Sexual orientation question on 2026 census hailed by P.E.I. advocacy groups, could open doors to more funding

This year marked the first time that Statistics Canada has asked people for their sexual orientation when filling out the national census.

It’s the first time the question will appear on the long-form census questionnaire that went out to 25 per cent of Canadian residents in May 2026. The question is not included in the short-form census that goes out to 75 per cent of Canadian residents.

P.E.I. advocates of the 2SLGBTQ+ community are hoping the result will more visibility.

AinZ Kendrick, executive director of the P.E.I. Transgender Network, said it shows Statistics Canada is “hearing more from the wider national community.”

“It also helps to inform decisions around funding allocations and policy development in sectors like employment and health and housing,” Kendrick said. 

“I think that that is a positive to have that information.”

The change creates visibility, Kendrick said, demonstrating that there are people across the country who identify as 2SLGBTQ+.

“It means that we don’t just exist by the status quo anymore,” Kendrick said.

“It allows us to look at ourselves as individuals and say, ‘I can show up however I want to show up.’ And that’s important.”

Scott McLeish, director for Centre for Population and Social Statistics with Statistics Canada, said the census asks questions about “who we are as a population.” It collects data that can inform governments, businesses and organizations about the population being served.

“I think, much like a lot of the other questions that we ask when we start to look at different population groups, we see that their experiences, their outcomes are not necessarily the same as people that would identify as cisgender,” McLeish said.

The P.E.I. Transgender Network uses that data to educate the public, and it helps the non-profit when applying for grants and project funding.

“Having this information allows us to say we exist and here’s where we exist and here are our needs,” Kendrick said.

“Having this data just allows us to access more funding and more opportunities.”

The question on sexual orientation was asked of Canadian residents aged 15 and older.

Kels Smith of P.E.I.’s PEERS Alliance, a non-profit that advocates for the queer and neurodivergent communities, said there are Island youth who identify as members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community and having more data on those youth is useful.

“The situation for youth is so different than, I think, anybody who’s an adult has really experienced before,” Smith said.

“I think it’s important for us to have data on their mental health and data on their identity so that we can better understand how to support youth in this new world that they’re trying to live through.”

McLeish said Statistics Canada has looked at the practices of other countries, which he said often have a similar age cutoff.

“It aligns with what we saw when we did our testing and engagement with users as well,” he said. 

“The kind of, like, which populations would understand this question the best? So it’s kind of the composite of all those factors that have led it [to] be asked of 15-plus.”

Kendrick noted the census could be filled out by a parent who may not align with or even be aware of their child’s identity or sexual orientation.

“They may decide to not input that data based on how their child identifies,” they said. 

“So there’s definitely, like, a risk of that data not actually being super true.”

Smith said it’s important for Statistics Canada to keep asking questions and collecting data on the 2SLGBTQ+ community, and said they believe the numbers are likely underreported.

“If you have folks who are concerned about where that data is going, where the political climate might shift, they may not report this information,” Smith said.

“And for every person who does share that information about themselves, it gives another person hope that they’re not alone. It shows them how big this community really is, and it helps others feel connected.”