SURREY - City hall is adding its voice to the protest against Ottawa's plan to ditch the long-form census questionnaire.

The long-form was a more detailed questionnaire filled out by 20 per cent of Canadian households. Completion was mandatory with penalties for those who failed to do so.

Citing "privacy issues," Industry Minister Tony Clement announced in June his government intends to kill the long-form and replace it with a new, voluntary National Household Survey that will be sent to one-third of Canada's households.

Many groups, Surrey city hall included, want the long-form reinstated because they believe a voluntary survey won't produce reliable information.

City staff believe groups that rely most on government programs - recent immigrants, Aboriginals and low-income families - are least likely to complete and file a voluntary survey, resulting in skewed data.

Staff also predict a voluntary survey will result in fewer responses and that will in turn mean distorted figures.

"We need to have accurate numbers," said Mayor Dianne Watts.

"The last census done was 2006 and it shows Surrey's population at less than 395,000.

"We're at 470,000 now and that's another small town."

Important financial decisions hinge, she said, on population figures.

"We need accurate numbers for infrastructure transfers, for instance. All that comes from census numbers."

Watts will send a letter to Clement explaining the city's concerns and asking him to reverse his decision.

tcolley@thenownewspaper.com