The mandatory long-form census will return for 2016.
The new Liberal Government made the decision earlier this month.
The last mandatory long-form census took place in 2006 and was replaced by a voluntary National Household Survey for the 2011 census.
The long-form census had come under criticism from the Conservatives as being intrusive into the private lives of Canadians with criminal penalties for non-compliance.
Likewise, the move to replace the census came under heavy scrutiny from researches claiming that removing the mandatory requirement left a gap in data collection.
Claudia Malacrida, a Sociology professor at the University of Lethbridge explained how census data is used in an educational background.
“We need to be able to speak about social problems or challenges in our communities and draw on research that will help us make those things more material to our students,” she said. “I draw on other statistical workers research to support my arguments.”
Faron Ellis, head of the Citizen Society Research Lab at Lethbridge College said the debate around the long-form census became heavily politicized as governments have always collected information on its citizens.
“Data collection goes back to ancient censuses,” he said. “The reason Christ was born in Bethlehem was because a census was going on.”
He is, however concerned about the lack of information around enforcement around the return of the long-form census.
“When you make it mandatory, you can’t just expect universal compliance, unless there is some real teeth to the prohibitions against non-compliance.”
For Malacrida, the return of the long-form census is a return to good research.
“Canada has always had this reputation of keeping a really good pulse on citizen’s development and needs,” she said.
The 2016 census is scheduled to be conducted next May.