Reference

Description:

As is the case in advance of each Census, content consultations are being held with data users. The Census Content Consultation Guide gives you the opportunity to provide input.

Description: This reference guide provides information to help users effectively use and interpret income data from the 2021 Census. This guide contains definitions and explanations of concepts, questions, classifications, data quality and comparability with other sources for this topic.

Description: This reference guide provides information to help users effectively use and interpret education data from the 2021 Census. This guide contains definitions and explanations of concepts, questions, classifications, data quality and comparability with other sources for this topic.

Description: The Census Dictionary is a reference document which contains detailed definitions of Census of Population concepts, variables and geographic terms, as well as historical information.

By referring to the Census Dictionary, both beginner and intermediate data users will gain a better understanding of the data and how to compare variables between census years.

The Census Dictionary will be released iteratively starting with geography and non-data dependent topic definitions, tables, figures and appendices with additional content made available based on subsequent topic releases.

Description:

The Guide to the Census of Population is a reference document that describes the various phases of the 2021 Census of Population. The guide provides an overview of content determination, sampling design, collection, data processing, data quality assessment, confidentiality guidelines and dissemination. It also includes response rates and other data quality information. This product may be useful to both new and experienced users who wish to familiarize themselves with and find specific information about the 2021 Census of Population.

The Guide to the Census of Population combines information previously available in the Overview of the Census, National Household Survey User Guide and the Data Quality and Confidentiality Standards and Guidelines from 2011. 

Description: The Guide to the Census of Population is a reference document that describes the various phases of the 2021 Census of Population. The guide provides an overview of content determination, sampling design, collection, data processing, data quality assessment, confidentiality guidelines and dissemination. It also includes response rates and other data quality information. This product may be useful to both new and experienced users who wish to familiarize themselves with and find specific information about the 2021 Census of Population.

Description:

This guide focuses on the following topic: education. This reference guide provides information that enables users to effectively use, apply and interpret data from the 2016 Census. This guide contains definitions and explanations of concepts, classifications, data quality and comparability to other sources. Additional information is included for specific variables to help general users better understand the concepts and questions used in the census.

Description:

This reference guide provides information to help users effectively use and interpret language data from the 2021 Census. This guide contains definitions and explanations of concepts, questions, classifications, data quality and comparability with other sources for this topic.

Description: This reference guide provides information to help users effectively use and interpret commuting data from the 2021 Census. This guide contains definitions and explanations of concepts, questions, classifications, data quality and comparability with other sources for this topic.

Description: This reference guide provides information to help users effectively use and interpret labour data from the 2021 Census. This guide contains definitions and explanations of concepts, questions, classifications, data quality and comparability with other sources for this topic.

Description: This classification system was developed conjointly by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and Statistics Canada which is the custodian. This shared standard classification, inspired by the Frascati Model 2015 of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), will be used by the federal granting agencies and Statistics Canada to collect, and disseminate data related to research and development in Canada. The Canadian Research and Development Classification (CRDC) first official version was the 2020 Version 1.0, now being replaced by CRDC Version 2.0. The CRDC is revised within 2 years for minor changes, and every five years for major revisions. CRDC 2020 Version 2.0 is composed of 3 main pieces: the type of activity or TOA (with 3 categories), the field of research or FOR (with 1,671 fields at the lowest level) and socioeconomic objective or SEO (with 85 main groups at the lowest level).

Description: The Standard Classification of Countries and Areas of Interest (SCCAI) has been developed to increase coherence of the list of countries used within Statistics Canada and includes countries and areas for which statistical data are compiled. The Variant of the SCCAI for Social Statistics and the Variant of the SCCAI for Travel Statistics were developed to create groupings of countries to enable the production of integrated statistics when publishing social statistics data and travel statistics data, respectively. These variants have three levels.

Description: The Canadian Export Classification is a structured, hierarchical classification system based on the Harmonized Description and Coding System. The HS nomenclature is divided into 21 Sections, which in general, group goods produced in the same sector of the economy.

Description: This product presents the Public Sector Universe, defined by Statistics Canada as a list of institutional units that are included in the economic measurement of governments in Canada. An institutional unit is defined as an economic entity that is capable, in its own right, of owning assets, incurring liabilities, and engaging in economic activities and in transactions with other entities. It includes the sectors of education, health, general government and government business enterprise sectors for all levels of government in Canada, annually, since 2008.

