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  • 1. 2024 Census Test: Design and methodology of the content test
    Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 98-20-00052026004
    Description: This report provides detailed insight into the design and methodology of the content test component of the 2024 Census Test. This test evaluated changes to the wording and flow of some questions, as well as the potential addition of new questions, to help determine the content of the 2026 Census of Population.
    Release date: 2025-07-04
  • 2. Census of Agriculture: Changes to the questionnaire
    Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 32-26-0008
    Description: This report describes the main changes, additions or deletions to the Census of Agriculture questionnaire by topic and in the order they appear on the questionnaire.
    Release date: 2025-07-04
  • 3. Standard Geographical Classification (SGC) Volume II. Reference Maps
    Geographic files and documentation: 12-572-X
    Description:

    The Standard Geographical Classification (SGC) provides a systematic classification structure that categorizes all of the geographic area of Canada. The SGC is the official classification used in the Census of Population and other Statistics Canada surveys.

    The classification is organized in two volumes: Volume I, The Classification and Volume II, Reference Maps.

    Volume II contains reference maps showing boundaries, names, codes and locations of the geographic areas in the classification. The reference maps show census subdivisions, census divisions, census metropolitan areas, census agglomerations, census metropolitan influenced zones and economic regions. Definitions for these terms are found in Volume I, The Classification. Volume I describes the classification and related standard geographic areas and place names.

    The maps in Volume II can be downloaded in PDF format from our website.

    Release date: 2022-02-09
  • 4. Painting a Portrait of Canada: The 2021 Census of Population
    Notices and consultations: 98-26-0001
    Description:

    This white paper presents Statistics Canada’s planned approach to the 2021 Census of Population and provides a clear explanation of the processes behind the census program, touching on historical, legal, operational and content aspects. Statistics Canada recognizes that it is important to not only successfully conduct the census, but also to be transparent and informative about the way in which those efforts are accomplished. Painting a Portrait of Canada: The 2021 Census of Population gives readers an exclusive, detailed look at how census data is collected, analyzed and given back to Canadians, in the form of high-quality statistical information, used to make evidence-based decisions in Canadian society.

    Release date: 2020-07-20
  • 5. Sources and Methods: Capital Investment in Infrastructure
    Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 34-26-0002
    Description:

    As of reference year 2018, the Annual Capital and Repair Expenditures Survey (CAPEX) has added additional content allowing to produce estimates of capital and repair expenditures on infrastructure assets. In addition to the existing content, the new questionnaire asks for a breakdown of expenditures by function (or purpose) as well as the source of funding of capital expenditures from government grants and subsidies.

    This product will decribe the sources and methods used to produce capital and repair expenditure estimates specific to infrastructure assets by function.

    Release date: 2020-04-01
  • 6. 2016 Census Program Content Test: Design and Results
    Notices and consultations: 92-140-X2016001
    Description:

    The 2016 Census Program Content Test was conducted from May 2 to June 30, 2014. The Test was designed to assess the impact of any proposed content changes to the 2016 Census Program and to measure the impact of including a social insurance number (SIN) question on the data quality.

    This quantitative test used a split-panel design involving 55,000 dwellings, divided into 11 panels of 5,000 dwellings each: five panels were dedicated to the Content Test while the remaining six panels were for the SIN Test. Two models of test questionnaires were developed to meet the objectives, namely a model with all the proposed changes EXCEPT the SIN question and a model with all the proposed changes INCLUDING the SIN question. A third model of 'control' questionnaire with the 2011 content was also developed. The population living in a private dwelling in mail-out areas in one of the ten provinces was targeted for the test. Paper and electronic response channels were part of the Test as well.

    This report presents the Test objectives, the design and a summary of the analysis in order to determine potential content for the 2016 Census Program. Results from the data analysis of the Test were not the only elements used to determine the content for 2016. Other elements were also considered, such as response burden, comparison over time and users’ needs.

    Release date: 2016-04-01
  • 7. The Alternative Data Solution – Experience of the Producer Prices Division Archived
    Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 11-522-X201700014706
    Description:

    Over the last decade, Statistics Canada’s Producer Prices Division has expanded its service producer price indexes program and continued to improve its goods and construction producer price indexes program. While the majority of price indexes are based on traditional survey methods, efforts were made to increase the use of administrative data and alternative data sources in order to reduce burden on our respondents. This paper focuses mainly on producer price programs, but also provides information on the growing importance of alternative data sources at Statistics Canada. In addition, it presents the operational challenges and risks that statistical offices could face when relying more and more on third-party outputs. Finally, it presents the tools being developed to integrate alternative data while collecting metadata.

