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Description:

This guide focuses on the following topic: Structural Type of Dwelling and Collectives variables. Provides information that enables users to effectively use, apply and interpret data from the 2016 Census. Each guide contains definitions and explanations on census concepts, talks about changes made to the 2016 Census, data quality and historical comparability, as well as comparison with other data sources. Additional information will be included for specific variables to help general users better understand the concepts and questions used in the census.

Description:

The Quality Assurance Framework (QAF) serves as the highest-level governance tool for quality management at Statistics Canada. The QAF gives an overview of the quality management and risk mitigation strategies used by the Agency’s program areas. The QAF is used in conjunction with Statistics Canada management practices, such as those described in the Quality Guidelines.

Description:

Statistics Canada regularly publishes macroeconomic indicators on household assets, liabilities and net worth as part of the quarterly National Balance Sheet Accounts (NBSA). These accounts are aligned with the most recent international standards and are the source of estimates of national wealth for all sectors of the economy, including households, non-profit institutions, governments and corporations along with Canada’s wealth position vis-a-vis the rest of the world. While the NBSA provide high quality information on the overall position of households relative to other economic sectors, they lack the granularity required to understand vulnerabilities of specific groups and the resulting implications for economic wellbeing and financial stability.

Description:

Annual information is available on the RRSP contribution limit (RRSP room) available to Canadians for a particular tax year. Data may be requested for people with room by new room, unused room and total room. Information is available for the number of taxfilers with new room, their average age, their median earned income, the average dollar amount of new room and the percentage of new room greater than several predetermined dollar levels.

Data for some geographic areas are available since 1993. The latest data (2017 Room) can be requested for selected levels of postal and census geographies. The statistics are derived from a preliminary version of the annual taxfile provided by the Canada Revenue Agency.

Description: Annual data provide an overview of individuals who reported donations to registered charitable organizations on line 340 of their tax return. Data include the total number of donors, their average age, their total and median donations, their median total income, the average donation by age group and the percentage of donors by sex, age group or income group.

Data for some geographic areas are available since 1990. The latest data (2022) can be requested for selected levels of postal and census geographies. The statistics are derived from a preliminary version of the annual taxfile provided by the Canada Revenue Agency.

Description:

Every year, thousands of workers lose their jobs as firms reduce the size of their workforce in response to growing competition, technological changes, changing trade patterns and numerous other factors. Thousands of workers also start a job with a new employer as new firms enter a product market and existing firms expand or replace employees who recently left. This worker reallocation process across employers is generally seen as contributing to productivity growth and rising living standards. To measure this labour reallocation process, labour market indicators such as hiring rates and layoff rates are needed. In response to growing demand for subprovincial labour market information and taking advantage of unique administrative datasets, Statistics Canada is producing hiring rates and layoff rates by economic region of residence. This document describes the data sources, conceptual and methodological issues, and other matters pertaining to these two indicators.

Description:

The Guide to Job Vacancy Statistics provides an overview of the structure of the survey and covers topics such as survey methodology, data quality as well as terms and definitions.

Description:

This report describes the quality indicators produced for the 2014 Survey of Household Spending. These quality indicators, such as coefficients of variation, nonresponse rates, slippage rates and imputation rates, help users interpret the survey data.

Description:

The operationalization of the Population and Housing Census in Portugal is managed by a hierarchical structure in which Statistics Portugal is at the top and local government institutions at the bottom. When the Census takes place every ten years, local governments are asked to collaborate with Statistics Portugal in the execution and monitoring of the fieldwork operations at the local level. During the Pilot Test stage of the 2011 Census, local governments were asked for additional collaboration: to answer the Perception of Risk survey, whose aim was to gather information to design a quality assurance instrument that could be used to monitor the Census operations. The response rate of the survey was desired to be 100%, however, by the deadline of data collection nearly a quarter of local governments had not responded to the survey and thus a decision was made to make a follow up mailing. In this paper, we examine whether the same conclusions could have been reached from survey without follow ups as with them and evaluate the influence of follow ups on the conception of the quality assurance instrument. Comparison of responses on a set of perception variables revealed that local governments answering previous or after the follow up did not differ. However the configuration of the quality assurance instrument changed when including follow up responses.

Description:

This overview document describes the conceptual underpinnings of the Integrated Business Statistics Program and explains how program components facilitate a more integrated approach to economic surveying at Statistics Canada.

