Dictionary, Census of Population, 2021
Registered or Treaty Indian status

Definition

Registered or Treaty Indian status refers to whether or not a person is a Registered or Treaty Indian. Registered Indians are persons who are registered under the Indian Act of Canada. Treaty Indians are persons who belong to a First Nation or Indian band that signed a treaty with the Crown. Registered or Treaty Indians are sometimes also called Status Indians.

Statistical unit(s)

• Person

Classification(s)

• Registered or Treaty Indian status

Reported in

2021 and 2016 (25% sample); 2011^{Footnote 1} (30% sample); 2006, 2001, 1996 and 1991 (20% sample).

Reported for

Population in private households

Question number(s)

Direct variable: Question 26

Responses

Respondents could reply "No" or "Yes, Status Indian (Registered or Treaty)" by marking the appropriate circle in Question 26.

Remarks

In the 2021 Census of Population, Question 26 asked "Is this person a Status Indian (Registered or Treaty Indian as defined by the Indian Act of Canada)?"

The following additional instructions were provided to respondents within the help button text.

Answer this question regardless of whether or not this person is a Status Indian (Registered or Treaty Indian as defined by the Indian Act of Canada).

Select "Yes, Status Indian (Registered or Treaty)" for persons who:

• are Registered Indians under the Indian Act
• are Treaty Indians, only if they are Registered Indians under the Indian Act
• have become registered since June 1985, when Bill C‑31 changed the Indian Act
• have become registered since April 2010, when Bill C‑3 changed the Indian Act.

All other persons should select "No," including persons who may be entitled to register under provisions of the Indian Act, but for some reason have not registered.

Users should be aware that the estimates associated with this variable are more affected than most by the incomplete enumeration of certain reserves and settlements in the Census of Population.

For additional information on the collection and dissemination of Indigenous data, including incompletely enumerated reserves and settlements, refer to the Indigenous Peoples Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021 and the Indigenous Peoples Technical Report, Census of Population, 2021.

Note(s)