    Release date: 2016-03-24
  • 8. Challenges and results in using Audit trail data to monitor Labour Force Survey data quality Archived
    Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 11-522-X201700014707
    Description:

    The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is a monthly household survey of about 56,000 households that provides information on the Canadian labour market. Audit Trail is a Blaise programming option, for surveys like LFS with Computer Assisted Interviewing (CAI), which creates files containing every keystroke and edit and timestamp of every data collection attempt on all households. Combining such a large survey with such a complete source of paradata opens the door to in-depth data quality analysis but also quickly leads to Big Data challenges. How can meaningful information be extracted from this large set of keystrokes and timestamps? How can it help assess the quality of LFS data collection? The presentation will describe some of the challenges that were encountered, solutions that were used to address them, and results of the analysis on data quality.

    Release date: 2016-03-24
  • 9. Challenges Associated with Using Scanner Data for the Consumer Price Index Archived
    Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 11-522-X201700014751
    Description:

    Practically all major retailers use scanners to record the information on their transactions with clients (consumers). These data normally include the product code, a brief description, the price and the quantity sold. This is an extremely relevant data source for statistical programs such as Statistics Canada’s Consumer Price Index (CPI), one of Canada’s most important economic indicators. Using scanner data could improve the quality of the CPI by increasing the number of prices used in calculations, expanding geographic coverage and including the quantities sold, among other things, while lowering data collection costs. However, using these data presents many challenges. An examination of scanner data from a first retailer revealed a high rate of change in product identification codes over a one-year period. The effects of these changes pose challenges from a product classification and estimate quality perspective. This article focuses on the issues associated with acquiring, classifying and examining these data to assess their quality for use in the CPI.

    Release date: 2016-03-24
  • 10. A New Survey Measure of Disability: the Disability Screening Questions (DSQ) Archived
    Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 89-654-X2016003
    Description:

    This paper describes the process that led to the creation of the new Disability Screening Questions (DSQ), jointly developped by Statistics Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada. The DSQ form a new module which can be put on general population surveys to allow comparisons of persons with and without a disability. The paper explains why there are two versions of the DSQ—a long and a short one—, the difference between the two, and how each version can be used.

    Release date: 2016-02-29
Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation (94)

Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation (94) (0 to 10 of 94 results)

  • 1. 2024 Census Test: Design and methodology of the content test
    Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 98-20-00052026004
    Description: This report provides detailed insight into the design and methodology of the content test component of the 2024 Census Test. This test evaluated changes to the wording and flow of some questions, as well as the potential addition of new questions, to help determine the content of the 2026 Census of Population.
    Release date: 2025-07-04
  • 2. Census of Agriculture: Changes to the questionnaire
    Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 32-26-0008
    Description: This report describes the main changes, additions or deletions to the Census of Agriculture questionnaire by topic and in the order they appear on the questionnaire.
    Release date: 2025-07-04
  • 3. Sources and Methods: Capital Investment in Infrastructure
    Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 34-26-0002
    Description:

    As of reference year 2018, the Annual Capital and Repair Expenditures Survey (CAPEX) has added additional content allowing to produce estimates of capital and repair expenditures on infrastructure assets. In addition to the existing content, the new questionnaire asks for a breakdown of expenditures by function (or purpose) as well as the source of funding of capital expenditures from government grants and subsidies.

    This product will decribe the sources and methods used to produce capital and repair expenditure estimates specific to infrastructure assets by function.

    Release date: 2020-04-01
  • 4. The Alternative Data Solution – Experience of the Producer Prices Division Archived
    Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 11-522-X201700014706
    Description:

    Over the last decade, Statistics Canada’s Producer Prices Division has expanded its service producer price indexes program and continued to improve its goods and construction producer price indexes program. While the majority of price indexes are based on traditional survey methods, efforts were made to increase the use of administrative data and alternative data sources in order to reduce burden on our respondents. This paper focuses mainly on producer price programs, but also provides information on the growing importance of alternative data sources at Statistics Canada. In addition, it presents the operational challenges and risks that statistical offices could face when relying more and more on third-party outputs. Finally, it presents the tools being developed to integrate alternative data while collecting metadata.

    Release date: 2016-03-24
  • 5. Challenges and results in using Audit trail data to monitor Labour Force Survey data quality Archived
    Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 11-522-X201700014707
    Description:

    The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is a monthly household survey of about 56,000 households that provides information on the Canadian labour market. Audit Trail is a Blaise programming option, for surveys like LFS with Computer Assisted Interviewing (CAI), which creates files containing every keystroke and edit and timestamp of every data collection attempt on all households. Combining such a large survey with such a complete source of paradata opens the door to in-depth data quality analysis but also quickly leads to Big Data challenges. How can meaningful information be extracted from this large set of keystrokes and timestamps? How can it help assess the quality of LFS data collection? The presentation will describe some of the challenges that were encountered, solutions that were used to address them, and results of the analysis on data quality.