Description: The public use microdata file from the 2010 Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating is now available. This file contains information collected from nearly 15,000 respondents aged 15 and over residing in private households in the provinces.The public use microdata file provides provincial-level information about the ways in which Canadians donate money and in-kind gifts to charitable and nonprofit organizations; volunteer their time to these organizations; provide help directly to others. Socio-demographic, income and labour force data are also included on the file.

Description: Microdata files are unique among census products in that they give users access to unaggregated data. This makes the public use microdata files (PUMFs) powerful research tools. Each file contains anonymous individual responses on a large number of variables. The PUMF user can group and manipulate these variables to suit his/her own data and research requirements. Tabulations not included in other census products can be created or relationships between variables can be analysed by using different statistical tests. PUMFs provide quick access to a comprehensive social and economic database about Canada and its people. All subject-matter covered by the census is included in the microdata files. However, to ensure the anonymity of the respondents, geographic identifiers have been restricted to the provinces/territories and large metropolitan areas. Microdata files have traditionally been disseminated on magnetic tape, which required access to a mainframe computer. For the first time, the 1991 PUMFs will also be available on CD-ROM for microcomputer applications. This file contains data based on a 3% of the population enumerated in the 1991 Census. It provides information on the demographic, social and economic characteristics of the Canadian population. The Individual File allows users to return to the base unit of the census, enabling them to group and manipulate the data to suit their own data and research requirements.

This product provides two basic tools to assist users in accessing and using the 1991 Census Public Use Microdata File - Individuals CD-ROM.

Description: Microdata files are unique among census products in that they give users access to unaggregated data. This makes the public use microdata files (PUMFs) powerful research tools. Each file contains anonymous individual responses on a large number of variables. The PUMF user can group and manipulate these variables to suit his/her own data and research requirements. Tabulations not included in other census products can be created or relationships between variables can be analysed by using different statistical tests. PUMFs provide quick access to a comprehensive social and economic database about Canada and its people. All subject-matter covered by the census is included in the microdata files. However, to ensure the anonymity of the respondents, geographic identifiers have been restricted to the provinces/territories and large metropolitan areas. Microdata files have traditionally been disseminated on magnetic tape, which required access to a mainframe computer. For the first time, the 1991 PUMFs will also be available on CD-ROM for microcomputer applications. This file contains data based on a 3% of the population enumerated in the 1991 Census. It provides information on the demographic, social and economic characteristics of the Canadian population. The Households and Housing File allows users to return to the base unit of the census, enabling them to group and manipulate the data to suit their own data and research requirements.

This product provides two basic tools to assist users in accessing and using the 1991 Census Public Use Microdata File - Households and Housing CD-ROM.

Description:

This publication presents quarterly estimates of population for Canada, provinces and territories as well as statistics on the following components of population change: births, deaths, immigration, emigration, returning emigration, net temporary emigration, net non-permanent residents and interprovincial migration, the latter by origin and destination. The Quarterly Demographic Estimates publication contains the most recent estimates as well as a quarterly historical series. It also contains highlights and analysis of the most current demographic trends, as well as a brief description of the concepts, methods and data quality of the estimates.

Description:

This public use microdata file is from the fourth survey in the Canadian Perspectives Survey Series and includes information about the source and quality of COVID-19 information that Canadians are accessing. Also covered are the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 on the physical and mental health of individuals, and on their social and employment circumstances. This product is provided using Statistics Canada's electronic file transfer service.

Description: The Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey (CTADS) is a biennial general population survey of tobacco, alcohol and drug use among Canadians aged 15 years and older, with the primary focus on 15- to 24-year-olds. The CTADS is a telephone survey conducted by Statistics Canada on behalf of Health Canada.

Description:

Statistics Canada was approached by Stentor Resource Centre Incorporated to conduct a survey to monitor the telephone penetration rates across Canada. The survey determines if the respondents have a telephone line in their residence. If they do not have a telephone line, information is collected as to the reasons why. Information is also collected on the income characteristics of the selected households.

The management of the survey was transferred from Stentor to Bell Canada in the Fall of 1998.

The Labour Force Survey (LFS) supplementary capacity is used to conduct this biannual survey. A sample of approximately 44,000 respondents is used for this survey (five out of six rotation groups). The survey data are collected using Computer Assisted Interviewing (CAI). The first data collection procedure took place during November's LFS week in 1996.

