Keyword search

Statistics Canada is engaged in a project "Information System for Science and Technology" which purpose is to develop useful indicators of activity and a framework to tie them together into a coherent picture of science and technology (S&T) in Canada. The Working papers series is used to publish results of the different initiatives conducted within this project. The produced data are related to the activities, linkages and outcomes of S&T. Several key areas are covered such as: innovation, technology diffusion, human resources in S&T and interrelations between different actors involved in S&T. This series also presents important data tabulations taken from regular surveys on R&D and S&T and made possible because of the existing Project.

The National Population Health Survey (NPHS) is designed to enhance the understanding of the processes affecting health. The survey collects cross-sectional as well as longitudinal data. In 1994/95 the survey interviewed a panel of 17,276 individuals, then returned to interview them a second time in 1996/97. The response rate for these individuals was 96% in 1996/97. Data collection from the panel will continue for up to two decades. For cross-sectional purposes, data were collected for a total of 81,000 household residents in all provinces (except people on Indian reserves or on Canadian Forces bases) in 1996/97.

This overview illustrates the variety of information available by presenting data on perceived health, chronic conditions, injuries, repetitive strains, depression, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, consultations with medical professionals, use of medications and use of alternative medicine.

This paper presents the magnitude of the problem, its impact, the methodology to adjust for anticipated revisions and how it reduces the underestimate.

The 1993 System of National Accounts (SNA) was implemented in Canada in November 1997 and all national accounts series - annual, quarterly and monthly, both at current and constant prices - were revised back to 1961. There were changes in classification of sectors and transactions, concepts and methodology. As well, we removed the statistical breaks in earlier series that arose due to our revision policy. In the spring of every year, we revise, if necessary, our national accounts series for the latest four years. Statistical breaks for earlier periods are removed only at the time of historical revisions, such as the one done in November 1997. This was the fifth and the most comprehensive historical revision of the Canadian SNA series since 1961, the earlier ones were done in the late 1960s, the late 1970s, in 1985 and in 1990. As our historical revisions have been done almost every decade, and more frequently since the 1980s, statistical breaks in the Canadian system have remained only for a short period.

This study examines whether the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics (SLID) could provide the same data as the Absence from Work Survey (AWS), and if so, how the estimates compare between the two surveys.

This paper gives an overview of the different sources of errors that occur with this methodology and presents some results on the impact of this mixed approach. The research has focused on micro-comparisons and has attempted to quantify the impact on measures of change.

Documentation to accompany public-use microdata files. Contains a detailed description of the survey design, content and methods, as well as the record layout and the data dictionary.

Homicide tends to receive more media attention and consequently closer public scrutiny than any other criminal act. The act itself, especially if cruel in nature or targeting defenceless members of society, promotes fear in the general public. Despite a growing concern among Canadians about threats of attack or violence, the homicide rate has gradually been declining since the mid 1970s.

Over the years, the concept of core inflation has become of crucial importance for the central banks of various countries. Indeed, many of them have at some point been given the mandate to reduce inflation and achieve price stability. In Canada, this mandate was conferred on the Bank of Canada in February 1991.

Core Inflation is often perceived as the trend in the movements of consumer prices. This review of the literature illustrates that more than one definition of core inflation exists. Then, a brief description of the different suggested methods to measure core inflation, as well as some of their results, are shown. Finally, this review offers a bibliography of articles on core inflation.

Cycle 10 collected data from persons 15 years and older and concentrated on the respondent's family. Topics covered include marital history, common- law unions, biological, adopted and step children, family origins, child leaving and fertility intentions.

The target population of the GSS (General Social Survey) consisted of all individuals aged 15 and over living in a private household in one of the ten provinces.

The first in this series is the Consulting Engineering Services Price Index (CEPI) which is an annual index that measures changes in the prices for services provided by consulting engineers. These services encompass advisory and design work as well as construction or project management. They are provided for many types of projects (fields of specialization), and to both Canadian and foreign clients. Price indexes are published for 10 fields of specialization as well as for national, regional, and foreign markets.

The National Population Health Survey (NPHS) is designed to enhance the understanding of the processes affecting health. The survey collects cross-sectional as well as longitudinal data. In 1994/95 the survey interviewed a panel of 17,276 individuals, then returned to interview them a second time in 1996/97. The response rate for these individuals was 96% in 1996/97. Data collection from the panel will continue for up to two decades. For cross-sectional purposes, data were collected for a total of 81,000 household residents in all provinces (except people on Indian reserves or on Canadian Forces bases) in 1996/97.

This overview illustrates the variety of information available by presenting data on perceived health, chronic conditions, injuries, repetitive strains, depression, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, consultations with medical professionals, use of medications and use of alternative medicine.

Documentation to accompany public-use microdata files. Contains a detailed description of the survey design, content and methods, as well as the record layout and the data dictionary.

