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Beginning with the first quarter of 2004 publication, the quarterly financial series switched to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS Canada 2002) basis of industrial classification from the previously used NAICS Canada 1997 basis. The previous set of industrial aggregations consisting of 157, 58 and 24 groups has been replaced by a new set of 67, 48 and 22 industry groups, and a group of 10 financial instruments. Historical data on a NAICS Canada 2002 basis were created using a concordance that converted the old NAICS Canada 1997 codes to the new NAICS Canada 2002.

NAICS was developed by the statistical agencies of Canada, Mexico and the United States to provide a consistent framework for the collection, analysis and dissemination of industrial statistics used by government policy analysts, by academics and researchers, by the business community, and by the public.

NAICS is a product-oriented industry classification that standardizes the way businesses are classified across Canada, Mexico and the United States. NAICS was primarily designed to classify economic production performed at the establishment level; the activity which contributes the most value-added determines the NAICS code for the establishment.

To determine which NAICS Canada 2002 code should be assigned to a statistical enterprise, the NAICS Canada 2002 code is determined for each establishment belonging to the statistical enterprise. The NAICS Canada 2002 code representing the largest value-added is then assigned to the statistical enterprise. The NAICS Canada 2002 classification system does not provide classifications for integrated activities. For example, a petroleum enterprise may be involved in exploration, mining, refining, shipping and retailing of petroleum products. Under NAICS Canada 2002 such an enterprise is classified to the individual NAICS Canada 2002 code that relates to the activity that provides the most value-added.

The quarterly financial statistics are available at three levels of industrial aggregation of NAICS Canada 2002. The most aggregate level, which is used in this publication, covers 22 categories (see Text table 1 ). The second level of aggregation covers 48 categories and is available upon request. The most detailed level of aggregation covers 67 categories from 1999 and beyond and is also available upon request. The industrial classification system is hierarchical in nature so that the more detailed levels of data easily aggregate to the higher levels.