the unemployed in that group, expressed as a percentage of the labour force in that group, in the week prior to enumeration.
Unpaid Work
Refers to the number of hours persons spent doing unpaid work in the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day (May 15, 2001). Unpaid work does not include volunteer work for a non-profit organization, religious organization, charity or community group, or work without pay in the operation of a family farm, business or professional practice.
- Housework : Number of hours that the person spent doing housework, maintaining the house or doing yard work without getting paid for doing so. For example, this includes time spent preparing meals, mowing the lawn, or cleaning the house, for oneself or for relatives, friends or neighbours.
- Child Care : Number of hours that the person spent looking after children without getting paid for doing so. For example, this includes time spent taking care of one's own children or looking after the children of relatives, friends or neighbours.
- Care or Assistance to Seniors : Number of hours that the person spent providing care or assistance to elderly people without getting paid for doing so. This includes time spent giving personal care to an elderly relative, helping elderly neighbours with their shopping, and so on.
Visible Minorities
Under the Employment Equity Act , members of visible minorities are persons, other than Aboriginal persons, who are not white in race or colour.
Last update: 10.09.2008
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