The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Craig Pardy, Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board:

Speaker, on May 4, the Federal Government launched the 2026 Census, which will survey Canadians to paint a statistical portrait of Canada’s diverse population and the places where we live.

All Newfoundland and Labrador households will receive census invitation letters with instructions on how to complete the questionnaire online. Alternate formats of the census, including paper copies, are also available.

It is important that we all take the time to complete the census because an accurate census helps secure vital funding for programs that benefit communities across the province. Funding formulas for major federal transfer payments, like the health and social transfers this province receives, are based in part on population counts.

Further, our province uses census information when planning support for health care, education, and social programs.

Speaker, the importance of the census to our country and province cannot be overstated, which is why we urge every resident of Newfoundland and Labrador to participate this month in the 2026 Census. People can visit census.gc.ca for more information.

Thank you, Speaker.