Some Canadians are refusing to fill out the 2026 census and it could cost them
Some people in Canada are allegedly refusing to fill out the 2026 census, and the repercussions could be pricey.
Statistics Canada officially began sending out census forms on May 4, and the deadline to complete the survey is Tuesday, May 12.
According to the agency, the Census of Population is conducted to count the entire Canadian population based on a “usual place of residence” every five years. The data collected helps “paint a statistical portrait of Canada’s population and places we live.”
Under the Statistics Act, all Canadian households are required to complete the survey. However, there have been several photos on social media that have been circulating showing some citizens in Canada declining to complete the census.
“How to handle the 2026 census,” reads one post on X.
The post includes a photo of the census mailed by Statistics Canada with the words “return to sender” and “don’t tread on me” written on it.
“Hey Carney, your manufactured ‘majority’ [government] is illegitimate — you don’t deserve my information,” it reads.
How to handle the 2026 census
🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/ZB6G3fw1Ay— wastedcanadian (@melissacare01) May 5, 2026
The X user, who, according to their bio, is a Pierre Poilievre supporter, clarified in their replies that the photo is a joke.
Still, another X user in the replies shared a photo of their census, agreeing with the sentiment. “F*ck conman Carney,” the writing on the census reads.
1/yes pic.twitter.com/TVOdojbyRc
— VIPERɳϝƚ🖍️📺 (@VIPERnftMFER) May 6, 2026
Liberal MP Mark Gerretsen shared a video addressing citizens in Canada who are refusing to fill out the census.
“By now, you’ve probably come across someone like this who genuinely believes they’re sticking it to the man by writing things like ‘fight tyranny and freedom’ on their 2026 census mailer,” Gerretsen said in a video posted on Instagram and YouTube shorts.
“Let’s get something straight. The census is not a personal data grab by the Prime Minister. It’s not a political tool, and it’s not a loyalty test. And no, the government is not tracking you just because you wrote ‘none of your business’ in Sharpie.”
He went on to explain how the Government of Canada uses the census to figure out how many schools a community needs, where hospitals and clinics should be built, and how much federal funding a municipality receives.
Other decisions made using data from the census include public transit planning, housing and infrastructure, and how to understand aging populations, labour shortages and demographic shifts, added the MP.
“This is the data that decides whether your town gets a new doctor, a new bus route, a new elementary school,” he stressed. “It’s literally the opposite of none of your business. It is your business. When people refuse the census, they’re not sticking it to Ottawa; they’re sticking it to their own community.”
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Repercussions of not filling out the 2026 Canada census
In addition to negatively impacting the resources your community could receive, failing to fill out the survey could also cost you.
According to the Statistics Act, Canadians who fail to fill out the census could be fined up to $500. Those who refuse to submit the questionnaire could be fined up to $1,000 or even be charged with a criminal offence.