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Description: The newsletter offers information aimed at three main groups, businesses (small to medium), communities and ethno-cultural groups/communities. Articles and outreach materials will assist their understanding of national and local data from the many relevant sources found on the Statistics Canada website.

Description: This publication provides insights on housing data and analysis at Statistics Canada. Readers can access in-depth information on the latest housing data released by the Agency. The series relies on both descriptive and analytical methods to analyze administrative and survey data sets that relate to housing.

Description: The Canadian Income Survey (CIS) has introduced improvements to the methods and data sources used to produce income and poverty estimates with the release of its 2022 reference year estimates. Foremost among these improvements is a significant increase in the sample size for a large subset of the CIS content. The weighting methodology was also improved and the target population of the CIS was changed from persons aged 16 years and over to persons aged 15 years and over. This paper describes the changes made and presents the approximate net result of these changes on the income estimates and data quality of the CIS using 2021 data. The changes described in this paper highlight the ways in which data quality has been improved while having little impact on key CIS estimates and trends.

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: Since 1984, an annual international symposium on methodological issues has been sponsored by Statistics Canada. Proceedings have been available since 1987.

Description: This documentation outlines the methodology used to develop the Distributions of household economic accounts published in January 2024 for the reference years 2010 to 2023. It describes the framework and the steps implemented to produce distributional information aligned with the National Balance Sheet Accounts and other national accounts concepts. It also includes a report on the quality of the estimated distributions.

Description: The validity of survival estimates from cancer registry data depends, in part, on the identification of the deaths of deceased cancer patients. People whose deaths are missed seemingly live on forever and are informally referred to as “immortals”, and their presence in registry data can result in inflated survival estimates. This study assesses the issue of immortals in the Canadian Cancer Registry (CCR) using a recently proposed method that compares the survival of long-term survivors of cancers for which “statistical” cure has been reported with that of similar people from the general population.

Description: This report summarizes the annual achievements of the Methodology Research and Development Program (MRDP) sponsored by the Modern Statistical Methods and Data Science Branch at Statistics Canada. This program covers research and development activities in statistical methods with potentially broad application in the agency’s statistical programs; these activities would otherwise be less likely to be carried out during the provision of regular methodology services to those programs. The MRDP also includes activities that provide support in the application of past successful developments in order to promote the use of the results of research and development work. Selected prospective research activities are also presented.

Description: This file provides data on the characteristics of the population. The 2001 Census Public Use Microdata Files (PUMFs) contain samples of anonymous responses to the 2001 Census questionnaire. The files have been carefully scrutinized to ensure the complete confidentiality of the individual responses. Three files are available: the Individuals File, the Families File, and the Households and Housing File.

Microdata files are unique among census products in that they give users access to non-aggregated data. The PUMFs user can group and manipulate these variables to suit data and research requirements. Tabulations excluded from other census products can be created or relationships between variables can be analysed using different statistical tests. PUMFs provide quick access to a comprehensive social and economic database about Canada and its people.

Most of the subject matter covered by the census is included in the microdata files. To ensure the respondents' anonymity, geographic identifiers have been restricted to provinces/territories and large metropolitan areas.

Note: Please be advised that errors have been detected in the data for two variables contained on the revised version of this CD-ROM. As well, we have added a unique record identifier called PPSORT, built/included in the file for administrative purposes only. The affected variables are: Income status (2000 low income cut-offs) (INCSTP) Ethnic origin (ETHNICRA) Further details can be found in the "Errata" file offered in several formats on the new, re-issued CD-ROM. Original release date - February 8, 2005 1rst Correction - released August 24, 2005 2nd Correction - released April 26, 2006

Description: The Canadian Income Survey (CIS) has introduced improvements to the methods and systems used to produce income estimates with the release of its 2021 reference year estimates. This paper describes the changes and presents the approximate net result of these changes on income estimates using data for 2019 and 2020. The changes described in this paper highlight the ways in which data quality has been improved while producing minimal impact on key CIS estimates and trends.

