I just received my census form yesterday which I filled out online. Took just over half an hour? What's omitted from the old long form census? I've never done one before this year.

It first asked who lived in the house, what languages we could speak and which ones we used at work, what disabilities we had and whether or not they had an effect on one or multiple aspects on our lives, where did we work and how did we commute there, how long did it take to commute there, what our religion was, schooling, and that's what I can remember. Seems to be just about all the government needs to know?

Oops, I was wrong.

For the 'short' form:

There is a short mandatory section, which takes about 5 minutes, and then a longer 'voluntary' section. You'll do the short bit, submit it, get a confirmation code, and then you get asked if you'd like to provide additional information, and then another survey opens up which takes quite a bit longer.

I think a lot of people who think they're doing the long form are confusing the voluntary additional information with the 'long form'.

Ah, ok I did the mandatory section, took yea 5 minutes, got a confirmation code, went on to the voluntary section thinking I needed to do it though I would've done it regardless, took half an hour, got another confirmation code and no other option to continue, and finished.

Why wouldn't they make the voluntary section mandatory? I could see a bunch of suburbanites not bothering to do the voluntary section and as a result not enough schools or roads get built out there.

Uh... schools and roads would be based on municipal information.

Er... I do not remember getting asked for a voluntary portion at all. My form took me five minutes to fill in, I got the confirmation code and that's it!

Cheers

I'm doing mine on paper. I got the short form.

If they're following rules from past years every fourth residence gets the long form. But since it's not mandatory now, they're basically begging people to provide the info. I think people should just give them the finger for screwing with the census and tell them where they can put their new discretionary long forms.

It's now just another poll, in the past it was very accurate info. Now the Harper Government can make up whatever numbers they prefer -- "Child poverty increasing? Not according to our numbers. Cut those useless agencies!"

... plus previously accurate census data.

I got the short form.

1) What would the voluntary section have to do with schools? The mandatory form asks for number and ages living at your residence as well as languages spoken. Could they not figure out from that what schools are needed?

2) If only every forth residence receives the long form, whether voluntary or not, how is this information accurate? If I received the long form I would say no one had any disabilities. What if my neighbour with 6 disabled kids living on welfare is skipped over for the long form?

My opinion is the census is simply a head count. As for other information? Accurate? I think not.

In the past I have provided inaccurate information on my census, simply because I don't want more money to be allocated for services in my area.