Cycle 10 collected data from persons 15 years and older and concentrated on the respondent's family. Topics covered include marital history, common- law unions, biological, adopted and step children, family origins, child leaving and fertility intentions.

The target population of the GSS (General Social Survey) consisted of all individuals aged 15 and over living in a private household in one of the ten provinces.

This paper introduces a R-package for the stratification of a survey population using a univariate stratification variable X and for the calculation of stratum sample sizes. Non iterative methods such as the cumulative root frequency method and the geometric stratum boundaries are implemented. Optimal designs, with stratum boundaries that minimize either the CV of the simple expansion estimator for a fixed sample size n or the n value for a fixed CV can be constructed. Two iterative algorithms are available to find the optimal stratum boundaries. The design can feature a user defined certainty stratum where all the units are sampled. Take-all and take-none strata can be included in the stratified design as they might lead to smaller sample sizes. The sample size calculations are based on the anticipated moments of the survey variable Y, given the stratification variable X. The package handles conditional distributions of Y given X that are either a heteroscedastic linear model, or a log-linear model. Stratum specific non-response can be accounted for in the design construction and in the sample size calculations.

In two-phase sampling for stratification, the second-phase sample is selected by a stratified sample based on the information observed in the first-phase sample. We develop a replication-based bias adjusted variance estimator that extends the method of Kim, Navarro and Fuller (2006). The proposed method is also applicable when the first-phase sampling rate is not negligible and when second-phase sample selection is unequal probability Poisson sampling within each stratum. The proposed method can be extended to variance estimation for two-phase regression estimators. Results from a limited simulation study are presented.

We analyze the statistical and economic efficiency of different designs of cluster surveys collected in two consecutive time periods, or waves. In an independent design, two cluster samples in two waves are taken independently from one another. In a cluster-panel design, the same clusters are used in both waves, but samples within clusters are taken independently in two time periods. In an observation-panel design, both clusters and observations are retained from one wave of data collection to another. By assuming a simple population structure, we derive design variances and costs of the surveys conducted according to these designs. We first consider a situation in which the interest lies in estimation of the change in the population mean between two time periods, and derive the optimal sample allocations for the three designs of interest. We then propose the utility maximization framework borrowed from microeconomics to illustrate a possible approach to the choice of the design that strives to optimize several variances simultaneously. Incorporating the contemporaneous means and their variances tends to shift the preferences from observation-panel towards simpler panel-cluster and independent designs if the panel mode of data collection is too expensive. We present numeric illustrations demonstrating how a survey designer may want to choose the efficient design given the population parameters and data collection cost.

This paper examines the efficiency of the Horvitz-Thompson estimator from a systematic probability proportional to size (PPS) sample drawn from a randomly ordered list. In particular, the efficiency is compared with that of an ordinary ratio estimator. The theoretical results are confirmed empirically with of a simulation study using Dutch data from the Producer Price Index.

In the calibration method proposed by Deville and Särndal (1992), the calibration equations take only exact estimates of auxiliary variable totals into account. This article examines other parameters besides totals for calibration. Parameters that are considered complex include the ratio, median or variance of auxiliary variables.

In order to provide a holographic or complete picture of low income, Statistics Canada uses three complementary low income lines: the Low Income Cut-offs (LICOs), the Low Income Measures (LIMs) and the Market Basket Measure (MBM). While the first two lines were developed by Statistics Canada, the MBM is based on concepts developed by Human Resources and Skill Development Canada. Though these measures differ from one another, they give a generally consistent picture of low income status over time. None of these measures is the best. Each contributes its own perspective and its own strengths to the study of low income, so that cumulatively, the three provide a better understanding of the phenomenon of low income as a whole. These measures are not measures of poverty, but strictly measures of low income.

The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, the authors provide a detailed social accounting matrix (SAM), which incorporates the income and financial flows into the standard input-output matrix, for the Canadian economy for 2004. Second, they use the SAM to assess the strength of the real-financial linkages by calculating and comparing real SAM multipliers and financial social accounting matrix (FSAM) multipliers. For FSAM multipliers, financial flows are endogenous, whereas for real SAM multipliers they are not. The results show that taking into account financial flows increases the impact of a final demand shock on Canadian output. Financial flows also play an important role in determining the cumulative effect of an income shock or the availability of investment funds. Between 2008 and the first half of 2009, financial institutions shifted their investments toward government bonds, short-term paper, and foreign investments. This shift together with the fact that non-financial institutions were unwilling or unable to increase their financial liabilities, led to estimated declines in all GDP multipliers between 2008 and the first half of 2009 (2009H1). The main advantage of using the extended input-output analysis is that it provides a simple framework, with very few assumptions, which allows the assessment of the strength of real-financial linkages by means of multipliers. However, the methodology is subject to the Lucas critique, that as shocks shift prices, agents cannot adjust. Such a framework is, nevertheless, appropriate in short-term impact analysis such as this study.

