The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It recorded a total national population of 36,991,981 – a 5.2% increase over the five years from 2016. The 2021 census followed the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728, and will be succeeded by Canada's 2026 census. The overall response rate in 2021 was 98%, slightly lower than the response rate for the 2016 census.