The census was started on June 1, 1901.

The total population count of Canada was 5,371,315.

Information was collected on the following subjects, with eleven "schedules" or census data collection forms associated with each subject: A summary of information about Canada.

Yukon, then one of six districts of the Unorganized Territories, was first enumerated in this census, with a population of 27,219.

All cities and towns with a population of 7,000 or above are included.