    Release date: 2016-03-24
  • 6. Challenges Associated with Using Scanner Data for the Consumer Price Index Archived
    Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 11-522-X201700014751
    Description:

    Practically all major retailers use scanners to record the information on their transactions with clients (consumers). These data normally include the product code, a brief description, the price and the quantity sold. This is an extremely relevant data source for statistical programs such as Statistics Canada’s Consumer Price Index (CPI), one of Canada’s most important economic indicators. Using scanner data could improve the quality of the CPI by increasing the number of prices used in calculations, expanding geographic coverage and including the quantities sold, among other things, while lowering data collection costs. However, using these data presents many challenges. An examination of scanner data from a first retailer revealed a high rate of change in product identification codes over a one-year period. The effects of these changes pose challenges from a product classification and estimate quality perspective. This article focuses on the issues associated with acquiring, classifying and examining these data to assess their quality for use in the CPI.

    Release date: 2016-03-24
  • 7. A New Survey Measure of Disability: the Disability Screening Questions (DSQ) Archived
    Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 89-654-X2016003
    Description:

    This paper describes the process that led to the creation of the new Disability Screening Questions (DSQ), jointly developped by Statistics Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada. The DSQ form a new module which can be put on general population surveys to allow comparisons of persons with and without a disability. The paper explains why there are two versions of the DSQ—a long and a short one—, the difference between the two, and how each version can be used.

    Release date: 2016-02-29
  • 8. Challenges and Lessons Learned with the Implementation of Car Chips in the Fuel Consumption Survey Archived
    Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 11-522-X201300014258
    Description:

    The National Fuel Consumption Survey (FCS) was created in 2013 and is a quarterly survey that is designed to analyze distance driven and fuel consumption for passenger cars and other vehicles weighing less than 4,500 kilograms. The sampling frame consists of vehicles extracted from the vehicle registration files, which are maintained by provincial ministries. For collection, FCS uses car chips for a part of the sampled units to collect information about the trips and the fuel consumed. There are numerous advantages to using this new technology, for example, reduction in response burden, collection costs and effects on data quality. For the quarters in 2013, the sampled units were surveyed 95% via paper questionnaires and 5% with car chips, and in Q1 2014, 40% of sampled units were surveyed with car chips. This study outlines the methodology of the survey process, examines the advantages and challenges in processing and imputation for the two collection modes, presents some initial results and concludes with a summary of the lessons learned.

    Release date: 2014-10-31
  • 9. Integration of the Electronic Questionnaire: Impact on the Collection Process and Results of the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours Archived
    Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 11-522-X201300014260
    Description: The Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours (SEPH) produces monthly estimates and determines the month-to-month changes for variables such as employment, earnings and hours at detailed industrial levels for Canada, the provinces and territories. In order to improve the efficiency of collection activities for this survey, an electronic questionnaire (EQ) was introduced in the fall of 2012. Given the timeframe allowed for this transition as well as the production calendar of the survey, a conversion strategy was developed for the integration of this new mode. The goal of the strategy was to ensure a good adaptation of the collection environment and also to allow the implementation of a plan of analysis that would evaluate the impact of this change on the results of the survey. This paper will give an overview of the conversion strategy, the different adjustments that were made during the transition period and the results of various evaluations that were conducted. For example, the impact of the integration of the EQ on the collection process, the response rate and the follow-up rate will be presented. In addition, the effect that this new collection mode has on the survey estimates will also be discussed. More specifically, the results of a randomized experiment that was conducted in order to determine the presence of a mode effect will be presented.
    Release date: 2014-10-31
  • 10. Testing Collection Strategies for Online Self-Reporting Surveys Archived
    Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 11-522-X201300014278
    Description:

    In January and February 2014, Statistics Canada conducted a test aiming at measuring the effectiveness of different collection strategies using an online self-reporting survey. Sampled units were contacted using mailed introductory letters and asked to complete the online survey without any interviewer contact. The objectives of this test were to measure the take-up rates for completing an online survey, and to profile the respondents/non-respondents. Different samples and letters were tested to determine the relative effectiveness of the different approaches. The results of this project will be used to inform various social surveys that are preparing to include an internet response option in their surveys. The paper will present the general methodology of the test as well as results observed from collection and the analysis of profiles.