Description: This file provides data on the characteristics of the population. The 2001 Census Public Use Microdata Files (PUMFs) contain samples of anonymous responses to the 2001 Census questionnaire. The files have been carefully scrutinized to ensure the complete confidentiality of the individual responses. Three files are available: the Individuals File, the Families File, and the Households and Housing File.

Microdata files are unique among census products in that they give users access to non-aggregated data. The PUMFs user can group and manipulate these variables to suit data and research requirements. Tabulations excluded from other census products can be created or relationships between variables can be analysed using different statistical tests. PUMFs provide quick access to a comprehensive social and economic database about Canada and its people.

Most of the subject matter covered by the census is included in the microdata files. To ensure the respondents' anonymity, geographic identifiers have been restricted to provinces/territories and large metropolitan areas.

Note: Please be advised that errors have been detected in the data for two variables contained on the revised version of this CD-ROM. As well, we have added a unique record identifier called PPSORT, built/included in the file for administrative purposes only. The affected variables are: Income status (2000 low income cut-offs) (INCSTP) Ethnic origin (ETHNICRA) Further details can be found in the "Errata" file offered in several formats on the new, re-issued CD-ROM. Original release date - February 8, 2005 1rst Correction - released August 24, 2005 2nd Correction - released April 26, 2006

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 details the methodology and results of the Farm Environmental Management Survey (FEMS).

The FEMS is conducted to gather information about farming practices on Canadian crop and livestock operations. The survey focuses on information related to manure storage and spreading, pesticide application, crop and nutrient management, grazing and the implementation of environmental farm plans.

Description:

Income in Canada is an annual analytical report which summarizes the economic well-being of Canadians. It includes an extensive collection of income statistics, covering topics such as income distribution, income tax, government transfers, and low income back to 1976. The data prior to 1993 are drawn from the Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF). Beginning with 1998, the data are taken from the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamnics (SLID). For the 1993 to 1997 period, estimates are based on a combined sample from SCF and SLID.

Income in Canada provides a complete list of the tables and directions for getting started. It also contains links to the background information on the survey, including content and methodology, and other SLID data products and services.

With this release, users now have free access to the 202 CANSIM Series tables. Tables are accessible using a PC or Mac via the web browser.

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:

This product provides an overview of the Canadian greenhouse industry. Included are annual estimates of the total area under glass and plastic, months of operation and the total sales. Estimates of employment, labour costs, investments, purchases of plant materials and heating fuel costs are also available. Information on the value of sales of greenhouse vegetables, flowers and ornamental plants are published, as well as the production of flowers by variety. Also included are estimates on the area, cost of purchases, employment and value of nursery stock and sod. Finally, there is information on the proportion of sales through various channels.

Description:

The Public Service Employee Survey was designed to solicit the views of Public Service employees on their work environment and overall job satisfaction. Employees expressed their opinions on their work units, their communications with their supervisors, skills and career aspirations, client services and labour management relations. General information such as age, gender, years of service and province of work were collected and questions were asked on specific themes such as staffing fairness, official languages, health and safety, harassment and discrimination and retention issues. The results were aggregated at the department and Public Service-wide levels. The survey ensures a measurement capacity between the 1999, 2002 and 2005 questionnaires.

In 2008, the 2005 questionnaire was used as the basis for the survey. New questions were added to construct an employee engagement model that will be used to evaluate each organization. As well, the scale of the response category was increased from 4 to 5 to include a neutral category.

Description:

This publication contains statistical information on child and spousal support payments which are collected from maintenance enforcement programs (MEPs) across Canada. These programs, which exist in each province and territory, provide administrative assistance to recipients to help them collect their support payments. In March 2010, about 408,000 cases were registered in the 11 reporting MEPs.

