Dictionary, Census of Population, 2021
Child care expenses paid

Definition

All payments made over the reference period for non-parental child care arrangements which allowed the responsible person(s) to earn employment income. Included in these expenses are babysitters, daycares, day camps, live-in caregivers or any arrangement in which money was exchanged for child care services. Excluded are child care payments made for purposes unrelated to earning employment income, such as entertainment or personal needs.

For the 2021 Census, the reference period for income data is the calendar year 2020, unless otherwise specified.

Statistical unit(s)

• Person

Classification(s)

• Not applicable

Reported in

2021 and 2016 (25% sample); 2011^{Footnote 1} (30% sample).

Reported for

Population aged 15 years and over in private households

Question number(s)

Direct variable: Question 56

Responses

Positive dollar value or nil

Remarks

Introduced in the 2011 NHS, child care expenses paid were collected to help compute the deductions required from after-tax income to obtain disposable income for the MBM.

These amounts differ slightly from the related income tax deduction: the value is not capped based on the age of the children, any family member could report them.

For additional information about data collection method, coverage, reference period, concepts, data quality and intercensal comparability of the data, refer to the Income Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021.

Note(s)