Description:

The Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) is used for classifying instructional programs according to field of study. CIP was originally created by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the United States. It is a hierarchical classification. The classification provides a detailed description of each instructional program class together with illustrative examples of the types of instructional programs found in that class. Illustrative examples are also provided of closely related programs that are classified elsewhere. In addition, the classification includes an introduction to CIP and an alternative structure for the aggregation of field of study data. CIP has a ten-year revision cycle.

Description:

The North American Product Classification System (NAPCS) is the departmental standard for the classification of products (goods and services). The classification is a joint project of the national statistical agencies of Canada, Mexico and the United States. NAPCS is used to produce product statistics on a variety of topics, including the value of outputs of industries, the consumption by businesses and households, the value of imports and exports, and the movement of industrial and raw material prices. NAPCS Canada comprises definitions for all categories that include a descriptive text, as well as illustrative examples, inclusions and exclusions where appropriate.

Email: statcan.csds-standardsproducts-cnsd-normesproduits.statcan@statcan.gc.ca

Description:

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is an industry classification system developed by the statistical agencies of Canada, Mexico and the United States. Created against the background of the North American Free Trade Agreement, it is designed to provide common definitions of the industrial structure of the three countries and a common statistical framework to facilitate the analysis of the three economies. NAICS is based on supply-side or production-oriented principles, to ensure that industrial data, classified to NAICS, are suitable for the analysis of production-related issues such as industrial performance.

NAICS is a comprehensive system encompassing all economic activities. It has a hierarchical structure. At the highest level, it divides the economy into 20 sectors. At lower levels, it further distinguishes the different economic activities in which businesses are engaged.

Email: statcan.csds-standards-industry-cnsd-normes-industrie.statcan@statcan.gc.ca  

Description:

This publication provides a systematic classification structure to identify and categorize the entire range of occupational activity in Canada. Definitions and occupational titles are provided for each unit group. An alphabetical index of the occupational titles classified to the unit group level is also included.

Description:

The concordance table provides a link between data tables and the survey questions from the Survey of Innovation and Business Strategy (SIBS).

Description:

The Ecological Land Classification (ELC) is Statistics Canada's official classification for ecological areas in Canada.

The ELC was developed to enable the production of integrated statistics for ecological areas. It is a hierarchical framework that classifies ecological areas or ecosystems and that incorporates all major components of ecosystems: air, water land and biota. All boundaries in the ecological framework are matched to soil landscape polygons from the Soil Landscapes of Canada (SLC).

There are 15 ecozones at the top of the ecological land classification hierarchy. They cover the entire terrestrial extent of Canada.

These ecozones are subdivided into 53 ecoprovinces that contain 194 ecoregions, which can be further subdivided into 1,027 separate ecological units called ecodistricts.

Description: Data on income of census families, individuals and seniors are derived from the T1 Family File (T1FF). This file is based on information from the T1 form, Income Tax and Benefit Return, which Statistics Canada receives from Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) thirteen months after the end of the taxation year.

Description: Data on income of census families, individuals and seniors are derived from income tax returns. The data for the products associated with this release are derived from the T1 file that Statistics Canada receives from Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) thirteen months after the end of the taxation year.

Description: This report aims to describe the methods used for the calculation of projection parameters, the various projection assumptions and their rationales.

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: These reference guides are intended for users of the Education and Labour Market Longitudinal Platform (ELMLP). The guide provides an overview of the Postsecondary Student Information System (PSIS) and the Registered Apprenticeship Information System (RAIS), the general methodology used to create longitudinal indicators, and important technical information for users.

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 handbook complements the tables of the Pan-Canadian Education Indicators Program (PCEIP). It is a guide that provides general descriptions for each indicator and indicator component. PCEIP has five broad indicator sets: a portrait of the school-age population; financing education systems; elementary and secondary education; postsecondary education; and transitions and outcomes.

The Pan-Canadian Education Indicators Program (PCEIP) is a joint venture of Statistics Canada and the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada.

Description: This document presents a complete list of the social inclusion indicators for ethnocultural groups in Canada that are available on the homepage of our Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Statistics Hub. The information provided for each indicator includes a short description of the corresponding derivation, available data sources, reference years and accessible levels of geographical and disaggregation. Each indicator has a corresponding products number (data tables, visualization tools and analytical documents). This document has been updated to reflect the social inclusion indicators and associated products that are available in 2024.

