Not applicable

Housing suitability refers to whether a private household is living in suitable accommodations according to the National Occupancy Standard (NOS); that is, whether the dwelling has enough bedrooms for the size and composition of the household. A household is deemed to be living in suitable accommodations if its dwelling has enough bedrooms, as calculated using the NOS.

Housing suitability assesses the required number of bedrooms for a household based on the age, sex, and relationships among household members. An alternative variable, the number of persons per room, considers all rooms in a private dwelling and the number of household members.

Housing suitability and the National Occupancy Standard (NOS) on which it is based were developed by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) through consultations with provincial housing agencies.

Reported in: 2011

Reported for: Private households

Question no.: Derived variable: Questions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and E4(b)

Responses: In the standard products, the most detailed classification is as follows:

Suitable
Not suitable
  One bedroom shortfall
  Two bedroom shortfall
  Three or more bedroom shortfall

Remarks: The NOS derives the number of bedrooms a household requires as follows:

• A maximum of two persons per bedroom.
• Household members, of any age, living as part of a married or common-law couple share a bedroom with their spouse or common-law partner.
• Lone-parents, of any age, have a separate bedroom.
• Household members aged 18 or over have a separate bedroom, except those living as part of a married or common-law couple.
• Household members under 18 years of age of the same sex share a bedroom, except lone-parents and those living as part of a married or common-law couple.
• Household members under 5 years of age of the opposite sex share a bedroom if doing so would reduce the number of required bedrooms. This situation would arise only in households with an odd number of males under 18, an odd number of females under 18, and at least one female and one male under the age of 5.

An exception to the above is a household consisting of one individual living alone. Such a household would not need a bedroom (i.e., the individual may live in a studio apartment and be considered to be living in suitable accommodations).

Not applicable

'Aboriginal identity' refers to whether the person reported being an Aboriginal person, that is, First Nations (North
American Indian), Métis or Inuk (Inuit) and/or being a Registered or Treaty Indian (that is, registered under the
Indian Act of Canada) and/or being a member of a First Nation or Indian band. Aboriginal peoples of Canada are
defined in the Constitution Act, 1982, section 35 (2) as including the Indian, Inuit and Métis peoples of Canada.

Reported in: 2011

Reported for: Population in private households

Question nos.: Derived variable: Questions 18, 20 and 21

Responses: Aboriginal identity is derived from data collected in three questions: Aboriginal group (Question 18); Registered or Treaty Indian status (Question 20); and Membership in a First Nation or Indian band (Question 21). In Question 18, respondents could respond 'Yes, First Nations (North American Indian),' 'Yes, Métis,' 'Yes, Inuk (Inuit)' or 'No, not an Aboriginal person' by checking off the appropriate mark-in circle. In Question 20, respondents could respond 'No' or 'Yes, Status Indian (Registered or Treaty).' In Question 21, respondents could respond 'No' or 'Yes, member of a First Nation/Indian band'.

The resulting standard classifications are described in the Aboriginal Peoples Reference Guide, National Household Survey, 2011. One classification is as follows:

Total population - Aboriginal identity

  Aboriginal identity

    Aboriginal single identity

      First Nations (North American Indian) single identity

      Métis single identity

      Inuk (Inuit) single identity

    Aboriginal multiple identities

    Aboriginal identities not included elsewhere

  Non-Aboriginal identity


Remarks: Aboriginal identity is a derived variable. For more information on the input variables for the Aboriginal identity variable in the 2011 National Household Survey, refer to the definitions for Aboriginal group, Registered or Treaty Indian status and Membership in a First Nation or Indian band.

Users should be aware that the estimates associated with this variable are more affected than most by the incomplete enumeration of certain Indian reserves and Indian settlements in the National Household Survey (NHS). In 2011, there were a total of 36 Indian reserves and Indian settlements that were 'incompletely enumerated' in the NHS. For these reserves or settlements, NHS enumeration was either not permitted or was interrupted before it could be completed, or was not possible because of natural events (specifically forest fires in Northern Ontario). For additional information, please refer to the Aboriginal Peoples Reference Guide, National Household Survey, 2011.

For additional information on the collection and dissemination of Aboriginal data, please refer to the Aboriginal Peoples Reference Guide, National Household Survey, 2011 and the Aboriginal Peoples Technical Report, National Household Survey, 2011.