Information is collected through the Maintenance Enforcement Survey (MES) and the Survey of Maintenance Enforcement Programs (SMEP). These surveys gather information on the caseload of the MEP, the sex and median age of payors and recipients, typical support amounts, compliance rates, information on arrears, frequency and amount of payments, legislation under which the order for support was made, and types of actions that are initiated in order to enforce support.

The SMEP, a micro data survey, is currently being implemented in some jurisdictions and eventually all 13 provincial/territorial MEPs will report to the SMEP. This report contains data from Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon and the Northwest Territories. In future years, with more provinces and territories able to report to the SMEP, a more complete national picture of maintenance enforcement will emerge.

Description:

This product contains 43 cross-classified income tables, covering the period 1976 to 2007. Most tables include estimates for Canada, the 10 provinces and 15 census metropolitan areas (CMAs). Major topics included in the tables are income distributions and inequality, earnings of men and women, income tax, government transfers, low income and sources of income.

Beyond 20/20 software used in this product allows users to execute very easily common tasks done by analysts and researchers: browse rapidly data, select data of interest, graph or map them or simply save them in a worksheet. Then, from the instantaneous graph, it is very easy to find out trends and pull out highlights.

Description:

In this paper, we study a confidence interval estimation method for a finite population average when some auxiliairy information is available. As demonstrated by Royall and Cumberland in a series of empirical studies, naive use of existing methods to construct confidence intervals for population averages may result in very poor conditional coverage probabilities, conditional on the sample mean of the covariate. When this happens, we propose to transform the data to improve the precision of the normal approximation. The transformed data are then used to make inference on the original population average, and the auxiliary information is incorporated into the inference directly, or by calibration with empirical likelihood. Our approach is design-based. We apply our approach to six real populations and find that when transformation is needed, our approach performs well compared to the usual regression method.

Description:

Results from the Current Population Survey split panel studies indicated a centralized computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) effect on labor force estimates. One hypothesis is that the CATI interviewing increased the probability of respondent's changing their reported labor force status. The two sample McNemar test is appropriate for testing this type of hypothesis: the hypothesis of interest is that the marginal changes in each of two independent sample's tables are equal. We show two adaptations of this test to complex survey data, along with applications from the Current Population Survey's Parallel Survey split data and from the Current Population Survey's CATI Phase-in data.

Description:

In work with sample surveys, we often use estimators of the variance components associated with sampling within and between primary sample units. For these applications, it can be important to have some indication of whether the variance component estimators are stable, i.e., have relatively low variance. This paper discusses several data-based measures of the stability of design-based variance component estimators and related quantities. The development emphasizes methods that can be applied to surveys with moderate or large numbers of strata and small numbers of primary sample units per stratum. We direct principal attention toward the design variance of a within-PSU variance estimator, and two related degrees-of-freedom terms. A simulation-based method allows one to assess whether an observed stability measure is consistent with standard assumptions regarding variance estimator stability. We also develop two sets of stability measures for design-based estimators of between-PSU variance components and the ratio of the overall variance to the within-PSU variance. The proposed methods are applied to interview and examination data from the U.S. Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). These results indicate that the true stability properties may vary substantially across variables. In addition, for some variables, within-PSU variance estimators appear to be considerably less stable than one would anticipate from a simple count of secondary units within each stratum.

Description:

We propose a second-order inclusion probability approximation for the Chao plan (1982) to obtain an approximate variance estimator for the Horvitz and Thompson estimator. We will then compare this variance with other approximations provided for the randomized systematic sampling plan (Hartley and Rao 1962), the rejective sampling plan (Hájek 1964) and the Rao-Sampford sampling plan (Rao 1965 and Sampford 1967). Our conclusion will be that these approximations are equivalent if the first-order inclusion probabilities are small and if the sample is large.

Description:

Introduction: In the current economic context, all partners in health care delivery systems, be they public or private, are obliged to identify the factors that influence the utilization of health care services. To improve our understanding of the phenomena that underlie these relationships, Statistics Canada and the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy and Evaluation have just set up a new database. For a representative sample of the population of the province of Manitoba, cross-sectional microdata on individuals' health and socio-economic characteristics were linked with detailed longitudinal data on utilization of health care services.

