The inventory is the backbone of the Canadian Census Discovery Portal. Compiling the inventory is a huge undertaking and a significant aspect of this project. We are always seeking participants interested in contributing to the inventory - please get in touch if you would like to be involved.
Inventory database
The following tables are included with the inventory:
- Census items - the main inventory table. The different census content types are tracked through a field called “Contents type” which contains the name of each of the original tables.
- Authority tables (Census Taxonomies) - used to generate standardized pick lists in the Census items table.
- Census years - lists each census covered in the inventory, including its year(s) and proper title, as well as geographic coverage information.
- Geographic coverage - list of geographic terms used to describe the region(s) covered by a particular item.
- Geographic units - list of geographic terms used to describe the geographic breakdowns available within a particular item.
- Subjects - standardized list of subject terms with see references to ensure that topics are tagged consistently despite the use of different terminology over time.
- Publications list - each historical census print volume with content information to link them to the individual tables/bulletins they include and which are part of our inventory.
- Authors / Producers - List of names of the jurisdictions and institutions which were in charge of the administration of the Census being inventoried from the first census made in North America in 1665.
- Contents type - List of content types included in the inventory scope. Each content type is linked to an item ID number, e.g. which refers to a unique collection of census materials. This ID number is generated automatically for the item being inventoried (and is linked by the inventory volunteer to the same item in the other language).This content type call number is also linked to the census item numbers.
