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Sampling errors
Nonresponse
Coverage errors
Processing errors related to imputation

Sampling errors

• The coefficients of variation (CVs) of the estimates of average total expenditure per household for the provinces vary between 1.3% and 2.1%. The CV at the national level is 0.9%.

• 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 2.7% at the national level and generally less 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, the CVs tend to be higher than those of the other provinces.

Nonresponse

• The final response rate is 63.4%. The provincial response rates range from 57.2% in Alberta to 71.3% in Newfoundland and Labrador.

• The non-response rate is 36.6%. Nonresponse is due to refusals (22.6%), households that could not be contacted (10.6%), and households whose data were considered unusable (3.4%).

• The nonresponse rate tends to increase with the urbanization level. The non-response rate is 30.8% in rural areas and 37.9% in urban centres with a population of 1 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 (40.4%) is higher than the rate observed in other strata (36.2%). The refusal rate for high-income strata (27.0%) is higher than the rate observed for other strata (22.2%).

Coverage errors

• Undercoverage of households is 11.7% at the national level.

• Undercoverage of persons is 15.0% at the national level.

Processing errors related to imputation

a) Expenditure variables

• It was necessary to impute at least one expenditure variable¹ for 56.0% of households nationally. Contributing strongly to this rate is the section of the questionnaire dealing with expenditures related to residential 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 43% of usable households required imputation for at least one of these six services.

• The overall imputation rate excluding these six services is 25.7% at the national level. For these expenditures, most households required imputation of one or two of the 246 expenditure variables. At the provincial level, imputation rates vary from a low of 17.6% for Newfoundland and Labrador to a high of 32.5% for Quebec.

• Imputed values account for 41.8% of the estimate of total expenditure on cable television services and 49.0% 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 42.1% and 58.7%. 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 of clothing variables, but in the vast majority of such cases, the respondents provided the totals and only the components were imputed.

• About 13% of individuals aged 15 and over required imputation of at least one variable in the Personal Taxes, Security and Money Gifts section.

b) Income variables

• Imputation of at least one income variable was required for 7.0% of individuals aged 15 and over.

c) Categorical variables

• For 9.9% of households, it was necessary to impute at least one categorical variable. Approximately 78% of them had only one variable imputed. Provincially, imputation rates range from a low of 7.3% for Quebec to a high of 14.6% for Manitoba. 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 the Personal Taxes, Security and Money Gifts section, which are collected at the individual level and not the household level.