The next Census will include new questions on “couple relationships” outside marriage and common law, Statistics Canada said yesterday. It follows the first-ever collection of Census data on “gender diversity.”

“Statistics Canada is continually exploring new data sets and assessing their suitability to help supplement or replace content on the Census Of Population,” said a 2026 Census Of Population Content Consultation Report: What We Heard From Canadians. “The country relies on high quality information from the Census,” it added.

The first Census in 1871 collected data on Canadians’ marital status. The next 2026 Census will rewrite terms to examine “couple relationships,” wrote analyst