Census mandatory and necessary
City dwellers, houseboaters, off-the-grid residents surveyed
Elaine Anselmi
Northern News Services
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Across the territory, 111 enumerators have hit the streets to distribute the census and knock on doors to ask either the long-form or short-form questions in person.
Participation in the Census of Population program is mandatory, but NWT Finance Minister Robert C. McLeod says it's also necessary.
"We need to gather the information to make sure we have an accurate sense of all the people in the Northwest Territories because it helps with our Territorial Formula Financing (TFF)," said McLeod.
"It's very imperative that we have all this information, as far as our TFF goes."
The territory receives approximately $35,000 per person from the federal government - if people aren't accounted for, that
funding is lost. This year in particular, much attention is being paid to formula financing after it was announced in December that all three territories would be receiving less funding than expected, due to updated data used to calculate the amounts. The NWT received approximately $34 million less in 2016-17 than the previous year - although about $24 million of that was later restored.
"There is still $10 million we didn't get back," said McLeod. "It's very important that we have a really accurate count of all the people in the NWT."
One of the early moves of the federal Liberal government was to reinstate the long-form census for 2016. With limited population in the communities, where enumerators are going door to door and asking the census questions in person, every household will fill out the long-form census, stated Statistics Canada media relations officer Marie-Pier Desaulniers in an e-mail response. In Yellowknife, where population density is higher, collection is done similarly to the provinces with one in four households given the long-form to fill out on their own.
The remaining 75 per cent will complete the short-form.
Residents are asked to fill the census out online or mail it in.
"We list/map all of the dwellings and all of the dwellings are numbered, and then random sampling occurs and every 4th dwelling is then selected for the long form," stated Desaulniers.
Regardless of living on or off the grid, ideally, all people in the territory are counted. Over the weekend, forms were dropped off at each houseboat on Yellowknife Bay asking residents to fill it out, or complete it online.
"The ice is breaking up, so we will now have to wait until late May/early June to go back (by boat) to follow up with those who have not yet completed their census," said Desaulniers. "For the people who live outside the urban centres - for example on Ingraham Trail - we send enumerators up every small road to make sure we don't miss anyone. We also hire local guides in each community to help us find the hidden dwellings."
Enumerators visit the mines in the territory to ensure shift-workers are accounted for, if not during in-town shifts.
"We are also in Yellowknife for 2.5 months enumerating - so if we miss someone the first time or the fifth time we are at a dwelling, we will keep trying - we will also leave contact information, so that if a person returns home, they can get in touch with us," said Desaulniers.
An adult member of a household can also fill out the census for all other members - roommates included.
In the case of homeless people, enumerators will visit shelters and any people staying with friends, couch-surfing or in temporary rooming houses or the like should be enumerated in that location.
"Since dwellings are used as the basis for census enumeration, it is very difficult to count people who are not in a private or collective dwelling on Census Day - for example, people who sleep out doors on the night of May 9 to May 10, 2016," said Desaulniers. "In shelters and similar facilities, the short-form census questions will be completed using administrative records, where possible."
Census Day is May 10, at which time all forms are expected to be completed. If they haven't been filled out by May 31, enumerators will call and visit until they've been completed. According to Statistics Canada's website, citizens who fail to participate face a $500 fine, three months in jail, or both.
As well as direct funding, McLeod said it is necessary to have an accurate depiction of the territory when the federal government is looking at supporting infrastructure projects, such as the Mackenzie Valley Highway.
"They would look at the number of people living in the impacted area and how it would impact them," he said.
Implementing the mandatory census, as well as the long-form version, will allow communities to have the necessary information for future planning, said Desaulniers.
"With solid statistical information, communities will be able to plan more effectively for schools, hospitals, public transportation or skills training for employment, as high quality data will give them a clear picture of the community as it is today and a solid basis to plan for tomorrow," they said.
