Much has changed in Squamish since the last census.
After the 2016 census, though, the federal government should have a more up-to-date picture about the community and the rest of the country.
Statistics Canada will be collecting data on Canadians and will need people to help gather the information. It is in the process of hiring enumerators in the Sea to Sky Corridor who will work from this month through August.
Interested applicants should be 18 or older, a Canadian citizen or have permanent resident or work permit status, able to work in evenings or on weekends and holidays, have computer skills, a valid driver’s licence and access to a vehicle.
“We’re actively recruiting right now,” said Kwong Wong, Statistics Canada’s regional assistant director.
The agency will need 73 enumerators throughout the corridor, and it’s probably a safe bet that the staff will be counting a few more people in the area.
In the 2011 count, Squamish’s census area population, according to Statistics Canada, was 17,479 people compared with the 2006 figure of 15,256. The 14.6 per cent jump was the highest among the 25 largest census areas in the province, with only Kelowna and Chilliwack as other areas that grew by more than 10 per cent. Estimates now put the district’s population at about 20,000.
In 2011, the federal government scrapped the mandatory long-formed census, giving Canadians the option to fill out a shorter household survey, but the new federal government reversed the decision after last fall’s election, restoring the long-form census. The questions will be the same as the ones from the optional long-form survey from five years ago.
Wong says there are different ways of providing the information. While there will still be contact with residents, especially in rural areas, people can complete the questionnaire online instead.
The census includes First Nations reserves, although this will happen in April, prior to the regular count in May.
As well, Wong says each household should be represented, so in cases where different households live under one roof – for example, in secondary rental suites – one person representing each household should fill out the census. “We need to include everyone, including renters,” he said.
“Each household will receive their own questionnaire…. We enumerate everyone.”
Wong emphasizes the importance of the information that Statistics Canada is collecting, as the data are used by different levels of government.
“There is a lot of detailed information about the population,” he said. “In reality, there is no other source.”
Some information can help higher levels of government with planning, but it is also used locally to help plan schools, roads and amenities. “We’re talking about community-level information that we can provide back to the various municipalities and communities,” he said.
Statistics Canada will be releasing further information about the census in the near future, but for now, the focus is on getting people hired. “We’re asking applicants to apply now,” Wong said. “Right now, the message is recruitment.”
For information, see www.census.gc.ca.
