The Journey of Statistics Canada Data: Why it Matters to You

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Release date: Februrary 28, 2022
Infographic: The journey of Statistics Canada data and why it matters to you
Description: The journey of Statistics Canada data and why it matters to you

Statistics Canada—or StatCan for short—collects data on all aspects of life in Canada, and you have a key role to play. Here’s how:

Your household or business is selected to participate in a StatCan survey.

StatCan gets in touch with you in one of four ways.

You take the time to complete the survey.

Your answers are compiled, analyzed, used to make important decisions, and kept strictly confidential.

Learn more about how StatCan protects your information: https://www.statcan.gc.ca/eng/trust

Thanks to the responses from households and businesses, StatCan can

  • measure price changes over time for different goods and services
    • In 2020, rent prices increased by 1.7% and food prices rose 2.3% in Canada compared with 2019.
  • better understand the health needs of the Canadian population
    • In 2019, 16% of Canadians aged 12 and older living in the provinces had consulted a health professional about their mental health in the previous year.
  • provide an accurate picture of the wage situation
    • In 2020, the average hourly wage of employees in Canada was $27.71 for women and $31.23 for men.
  • develop a portrait of the new housing market during the COVID-19 pandemic
    • From March 2020 to May 2021, prices for new houses rose 11.4%, compared with a 1.0% increase during the same period a year earlier.

Thanks to your participation, StatCan can publish reliable data that help governments, organizations and individuals make evidence-based decisions.

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