The deadline to respond to the federal government’s head count of all people in Canada is fast approaching.

The Census, which is carried out by Statistics Canada, is done every five years.

The information collected is used for many things including shaping political ridings and districts. It’s also a factor in determining where key services go, such as bus routes, and the amount of money transferred from the federal government to provincial and municipal governments.

Geoff Bowlby of Statistics Canada says it’s important that the forms be filled out and returned either online or through other means.

“The Census is one of the only places where you can get good information about where people work and where people live,” he says. “It provides us with information on commuting patterns. It’s more than just the number that’s on your “city limits” sign.”

The deadline to have your census sent in is this Tuesday.