This microdata file is prepared biannually and contains the variables from the survey, plus geographical variables from the LFS (province, census metropolitan area, urban/rural breakdown). No other variables from the LFS are added to the file.

Description:

The International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) was a collaborative effort by twenty governments and three intergovernmental organizations. The countries of Australia, Belgium/Flanders, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland (French, German and Italian), United Kingdom, United States, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Norway, and Slovenia participated in the IALS.

The Canadian IALS survey had a number of objectives. These were: a) to provide an updated profile of adult literacy abilities for Canada for comparison to that provided by the 1989 Survey of Literacy Skills Used in Daily Activities (LSUDA); b) to provide sufficiently large numbers of Franco-Ontarians, seniors, social assistance recipients, unemployment insurance recipients and out-of-school youth to profile their skill levels; c) to shed light on the relationship between performance, educational attainment, labour market participation and employment for those at certain literacy levels; and d) to compare Canadian literacy levels with those in other countries.

Description:

This report presents estimates of national and provincial economic activity of the environment industry in Canada, including the revenues earned from the production of environmental goods, the provision of environmental services and the undertaking of environment-related construction activities.

The environment industry is composed of establishments operating in a variety of industries that produce environmental goods and services. Environmental goods and services are goods and services that are used, or can potentially be used to measure, prevent, limit or correct environmental damage (both natural or by human activity) to water, air, soil as well as problems related to waste, noise and ecosystems. They also include clean or resource-efficient (eco-efficient) technologies that decrease material inputs, reduce energy consumption, recover valuable by-products, reduce emissions and/or minimise waste disposal problems.

Description:

This publication contains population estimates by age and sex for Canada, provinces, territories, census divisions, census metropolitan areas and economic regions. It also includes, for provinces and territories, estimates by age, sex and marital status as well as estimates for census families.

The estimates are based on the 2001 Census results, which have been adjusted for net census undercoverage. The publication also includes statistics for the demographic components that were used to produce the population estimates (births, deaths, marriages, divorces, immigration, emigration, net temporary emigration, returning emigration, internal migration and non-permanent residents) by age and sex. In addition, the publication contains highlights of current demographic trends and a description of the methodology.

The print version of the publication includes a CD-ROM that provides additional data such as a chronological series of estimates by various levels of geography. With regard to provinces and territories, the estimates date back to 1971 (tables and animated age pyramid), 1986 for census divisions, census metropolitan areas and economic regions as well as census families.

The time series available on the CD-ROM can be easily captured and manipulated by analysts who want to create customized demographic analyses in any spreadsheet program. The population figures can be used, for example, to calculate per-capita rates required for market research, quantitative analysis and planning.

Description:

Over the past few years, Statistics Canada has conducted several analytical studies using paradata to learn more about various issues surrounding the data collection process and practices. In particular, these investigations have attempted to better understand how data collection progresses through its cycle, to identify strategic opportunities, to evaluate new collection initiatives and to improve the way the agency conducts and manages its surveys. The main objectives of this paper are to present the main results of these past and ongoing investigations describing Statistics Canada's experiences with regards to paradata. Future research plans that focus on identifying viable operational strategies that could improve efficiency or data quality are also discussed.

Description:

In one sense, a questionnaire is never complete. Test results, paradata and research findings constantly provide reasons to update and improve the questionnaire. In addition, establishments change over time and questions need to be updated accordingly. In reality, it doesn't always work like this. At Statistics Sweden there are several examples of questionnaires that were designed at one point in time and rarely improved later on. However, we are currently trying to shift the perspective on questionnaire design from a linear to a cyclic one. We are developing a cyclic model in which the questionnaire can be improved continuously in multiple rounds. In this presentation, we will discuss this model and how we work with it.

Description:

The Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours (SEPH) is a monthly survey using two sources of data: a census of payroll deduction (PD7) forms (administrative data) and a survey of business establishments. This paper focuses on the processing of the administrative data, from the weekly receipt of data from the Canada Revenue Agency to the production of monthly estimates produced by SEPH.

The edit and imputation methods used to process the administrative data have been revised in the last several years. The goals of this redesign were primarily to improve the data quality and to increase the consistency with another administrative data source (T4) which is a benchmark measure for Statistics Canada's System of National Accounts people. An additional goal was to ensure that the new process would be easier to understand and to modify, if needed. As a result, a new processing module was developed to edit and impute PD7 forms before their data is aggregated to the monthly level.

