Not Just Numbers

Not Just Numbers: Representation in the Canadian Census™ is an interactive game that challenges participants to engage with and reflect on categorization and representation in historic records. Participants discover the story of a historical Canadian by sifting through census entries, photographs, letters, and newspaper articles, and are encouraged to challenge their assumptions along the way.

The museum first developed Not Just Numbers in 2017 for Canada 150 and Ontario 150, producing a public program that toured Canada, holding events at the Toronto Reference Library, the Global Centre for Pluralism, the Kingston-Frontenac Public Library and the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21.

With funding from the Government of Canada, Not Just Numbers expanded its offerings in 2025. Eight new profiles have been added to the online edition of the game.

Thanks to the generous support of the MacFeeters Family Fund at the Toronto Foundation, we are proud to introduce the Educator’s Edition of Not Just Numbers. Now teachers across Canada can use Not Just Numbers in their classroom to open critical discussions about history, identity, and memory.

2017 Edition Funded by/Financé par: 

This initiative is made possible by the Community Fund for Canada’s 150^th, a collaboration between the Toronto Foundation, the Government of Canada, and extraordinary leaders from coast to coast to coast.

Cette initative est rendue possible grace au Fonds communautaire pour le 150e anniversaire du Canada, qui est une collaboration entre le Toronto Foundation, les foundations communautaires canadiennes, le gouvernement du Canada et des leaders extraordinaires de l’Atlantique au Pacifique à l’Arctique.

2017 Lead Partners/Partenaires principaux:

2017 Supporting Partners/Partenaires de soutien:  

2017 Team/Équipe:

Special thanks to the Toronto Public Library for providing space for these events.

Nos remerciements tout particuliers à la Toronto Public Library pour avoir offert espace pour ces évènements.

The 2025 expansion of the Not Just Numbers Game was funded by the Government of Canada