ation ▁between ▁February ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁and ▁March ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁En umer ation ▁of ▁the ▁balance ▁of ▁Canada ▁began ▁on ▁May ▁ 2 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁with ▁the ▁un ve iling ▁of ▁the ▁online ▁census ▁question naire , ▁eight ▁days ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁official ▁census ▁day ▁of ▁May ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁Because ▁of ▁a ▁wild fire ▁in ▁early ▁May ▁in ▁n ortheast ▁Al berta , ▁Statistics ▁Canada ▁susp ended ▁enumer ation ▁efforts ▁in ▁the ▁Fort ▁Mc M ur ray ▁area ▁with ▁alternate ▁means ▁to ▁collect ▁data ▁from ▁its ▁ev acu ated ▁residents ▁to ▁be ▁determined ▁at ▁a ▁later ▁date . ▁Short ly ▁after ▁re - entry , ▁residents ▁were ▁encourag ed ▁to ▁complete ▁their ▁census ▁form ▁online ▁or ▁over ▁the ▁phone ; ▁however ▁door - to - door ▁enumer ation ▁remained ▁susp ended . ▁ ▁Public ▁response ▁ ▁Non - binary ▁activ ists ▁expressed ▁concern ▁that ▁the ▁choice ▁between ▁" male " ▁and ▁" f em ale " ▁on ▁the ▁" sex " ▁question ▁left ▁them ▁with ▁no ▁valid ▁options . ▁In ▁response , ▁Statistics ▁Canada ▁stated ▁that ▁" Res pond ents ▁who ▁cannot ▁select ▁one ▁category ▁... ▁can ▁leave ▁the ▁question ▁blank ▁and ▁indicate , ▁in ▁the ▁Comment s ▁section ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁question naire , ▁the ▁reason ( s ) ▁for ▁which ▁they ' ve ▁chosen ▁to ▁leave ▁this ▁question ▁un answer ed ."