Description: This report presents the results of a study on the estimated number of children eligible for instruction in the minority official language, pursuant to section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, who were classified as ineligible in the 2021 Census because relationships between family members living at different addresses could not be established within this data source. Using other data sources, including previous censuses and administrative data (such as vital statistics and tax data), we were able to establish these family relationships within the 2021 Census. This report presents the methods and data sources used first, then the results by selected regions and age groups.

Description:

This reference guide is intended for users of the census boundary files. The guide provides an overview of the files, the general methodology used to create them, and important technical information for users.

Description:

This file contains a generalised population ecumene based on census population density data. It can be used to produce small-scale thematic maps of statistical data.

A reference guide is available for the Population Ecumene Census Division Cartographic Boundary File, Reference guide (92-159-G)

The Ecumene Files are portrayed in Lambert conformal conic projection and are based on the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83).

Description:

This reference guide is intended for users of the census boundary files. The guide provides an overview of the files, the general methodology used to create them, and important technical information for users.

Description:

The Designated Place Boundary Files portray the designated place boundaries for which Census data are disseminated. A designated place is normally a small community or settlement that does not meet the criteria established by Statistics Canada to be a census subdivision (an area with municipal status) or population centre. Designated places are created by provinces and territories, in cooperation with Statistics Canada, to provide data for sub-municipal areas. The files contain the boundaries of all designated places defined for the Census.

There are two types of boundary files: digital and cartographic. Digital files depict the full extent of the geographical areas, including the coastal water area. Cartographic files depict the geographical areas using only the major land mass of Canada and its coastal islands. The files provide a framework for mapping and spatial analysis using commercially available geographic information systems (GIS) or other mapping software.

The Designated Place Boundary Files are in latitude and longitude coordinates and are based on the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83). A reference guide is available (92-160-G).

Description:

The Population Centre Boundary Files portray the population centre boundaries for which census data are disseminated. A population centre has a minimum population concentration of 1,000 persons and a population density of at least 400 persons per square kilometre, based on the current census population count. The files contain the boundaries of all population centres defined for the census.

There are two types of boundary files: digital and cartographic. Digital files depict the full extent of the geographical areas, including the coastal water area. Cartographic files depict the geographical areas using only the major land mass of Canada and its coastal islands. The files provide a framework for mapping and spatial analysis using commercially available geographic information systems (GIS) or other mapping software.

The Population Centre Boundary Files are in latitude and longitude coordinates and are based on the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83). A reference guide is available (92-160-G).

Description:

The Census Tract Boundary Files portray the census tract boundaries for which Census data are disseminated. Census tracts are small, relatively stable geographic areas that usually have a population of 2,500 to 8,000. They are located in census metropolitan areas and in census agglomerations with an urban core population of 50,000 or more in the previous census. The files contain the boundaries of all census tracts located within census metropolitan areas and those census agglomerations which are part of the Census Tract Program.

There are two types of boundary files: digital and cartographic. Digital files depict the full extent of the geographical areas, including the coastal water area. Cartographic files depict the geographical areas using only the major land mass of Canada and its coastal islands. The files provide a framework for mapping and spatial analysis using commercially available geographic information systems (GIS) or other mapping software.

The Census Tract Boundary Files are portrayed in Lambert conformal conic projection and are based on the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83). A reference guide is available (92-160-GWE).

Description:

The Illustrated Glossary is a tool that helps users take advantage of census statistical data by providing an understanding of the terms related to geographic concepts. Geography is important to the national statistical system as well-defined geographic areas provide the framework for the collection, presentation and analysis of data. Users can access the Illustrated Glossary which presents geographic concepts as well as links to online tutorials and detailed definitions.

Description:

This product provides information about the geographic products and services offered by Statistics Canada. It contains short descriptions of the products and services, along with the most current information on availability.

Description: The Census Metropolitan Area and Census Agglomeration Boundary File portrays the boundaries of the census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations for which census data are disseminated.

Description: The Dissemination Geographies Relationship File is a dataset at the dissemination block level that contains the relationships to all census geographic areas. The purpose of this product is for it to be used with the Boundary Files to link geographic areas with other geography levels using the Dissemination Geography Unique Identifiers.

Description:

Statistics Canada's Newsletter for Small and Medium-sized Businesses offers information to the business community about Statistics Canada's data and services. The newsletter also offers links to data releases of the Census and National Household Survey, videos, tutorials, media advisories, learning sessions and presentations.

