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Sampling errors
Nonresponse
Coverage errors
Response errors
Processing errors related to imputation

Sampling errors

• The coefficients of variation (CVs) of the average estimates of total expenditure per household vary between 1.1% and 1.9% for the provinces. The CV at the national level is 0.8%. CVs are highest in the territories, namely 8.2% in Yukon, 6.1% in the Northwest Territories and 5.6% in Nunavut.

• The coefficients of variation (CVs) of the average estimates for the different summary level expenditure categories are in most cases less than or equal to 2.2% at the national level and are generally lower than 5.0% at the provincial level. The results for the dwelling and household equipment characteristics are similar. Since the sample size is smaller in Prince Edward Island and the territories, the CVs tend to be higher than those of the other provinces.

Nonresponse

• The final response rate is 65.1%. The provincial and territorial response rates range from 56.1% in Ontario to 78.6% in Nunavut.

• The non-response rate is 34.9%. Nonresponse is due to refusals (19.2%), to households that could not be contacted (12.1%), and to households with data that were considered unusable (3.6%).

• The nonresponse rate tends to increase with the urbanization level. The non-response rate is 27.5% in rural areas and 38.8% in urban centres with a population of one million or more.

• According to an analysis of nonresponse rates in strata consisting of the high-income geographic areas created under the sample design, the rate in high-income strata (44.8%) is higher than the rate observed in other strata (33.9%). The refusal rate for high-income strata (27.5%) is higher than the rate observed for other strata (18.4%).

Coverage errors

• Undercoverage of households is 10.4% at the national level. There is household undercoverage for each province and territory except Yukon. Undercoverage rates range from 5.3% to 16.1%. In Yukon, overcoverage at the household level is 6.0%.

• Undercoverage of persons is 13.2% at the national level (excluding the territories). Undercoverage of persons is observed for all provinces and territories, with rates varying from 8.5% to 17.8%. Undercoverage of persons is less than 10% in each of the three territories.

• The national slippage rate for children (0 to 17 years of age) is lower than for the other age groups. For children, undercoverage is 9.1%, whereas for adults, it is somewhat higher at 14.3%.

Response errors

• Response errors include recall errors, telescopic error and errors due to proxy response. Because the Survey of Household Spending (SHS) interview is lengthy, the response burden can lead to respondent fatigue and have an impact on data quality. Total interview time varies depending on household characteristics.

Processing errors related to imputation

a) Expenditure variables

• It was necessary to impute at least one expenditure variable¹ for 49.5% of households nationally. Contributing strongly to this rate is the section of the questionnaire dealing with expenditures related to communications services (telephone, cell phone and Internet access), cable television services, satellite distribution services and security services. For these services, respondent households have been allowed since 2004 to provide only the total expenditure for a package (bundled services), indicating which services are included. Approximately 39% of usable households required imputation for at least one of these six services.

• The overall imputation rate excluding these six services is 19.6% at the national level. For these expenditures, most households required imputation for one or two of the 242 expenditure variables. At the provincial and territorial level, imputation rates vary from a low of 10.4% for Nunavut to a high of 23.5% for Nova Scotia.

• Imputed values account for 35.4% of the estimate of total expenditure on cable television services and 47.6% of the estimate of total expenditure on Internet access services. Imputation rates for households reporting expenditures on one or the other of these two services are respectively 36.3% and 56.5%. These higher rates are mainly due to the fact that among households that reported paying for a package, a large proportion of packages included these two services.

• About 10% of individuals required imputation for clothing variables, but in the vast majority of such cases, the respondents provided the totals and only the components were imputed.

• About 10% of individuals aged 15 and over required imputation on at least one variable in the Personal Taxes, Security and Money Gifts section

b) Income variables

• Imputation for at least one income variable was required for 5.4% of individuals aged 15 and over.

c) Categorical variables

• For 8.9% of households, it was necessary to impute at least one categorical variable. Approximately 74% of them had only one variable imputed. Provincially, imputation rates range from a low of 4.8% for Newfoundland and Labrador to a high of 10.4% for Manitoba and Alberta. Categorical variables that required imputation can be found in the following sections of the questionnaire: Dwelling Characteristics; Facilities Associated with the Dwelling; Tenure; and Tobacco and Miscellaneous, for variables pertaining to purchases through direct sales.

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Note

1. Excluding the Clothing section and Personal Taxes, Security and Money Gifts section, which are collected at the individual level and not the household level.