    Release date: 2014-10-31
Geographic files and documentation (1)

Geographic files and documentation (1) ((1 result))

  • 1. Standard Geographical Classification (SGC) Volume II. Reference Maps
    Geographic files and documentation: 12-572-X
    Description:

    The Standard Geographical Classification (SGC) provides a systematic classification structure that categorizes all of the geographic area of Canada. The SGC is the official classification used in the Census of Population and other Statistics Canada surveys.

    The classification is organized in two volumes: Volume I, The Classification and Volume II, Reference Maps.

    Volume II contains reference maps showing boundaries, names, codes and locations of the geographic areas in the classification. The reference maps show census subdivisions, census divisions, census metropolitan areas, census agglomerations, census metropolitan influenced zones and economic regions. Definitions for these terms are found in Volume I, The Classification. Volume I describes the classification and related standard geographic areas and place names.

    The maps in Volume II can be downloaded in PDF format from our website.

    Release date: 2022-02-09
Notices and consultations (5)

Notices and consultations (5) ((5 results))

  • 1. Painting a Portrait of Canada: The 2021 Census of Population
    Notices and consultations: 98-26-0001
    Description:

    This white paper presents Statistics Canada’s planned approach to the 2021 Census of Population and provides a clear explanation of the processes behind the census program, touching on historical, legal, operational and content aspects. Statistics Canada recognizes that it is important to not only successfully conduct the census, but also to be transparent and informative about the way in which those efforts are accomplished. Painting a Portrait of Canada: The 2021 Census of Population gives readers an exclusive, detailed look at how census data is collected, analyzed and given back to Canadians, in the form of high-quality statistical information, used to make evidence-based decisions in Canadian society.

    Release date: 2020-07-20
  • 2. 2016 Census Program Content Test: Design and Results
    Notices and consultations: 92-140-X2016001
    Description:

    The 2016 Census Program Content Test was conducted from May 2 to June 30, 2014. The Test was designed to assess the impact of any proposed content changes to the 2016 Census Program and to measure the impact of including a social insurance number (SIN) question on the data quality.

    This quantitative test used a split-panel design involving 55,000 dwellings, divided into 11 panels of 5,000 dwellings each: five panels were dedicated to the Content Test while the remaining six panels were for the SIN Test. Two models of test questionnaires were developed to meet the objectives, namely a model with all the proposed changes EXCEPT the SIN question and a model with all the proposed changes INCLUDING the SIN question. A third model of 'control' questionnaire with the 2011 content was also developed. The population living in a private dwelling in mail-out areas in one of the ten provinces was targeted for the test. Paper and electronic response channels were part of the Test as well.

    This report presents the Test objectives, the design and a summary of the analysis in order to determine potential content for the 2016 Census Program. Results from the data analysis of the Test were not the only elements used to determine the content for 2016. Other elements were also considered, such as response burden, comparison over time and users’ needs.

    Release date: 2016-04-01
  • 3. Note to Users of Data from the 2012 Canadian Income Survey
    Notices and consultations: 75-513-X2014001
    Description:

    Starting with the 2012 reference year, annual individual and family income data is produced by the Canadian Income Survey (CIS). The CIS is a cross-sectional survey developed to provide information on the income and income sources of Canadians, along with their individual and household characteristics. The CIS reports on many of the same statistics as the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics (SLID), which last reported on income for the 2011 reference year. This note describes the CIS methodology, as well as the main differences in survey objectives, methodology and questionnaires between CIS and SLID.

    Release date: 2014-12-10
  • 4. Note to Users of Data from the 2010 Survey of Household Spending Archived
    Notices and consultations: 62F0026M2012002
    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.

    Release date: 2012-04-25
  • 5. Report on Consultations with Respondents and Interviewers to Test the Questionnaires and Data Collection Methodology for the 1998 Asset and Debt Survey Archived
    Notices and consultations: 13F0026M1999004
    Description:

    During September and October 1997, the Questionnaire Design Resource Centre (QDRC) completed 10 focus groups and 4 in-depth interviews with respondents and 6 debriefing sessions with interviewers in a test of the proposed questionnaires and data collection methodology for the 1998 Asset and Debt Survey (now called the Survey of Financial Security, to be done in 1999).

    The main goals of the testing were: to evaluate the data collection methodology and survey instruments (including the introductory materials [guide] and questionnaires [Part 1: background information about family members, Part 2: questions on assets and debts]); to identify problem areas; to make recommendations to ensure that the final survey instruments are respondent-friendly and interview-friendly, that the questionnaires can be easily understood and accurately completed; and finally, to investigate how respondents recall information.

    This report summarizes the highlights of the study, including the recommendations based on the findings of the focus groups, in-depth interviews and debriefing sessions, as well as those from the experience of the QDRC in carrying out similar studies for other household surveys.

    Release date: 1999-03-23

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