Description:

Beginning in November 2014, International Trade in goods data will be provided on a Balance of Payments (BOP) basis for additional country detail. In publishing this data, BOP-based exports to and imports from 27 countries, referred to as Canada’s Principal Trading Partners (PTPs), will be highlighted for the first time. BOP-based trade in goods data will be available for countries such as China and Mexico, Brazil and India, South Korea, and our largest European Union trading partners, in response to substantial demand for information on these countries in recent years. Until now, Canada’s geographical trading patterns have been examined almost exclusively through analysis of Customs-based trade data. Moreover, BOP trade in goods data for these countries will be available alongside the now quarterly Trade in Services data as well as annual Foreign Direct Investment data for many of these Principal Trading Partners, facilitating country-level international trade and investment analysis using fully comparable data. The objective of this article is to introduce these new measures. This note will first walk users through the key BOP concepts, most importantly the concept of change in ownership. This will serve to familiarize analysts with the Balance of Payments framework for analyzing country-level data, in contrast to Customs-based trade data. Second, some preliminary analysis will be reviewed to illustrate the concepts, with provisional estimates for BOP-based trade with China serving as the principal example. Lastly, we will outline the expansion of quarterly trade in services to generate new estimates of trade for the PTPs and discuss future work in trade statistics.

Description:

The methodology for estimating the Flows and Stocks of Fixed Capital has been redeveloped to ensure greater coherence of the capital stock program within the Canadian System of Macroeconomic Accounts (CSMA). This is done by incorporating investment flows directly from the CSMA on a detailed industry/asset basis. The data released will be based on the input-output final demand classification, with updated per asset depreciation profiles and prices.

Description:

Statistical revisions are regularly applied to the Canadian System of Macroeconomic Accounts in order to incorporate the most current information from censuses, annual surveys, administrative statistics, public accounts, etc., and to implement improved estimation methods. Statistics Canada also conducts more comprehensive revisions to the Canadian System of Macroeconomic Accounts, which generally reflect new concepts, accounting treatments or methods.

Description:

Statistical revisions are regularly applied to the Canadian System of Macroeconomic Accounts in order to incorporate the most current information from censuses, annual surveys, administrative statistics, public accounts, etc., and to implement improved estimation methods. Statistics Canada also conducts more comprehensive revisions to the Canadian System of Macroeconomic Accounts, which generally reflect new concepts, accounting treatments or methods. This paper outlines the scheduled revisions planned for 2013 to 2015.

Description:

Macroeconomic data for Canada, including Canada's National Accounts (gross domestic product (GDP), saving and net worth), Balance of International Payments (current and capital account surplus or deficit and International Investment Position) and Government Financial Statistics (government deficit and debt) are based on international standards. These international standards are set on a coordinated basis by international organizations including the United Nations, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and Eurostat, with input from experts around the world. Canada has always played an important role in the development and updating of these standards as they have transformed from the crude guidelines of the early to mid 20th century to the fully articulated standards that exist today.

The purpose of this document is to introduce a new presentation of the quarterly National Accounts (Income and Expenditure Accounts, Financial Flow Accounts and National Balance Sheet Accounts) that will be published with the conversion of the Canadian National Accounts to the latest international standard - System of National Accounts 2008.

Description:

This report describes the quality indicators produced for the 2010 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:

Starting with the 2010 survey year, the Survey of Household Spending (SHS) has used a different collection methodology from previous surveys. The new methodology combines a questionnaire and a diary of expenses. Also, data collection is now continuous throughout the year. This note provides information to users and prospective users of data from the SHS about the methodological differences between the redesigned SHS and the former SHS.

Description:

This paper provides a preview of the comprehensive (historical) revision of the Canadian System National Accounts to be released beginning in June 2012. The last revision of this scope took place in 1997. The paper highlights the changes resulting from the adoption of SNA2008 which is the revised international standard for national accounting, along with statistical revisions arising from new and improved source data and methodologies. Updates to the classification systems used in the Canadian System of National Accounts are also presented along with a list of changes planned for 2014.

Description:

Before each Census of Population, Statistics Canada carries out a three- to four-year process to review the content of the census questionnaires in consultation with census data users, performing tests and developing questionnaire content to ensure that it takes into account the evolution of Canadian society. Factors considered in developing the content include legislative requirements regarding information, program and policy requirements; the burden placed on respondents to respond to questions; concerns about privacy; feedback from consultations and tests; data quality; costs and operational considerations; the comparability of data with earlier data and the availability of alternative data sources. Before each census, Statistics Canada tests the questionnaire content through an extensive test. The content report presents the analyses conducted from the data collected from this test and the results that are used to fine tune the questionnaires, the methodology and the systems used for the Census Program.