Without data from the long-form census Canada suffers, experts say

It's been five years since Ottawa cancelled the mandatory long form census and replaced it with a shorter voluntary National Household Survey.

The last year for which Long Form Census data is available is 2006. For the 2011 census, the government conducted the voluntary survey and had a much lower response rate.

But this Wednesday, Parliamentarians will be offered the chance to bring it back, by way of a private member's bill, sponsored by Liberal MP Ted Hsu. His bill faces long odds and even Mr Hsu acknowledges he's not likely to overturn the decision this week. But, he'd like to.

If the government reinstates the long-form census, it will cost less. About $22 million dollars more money was spent on the voluntary survey that gave poorer data.Ted Hsu, Liberal MP

Even if his bill to bring back the mandatory "long form" is defeated this week, MP Ted Hsu says he's happy to get the conversation going.

There were serious concerns when the mandatory long form was first cancelled: That it would create blind spots in the way that Canada understands itself... on everything from income distribution across urban landscapes, to information about employment and the labour force.

So, five years on, we're taking our own survey of what the impact has been.

Michael Ornstein has long relied on census data about changing population trends for his work. He is an associate professor of sociology at York University, where he studies inequality.

Public health agencies are one group that have long depended on census data for some very real world applications -- like knowing just where, and to whom to deliver their services.

Randy Fransoo is the associate director of research at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy.

Of course researchers and public health agencies aren't the only groups pouring over census data -- but businesses too.

Paul Jacobsen is President of the Canadian Association for Business Economics and we reached him in Toronto.

Tim Powers is the vice-chairman of Summa Communications, and the managing partner of Abacus Data, a polling, public opinion, and market research firm. He was in our St. John's studio.

We were hoping to hear from a government official to round out our survey today -- We requested an interview with Wayne Smith, the Chief Statistician of Canada, but he was not available to discuss the bill that's currently before Parliament.