Households and the Environment Survey (HES)

Summary of changes

Activity on this program started: May 1990

Reference period of change - 2021

Below is a list of topics that are covered in the 2021 HES.
- Home heating and cooling
- Use of firewood
- Water quality concerns of households
- Consumption and conservation of water
- Consumption and conservation of energy
- Pesticide and fertilizer use on lawns and gardens
- Use of household lawn and garden equipment
- Use of gasoline-powered recreation equipment
- Composting and household hazardous waste disposal practices
- Household interactions with nature
- Purchasing decisions
- Natural gas consumption
- Heating oil consumption

Reference period of change - 2019

Reference period of change - 2019

The HES changed collection modes in 2019 from only computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) to a combination of self-administered electronic questionnaires and CATI.

Below is a list of topics that are covered in the 2019 HES.

- Home heating and cooling
- Use of firewood
- Water quality concerns of households
- Consumption and conservation of water
- Consumption and conservation of energy
- Pesticide and fertilizer use on lawns and gardens
- Use of household lawn and garden equipment
- Use of gasoline-powered recreation equipment
- Composting and household hazardous waste disposal practices
- Household interactions with nature
- Purchasing decisions

Reference period of change - 2017

Reference period of change - 2017

Below is a list of topics that are covered in the 2017 HES.

- Home heating and cooling
- Use of firewood
- Water quality concerns of households
- Consumption and conservation of water
- Consumption and conservation of energy
- Pesticide and fertilizer use on lawns and gardens
- Use of household lawn and garden equipment
- Use of gasoline-powered recreation equipment
- Composting and household hazardous waste disposal practices
- Household interactions with nature

Reference period of change - 2015

Below is a list of topics that are covered in the 2015 HES.

- Water quality concerns of households
- Consumption and conservation of water
- Consumption and conservation of energy
- Home heating and cooling
- Use of household lawn and garden equipment
- Use of gasoline-powered recreation equipment
- Pesticide and fertilizer use on lawns and gardens
- Composting and household hazardous waste disposal practices
- Importance of nature
- Purchasing decisions

Reference period of change - 2013

The topics that are covered in the 2013 HES are:

- Water quality concerns of households
- Consumption and conservation of water
- Consumption and conservation of energy
- Home heating and cooling
- Use of household lawn and garden equipment
- Use of gasoline-powered recreation equipment
- Pesticide and fertilizer use on lawns and gardens
- Composting and household hazardous waste disposal practices
- Importance of nature
- Purchasing decisions

Reference period of change - 2011

Methodological revisions

In 2016, a methodological review of electricity consumption data for the 2007 and 2011 cycles was undertaken and the imputed electricity consumption values for these cycles were revised as a result.

Broadly, the 2011 HES measured variables that explored the following themes:

- Water quality concerns of households
- Consumption and conservation of water
- Conservation of energy
- Home heating and cooling
- The indoor environment
- Use of household lawn and garden equipment
- Use of gasoline-powered recreation equipment
- Pesticide and fertilizer use on lawns and gardens
- Composting and hazardous waste disposal practices
- Importance of nature

Reference period of change - 2009

As a result of other environmental practices being measured in 2009, composting and waste disposal practices was added to the list of variables being published.

The topics that are covered in the 2009 HES are:

- Water quality concerns of households
- Consumption and conservation of water
- Consumption and conservation of energy
- Home heating and cooling
- Use of household lawn and garden equipment
- Use of gasoline-powered recreation equipment
- Pesticide and fertilizer use on lawns and gardens
- Composting and waste disposal practices
- Impacts of air and water quality on households
- Purchasing decisions

As well, a series of questions to determine respondents' awareness and knowledge of radon was included in the questionnaire.

Reference period of change - 2007

Methodological revisions

In 2016, a methodological review of electricity consumption data for the 2007 and 2011 cycles was undertaken and the imputed electricity consumption values for these cycles were revised as a result.

Starting with the 2007 reference year, the HES is being conducted biennially based on respondents drawn from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS).

The topics that are covered in the 2007 HES are:
- Water quality concerns of households
- Consumption and conservation of water
- Consumption and conservation of energy
- Home heating and cooling
- Use of household lawn and garden equipment
- Use of gasoline-powered recreation equipment
- Pesticide and fertilizer use on lawns and gardens
- Recycling, composting and waste disposal practices
- Impacts of air and water quality on households
- Transportation decisions
- Purchasing decisions

Reference period of change - 2005-2006

The HES was first implemented in 1991 and in 1994, and then implemented again in 2006. For these years, the survey was conducted as a supplement to the Labour Force Survey (LFS).