The paper explores and assesses the approaches used by statistical offices to ensure effective methodological input into their statistical practice. The tension between independence and relevance is a common theme: generally, methodologists have to work closely with the rest of the statistical organisation for their work to be relevant; but they also need to have a degree of independence to question the use of existing methods and to lead the introduction of new ones where needed. And, of course, there is a need for an effective research program which, on the one hand, has a degree of independence needed by any research program, but which, on the other hand, is sufficiently connected so that its work is both motivated by and feeds back into the daily work of the statistical office. The paper explores alternative modalities of organisation; leadership; planning and funding; the role of project teams; career development; external advisory committees; interaction with the academic community; and research.

One key to poverty alleviation or eradication in the third world is reliable information on the poor and their location, so that interventions and assistance can be effectively targeted to the neediest people. Small area estimation is one statistical technique that is used to monitor poverty and to decide on aid allocation in pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals. Elbers, Lanjouw and Lanjouw (ELL) (2003) proposed a small area estimation methodology for income-based or expenditure-based poverty measures, which is implemented by the World Bank in its poverty mapping projects via the involvement of the central statistical agencies in many third world countries, including Cambodia, Lao PDR, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, and is incorporated into the World Bank software program PovMap. In this paper, the ELL methodology which consists of first modeling survey data and then applying that model to census information is presented and discussed with strong emphasis on the first phase, i.e., the fitting of regression models and on the estimated standard errors at the second phase. Other regression model fitting procedures such as the General Survey Regression (GSR) (as described in Lohr (1999) Chapter 11) and those used in existing small area estimation techniques: Pseudo-Empirical Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (Pseudo-EBLUP) approach (You and Rao 2002) and Iterative Weighted Estimating Equation (IWEE) method (You, Rao and Kovacevic 2003) are presented and compared with the ELL modeling strategy. The most significant difference between the ELL method and the other techniques is in the theoretical underpinning of the ELL model fitting procedure. An example based on the Philippines Family Income and Expenditure Survey is presented to show the differences in both the parameter estimates and their corresponding standard errors, and in the variance components generated from the different methods and the discussion is extended to the effect of these on the estimated accuracy of the final small area estimates themselves. The need for sound estimation of variance components, as well as regression estimates and estimates of their standard errors for small area estimation of poverty is emphasized.

This paper considers the problem of selecting nonparametric models for small area estimation, which recently have received much attention. We develop a procedure based on the idea of fence method (Jiang, Rao, Gu and Nguyen 2008) for selecting the mean function for the small areas from a class of approximating splines. Simulation results show impressive performance of the new procedure even when the number of small areas is fairly small. The method is applied to a hospital graft failure dataset for selecting a nonparametric Fay-Herriot type model.

Although income and expenditure data provide an indication of current consumption and ability to purchase goods and services, they provide little information on the long-term ability of families to sustain themselves. The results of this survey will provide information on the net worth (wealth) of Canadian families, that is, the value of their assets less their debts.

This paper examines the objectives of the survey, how the survey has changed since 1984, the types of questions being asked and information that will be provided, as well as other survey background. An accompanying table outlines the content of the questionnaire. The intent of this paper is to describe the work done to date and the next steps for this important subject.

This document summarizes the comments and feedback received on an earlier document: Towards a new Canadian asset and debt survey - A content discussion paper. The new asset and debt survey (now called the Survey of Financial Security) is to update the wealth information on Canadian families and unattached individuals. Since the last data collection was conducted in 1984, it was essential to include a consultative process in the development of the survey in order to obtain feedback on issues of concern and to define the conceptual framework for the survey.

Comments on the content discussion paper are summarized by major theme and sections indicate how the suggestions are being incorporated into the survey or why they could not be incorporated. This paper also mentions the main objectives of the survey and provides an overview of the survey content, revised according to the feedback from the discussion paper.

The 1993 System of National Accounts (SNA) was implemented in Canada in November 1997 and all national accounts series - annual, quarterly and monthly, both at current and constant prices - were revised back to 1961. There were changes in classification of sectors and transactions, concepts and methodology. As well, we removed the statistical breaks in earlier series that arose due to our revision policy. In the spring of every year, we revise, if necessary, our national accounts series for the latest four years. Statistical breaks for earlier periods are removed only at the time of historical revisions, such as the one done in November 1997. This was the fifth and the most comprehensive historical revision of the Canadian SNA series since 1961, the earlier ones were done in the late 1960s, the late 1970s, in 1985 and in 1990. As our historical revisions have been done almost every decade, and more frequently since the 1980s, statistical breaks in the Canadian system have remained only for a short period.

This paper describes the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics (SLID) following rules, which govern who is traced and who is interviewed. It also outlines the conceptual basis for these procedures.