Data and methods: The 1986-87 Health and Activity Limitation Survey, the 1986 Census and the files of Manitoba Health were matched (without using names or addresses) by means of the CANLINK software. In the pilot project, 20,000 units were selected from the Census according to modern sampling techniques. Before the files were matched, consultations were held and an agreement was signed by all parties in order to establish a framework for protecting privacy and preserving the confidentiality of the data.

Results: A matching rate of 74% was obtained for private households. A quality evaluation based on the comparisons of names and addresses over a small subsample established that the overall concordance rate among matched pairs was 95.5%. The match rates and concordance rates varied according to age and household composition. Estimates produced from the sample accurately reflected the socio-demographic profile, mortality, hospitalization rate, health care costs and consumption of health care by Manitoba residents.

Discussion: The matching rate of 74% was satisfactory in comparison with the response rates reported in most population surveys. Because of the excellent concordance rate and the accuracy of the estimates obtained from the sample, this database will provide an adequate basis for studying the association between socio-demographic characteristics, health and health care utilization in province of Manitoba.

Description:

This paper describes the learning curve associated with breaking away from the traditional method of developing questions for a "paper and pencil" questionnaire to providing specifications for questions and flows for a programmer. It uses the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics (SLID) as a case study.

Description:

This paper examines the development of survey data files, or data modelling, for longitudinal surveys.

Description:

The oil crisis of the mid-1970’s triggered a new awareness among Canadians of the importance of energy conservation. The resulting government programs in the transportation sector demanded basic data about on-the-road fuel consumption by motor vehicles operating in Canadian conditions. This paper describes the Passenger Car Fuel Consumption Survey which was developed jointly by Statistics Canada and Transport Canada to meet this need. The methodology of the survey is described and some examples of the results are presented. The paper concludes with some speculation about future directions for the survey and for vehicle-usage statistics in general.

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 electronic publication presents the methodology underlying the production of the life tables for Canada, provinces and territories.

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 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. The guide covers both components of the survey: the job vacancy component, which is quarterly, and the wage component, which is annual.

Description:

The Guide to Employment Insurance Statistics (EIS) summarizes the survey methodology and data source and includes a dictionary of concepts and definitions used by the program.

Description:

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

Description:

The Guide to the Labour Force Survey contains a dictionary of concepts and definitions and covers topics such as survey methodology, data collection, data processing and data quality. It also contains information on products and services, sub-provincial geography descriptions as well as the survey questionnaire.

Description:

This document brings together guidelines and checklists on many issues that need to be considered in the pursuit of quality objectives in the execution of statistical activities. Its focus is on how to assure quality through effective and appropriate design or redesign of a statistical project or program from inception through to data evaluation, dissemination and documentation. These guidelines draw on the collective knowledge and experience of many Statistics Canada employees. It is expected that Quality Guidelines will be useful to staff engaged in the planning and design of surveys and other statistical projects, as well as to those who evaluate and analyze the outputs of these projects.

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. The guide covers both components of the survey: the job vacancy component, which is quarterly, and the wage component, which is annual.

Description:

The mandate of the Analytical Studies Branch (ASB) is to provide high-quality, relevant and timely information on economic, health and social issues that are important to Canadians. The branch strategically makes use of expert knowledge and a large range of statistical sources to describe, draw inferences from, and make objective and scientifically supported deductions about the evolving nature of the Canadian economy and society. Research questions are addressed by applying leading-edge methods, including microsimulation and predictive analytics using a range of linked and integrated administrative and survey data. In supporting greater access to data, ASB linked data are made available to external researchers and policy makers to support evidence-based decision making. Research results are disseminated by the branch using a range of mediums (i.e., research papers, studies, infographics, videos, and blogs) to meet user needs. The branch also provides analytical support and training, feedback, and quality assurance to the wide range of programs within and outside Statistics Canada.