This paper presents an overview of both the current and new processes, including a description of challenges that we faced during development. Improved quality is demonstrated both conceptually (by presenting examples of PD7 forms and their treatment under the old and new systems) and quantitatively (by comparison to T4 data).

Description:

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities' (FCM) Quality of Life Reporting System (QOLRS) is a means by which to measure, monitor, and report on the quality of life in Canadian municipalities. To address that challenge of administrative data collection across member municipalities the QOLRS technical team collaborated on the development of the Municipal Data Collection Tool (MDCT) which has become a key component of QOLRS' data acquisition methodology. Offered as a case study on administrative data collection, this paper argues that the recent launch of the MDCT has enabled the FCM to access reliable pan-Canadian municipal administrative data for the QOLRS.

Description:

Justice surveys represent a unique type of survey undertaken by Statistics Canada. While they all essentially use administrative data, Statistics Canada has had considerable input into the type of data that is collected as well as quality assurance methods guiding the collection of this data. This is true in the areas of policing, courts and corrections. The main crime survey, the Uniform Crime Reporting Survey (UCR), is the focus of this paper and was designed to measure the incidence of crime in Canadian society and its characteristics. The data is collected by the policing community in Canada and transmitted electronically to Statistics Canada. This paper will begin by providing an overview of the survey and its distinctive properties, such as the use of intermediaries (software vendors) that convert data from the police's information systems into the UCR survey format, following nationally defined data requirements. This level of consistency is uncommon for an administrative survey and permits a variety of opportunities for improving the overall data quality and capabilities of the survey. Various methods such as quality indicators and feedback reports are used on a regular basis and frequent two-way communication takes place with the respondents to correct existing data problems and to prevent future ones. We will discuss recent improvements to both the data itself and our collection methods that have enhanced the usability of the survey. Finally, future development of the survey will be discussed including some of the challenges that currently exist as well as those still to come.

Description:

In many countries, improved quality of economic statistics is one of the most important goals of the 21st century. First and foremost, the quality of National Accounts is in focus, regarding both annual and quarterly accounts. To achieve this goal, data quality regarding the largest enterprises is of vital importance. To assure that the quality of data for the largest enterprises is good, coherence analysis is an important tool. Coherence means that data from different sources fit together and give a consistent view of the development within these enterprises. Working with coherence analysis in an efficient way is normally a work-intensive task consisting mainly of collecting data from different sources and comparing them in a structured manner. Over the last two years, Statistics Sweden has made great progress in improving the routines for coherence analysis. An IT tool that collects data for the largest enterprises from a large number of sources and presents it in a structured and logical matter has been built, and a systematic approach to analyse data for National Accounts on a quarterly basis has been developed. The paper describes the work in both these areas and gives an overview of the IT tool and the agreed routines.

Description:

Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) prides itself in the accuracy and validity of data collected, processed and disseminated. The introduction of a Real Time Management System (RTMS) and the Global Positioning System (GPS) into field operations is aimed at enhancing the process of data collection and minimising errors with regard to locating sampled dwelling units and tracking material from one point in the survey chain to another.

The Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) is a pioneering project at Stats SA where the Master sample (MS) is linked to a GPS data base, where every record listed on the MS listing book has a corresponding GPS coordinate captured for it. These GPS points allows the Survey Officer to record spatially where different records are on the ground that are being listed (i.e. shops, houses, schools, churches etc.). The captured information is then linked to a shape file which populates where the structures are on the ground in relation to the manual listing records.

Description:

The Aboriginal Children's Survey (ACS) provides an extensive set of data about Aboriginal (Métis, Inuit, and off-reserve First Nations) children under 6 years of age in urban, rural, and northern locations across Canada. The Aboriginal Children's Survey (ACS) was designed to provide a picture of the early development of Aboriginal children and the social and living conditions in which they are learning and growing.

The survey was developed by Statistics Canada and Aboriginal advisors from across the country and was conducted jointly with Human Resources and Social Development Canada.

