The British Columbia Humanist Association (BCHA) has officially launched the Tick 'No Religion' campaign, calling on Canadians to ensure the upcoming national census accurately reflects the country’s changing belief landscape.
The centrepiece of the campaign is a pledge page where Canadians can commit to ticking the 'No Religion' box. The initiative aims to prevent the “ghosting” of religious statistics, where individuals who do not practice or believe in a faith still tick a religious box based on family tradition or cultural upbringing.
"The Census doesn't just tell us who Canadians are; it informs how your tax dollars are spent," said Ian Bushfield, Executive Director of the BC Humanist Association. "When people tick a religious box out of habit rather than conviction, it creates a distorted picture. Governments use that inflated data to justify funding for faith-based programs, chaplaincies and religious schools. We’re saying: if you don’t believe it, don’t tick it."
The campaign draws direct inspiration from successful international efforts by Humanists UK and the Census21 movement in Australia, both of which saw record-breaking numbers of citizens identify as non-religious after similar public awareness drives.
In Census 2021, the number of Canadians reporting "no religion" rose to 34.6%, with British Columbia leading the way at 52.1%. However, the BCHA argues that even these numbers are likely undercounting the secular population due to the way the question is phrased and the tendency for respondents to default to their "heritage" religion.
Statistics Canada still directs respondents to indicate a religion or faith, even if they are "not currently a practising member of that group."
Visit noreligion.ca to sign the pledge and share the campaign on social media to help explain the importance of the “No Religion” option to friends and family.