​Statistics Canada to hire 32,000 field staff ahead of 'contact-free' census

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Canada/Canadian-Media: Statistics Canada said in a press release published this week that in its attempt to perform a contact-free or physically distanced census during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is looking to hire approximately 32,000 field staff to survey the Canadian population this spring.

Statistics Canada. Image credit: Twitter handle

Statistics Canada said that this would be the first time that it would be conducting a census in the middle of a public health emergency.

Every attempt will be made, said the agency to complete the census online, by phone, or on paper.

Only in the rare cases, where these methods are either unsuccessful, or unavailable, in-person interviews and door-to-door canvassing will be conducted, said the agency.  

Demographic information on every person living in Canada would be collected by the census, said Statistics Canada to be used by governments, businesses, associations, community organizations, and others to facilitate them to make evidence-based decisions at the municipal, provincial and federal levels.

"More than ever, these data are necessary," said Geoff Bowlby, director-general of the 2021 census. "If you look at the current pandemic, the census data have been instrumental in determining how we should respond to the pandemic."