The
first census in what is now Canada took place in New
France in 1666, under the direction of Intendant Jean Talon. The
census noted the age, sex, marital status and occupation of 3,215 inhabitants.
The first national
census of the country Canada was taken in 1871, as required by section 8 of
the then-British North America Act (now the Constitution
Act of 1867). The constitution required a census to be taken in 1871 and
every tenth year thereafter. Parliament implemented the requirements of the constitution
through the Census Act of May 12, 1870. All inhabitants of Canada were included,
including aboriginals. While this was the first national census of Canada, only
four provinces existed at the time: Ontario, Quebec, New
Brunswick, and Nova
Scotia. Other areas of what later became part of Canada continued to be
enumerated in their own separate censuses. The results of the 1871 census, in
both English and French,
were reported in a five volume set.
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