Census methodology refers to the methods Statistics Canada uses to count Canada's population in the national census conducted every five years. Municipalities pay close attention to census methodology because population counts directly affect funding formulas, political representation, and planning. Concerns include undercounting of certain populations (renters, students, Indigenous peoples, those experiencing homelessness), timing issues, and how census boundaries align with municipal boundaries. An accurate count matters financially—even small percentage undercounts can mean millions of dollars in lost transfers for larger cities. Municipalities advocate for methodology improvements and sometimes conduct their own population estimates when they believe census figures understate their populations.