Description:

Many survey organisations focus on the response rate as being the quality indicator for the impact of non-response bias. As a consequence, they implement a variety of measures to reduce non-response or to maintain response at some acceptable level. However, response rates alone are not good indicators of non-response bias. In general, higher response rates do not imply smaller non-response bias. The literature gives many examples of this (e.g., Groves and Peytcheva 2006, Keeter, Miller, Kohut, Groves and Presser 2000, Schouten 2004).

We introduce a number of concepts and an indicator to assess the similarity between the response and the sample of a survey. Such quality indicators, which we call R-indicators, may serve as counterparts to survey response rates and are primarily directed at evaluating the non-response bias. These indicators may facilitate analysis of survey response over time, between various fieldwork strategies or data collection modes. We apply the R-indicators to two practical examples.

Description:

Beginning in late 2006, the Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division of Statistics Canada embarked on the process of review of questions used in the Census and in surveys to produce data about Aboriginal peoples (North American Indian, Métis and Inuit). This process is essential to ensure that Aboriginal identification questions are valid measures of contemporary Aboriginal identification, in all its complexity. Questions reviewed included the following (from the Census 2B questionnaire):- the Ethnic origin / Aboriginal ancestry question;- the Aboriginal identity question;- the Treaty / Registered Indian question; and- the Indian band / First Nation Membership question.

Additional testing was conducted on Census questions with potential Aboriginal response options: the population group question (also known as visible minorities), and the Religion question. The review process to date has involved two major steps: regional discussions with data users and stakeholders, and qualitative testing. The regional discussions with over 350 users of Aboriginal data across Canada were held in early 2007 to examine the four questions used on the Census and other surveys of Statistics Canada. Data users included National Aboriginal organizations, Aboriginal Provincial and Territorial Organizations, Federal, Provincial and local governments, researchers and Aboriginal service organizations. User feedback showed that main areas of concern were data quality, undercoverage, the wording of questions, and the importance of comparability over time.

Description: This reference guide is intended for users of the Census Subdivisions Boundary File. The guide provides an overview of the file, the general methodology used to create it, and important technical information for users.

Description: The Census Subdivision Boundary File contains the boundaries of all census subdivisions which combined cover all of Canada. A census subdivision is a municipality or an area treated as an equivalent to a municipality for statistical purposes (for example, Indian reserves and unorganized territories). The file provides a framework for mapping and spatial analysis using commercially available geographic information systems (GIS) or other mapping software.

The Census Subdivision Boundary File is portrayed in Lambert conformal conic projection and is based on the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83). A reference guide is available (92-162-G).

Description: This reference guide is intended for users of the Road Network File. The guide provides an overview of the file, the general methodology used to create it, and important technical information for users.

Description: The Road Network File (RNF) is a digital representation of Canada's national road network, containing information such as street names, types, directions and address ranges. The information comes from the National Geographic Database (NGD).

A reference guide is available (92-500-G).

Description: The Guide to the Job Vacancy and Wage Survey contains a dictionary of concepts and definitions, and covers topics such as survey methodology, data collection, processing, and data quality.

Description: The Guide to the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours contains a dictionary of concepts and definitions and covers topics such as survey methodology, data collection and processing, and data quality. It also provides information on products and services, as well as the survey questionnaire.

Description:

This report deals with Indigenous identity, Indigenous ancestry, Indigenous group, Registered or Treaty Indian status, Membership in a First Nation or Indian band, Membership in a Métis organization or Settlement, and Enrollment under an Inuit land claims agreement, and contains explanations of concepts, data quality, historical comparability and comparability with other sources, as well as information on data collection, processing and dissemination.

Description: Census of Agriculture data provide statistical information on farms and farm operators at fine geographic levels and for small subpopulations. Quality evaluation activities are essential to ensure that census data are reliable and that they meet user needs.

This report provides data quality information pertaining to the Census of Agriculture, such as sources of error, error detection, disclosure control methods, data quality indicators, response rates and collection rates.

Description: The Canadian Survey on Disability (CSD) is a national survey of Canadians aged 15 and over whose everyday activities are limited because of a long-term condition or health-related problem. The 2022 CSD Concepts and Methods Guide is designed to assist CSD data users by providing relevant information on survey content and concepts, sampling design, collection methods, data processing, data quality and product availability.

Description: This report provides data quality information pertaining to the Agriculture–Population Linkage, such as sources of error, matching process, response rates, imputation rates, sampling, weighting, disclosure control methods and data quality indicators.