General Social Survey: An Overview, 2019
Archived Content
Information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please "contact us" to request a format other than those available.
Skip to text
Text begins
Acknowledgements
The Chiefs of the General Social Survey (GSS) Program would like to acknowledge the following people who were instrumental in the updating of this document for 2019: Catherine Allan, Denis Theriault, Dawn Blair, Brianna Jaffray, Michele Hardy, Amanda Halladay, Geneviève Vézina, Patrick St-Cyr, Patricia Houle, Anna Kemeny, Pascale Beaupré, Patric Fournier-Savard, Valerie du Plessis, Melanie Kowalski, Lynn Hamilton, Julie Sauvé, Paul Hartung, Nathalie Villemure and all the others on the GSS Team who work diligently to make the GSS Program the best it can be.
1. Introduction
Established in 1985, Canada’s General Social Survey (GSS) program was designed as a series of independent, annual, voluntary, cross-sectional surveys, each covering one topic in-depth. The overall objectives of the program were, and continue to be, to gather data on social trends in order to monitor changes in the living conditions and well-being of Canadians, and to provide information on specific social policy issues.
GSS data has served as evidence behind key government programs and policies aimed at improving the well-being of Canadians. It regularly informs comprehensive research projects on a variety of essential topics and has become a valuable training tool for quantitative methods in postsecondary institutions across the country. The GSS is an important foundational social survey within Canada’s national statistical system.
The most recent GSS program surveys have focussed on seven themes: life at work and home; families; caregiving and care receiving; giving, volunteering and participating; victimization; social identity and time use.
Each of these themes have historically been explored in an in-depth manner approximately every five to seven years. In addition to the core topic, space is reserved in each cycle for new content that addresses emerging, policy-relevant issues. As well, each survey includes socio-demographic information such as age, sex, education, religion, immigrant status, place of birth, Indigenous group, population group/visible minority status, etc. Newer cycles also include questions on disability and veteran status. Regular collection of cross-sectional data allows for trend analysis, and for the testing and development of new concepts.
Since its inception, the GSS has tested new approaches and worked closely with stakeholders in the government, academia, and social sector. Since 2013, data have been collected using a combination of self-completed online questionnaires and telephone interviews. This tradition of innovation is continuing with increased momentum as the GSS leads the way in re-defining itself within Statistics Canada’s modernization agenda. New approaches to data collection, processing and dissemination are being explored to ensure the GSS stays relevant and useful in the years to come.
2. Methodology
Target population and sample size
The General Social Survey collects information from persons aged 15 and overNote in the ten provinces of Canada, excluding full-time residents of institutions. The Victimization Cycle, most recently collected in 2009 and 2014, was also carried out in Canada’s territories.
As of 2019, the GSS targets a sample size of approximately 20,000 respondents. Sometimes a cycle has a higher target sample size if funding has been received for an oversample, either in the form of a geographical sample top-up (i.e., adding more units in certain geographic areas), a targeted oversample (e.g. focussing on immigrants, youth, or another population group), or a general oversample (i.e., increasing the raw sample size). With a final sample of 20,000 respondents, basic survey estimates are usually available for the national and regional levels, and for some provinces and Census Metropolitan Areas. Depending on the survey topic, the sample size may be sufficient to produce estimates for certain population groups such as lone parent families, certain visible minority groups or seniors.
The sample size for the GSS has changed over time. Until 1998, the targeted final sample size for each GSS cycle was approximately 10,000 persons. This was increased in 1999 to a target of 25,000, until 2015 when the figure was reduced to 22,000 and then further reduced to 20,000 starting in 2016.
Sampling frame
The GSS uses Statistics Canada’s common telephone frame, which combines landline and cellular telephone numbers from the Address Register, the Census of Population and various administrative sources and which has been integrated with Statistics Canada’s common dwelling frame. Records on the frame are groups of telephone numbers associated with one address (or a single telephone number in the case where a link between a telephone number and an address could not be established). This integrated frame includes cell phone only households, a growing population not covered by the previous Random Digit Dialing (RDD) frame that was used until 2012.
For detailed information on sample design for each GSS cycle, please refer to the appropriate User Guide for each survey. These User Guides may be obtained by contacting Client Services and Dissemination at statcan.sasdclientservices-dsseaserviceaclientele.statcan@canada.ca.
Data collection
General Social Survey data have been collected using a combination of self-completed online questionnaires and telephone interviews since 2013. Some data, most often income data, are drawn from tax or other administrative files rather than direct survey questions in order to reduce respondent burden and to improve data accuracy. Statistics Canada began asking respondents for permission to link their survey information to additional data sources in 2014. Since then, data collected in GSS cycles has been linked to the personal tax records (T1, T1FF or T4) of respondents and occasionally to other administrative data sources. Household information and respondent's information are key variables for the record linkage. During collection, respondents are informed of the planned record linkage and those who object are exempted from the process.
Before the introduction of the self-response electronic questionnaire (EQ) and the new telephone sampling frame, collection of data was primarily carried out via Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI), a method that offers lower collection costs than in-person interviews, as well as flexibility with respect to sample design. Telephone interviewing does, however, have some drawbacks: non-coverage of households is concentrated in certain population groups (those who only have cell phones, mostly young, single, urban Canadians, are excluded from RDD samples, as are those without a telephone - often concentrated in groups with lower income and education levels); response rates tend to be lower than for face-to-face interviews; and there are limitations on the amount and type of data which can be collected.
Data for the Indigenous population
Although GSS cycles include an indicator of Indigenous identity, data are not available for First Nations people living on or off reserve specifically. Using a telephone-based sample design, it may be possible that First Nations and non-Indigenous people living on reserve (with internet and/or telephone service) are selected as respondents. However, the number of persons living on-reserve who are interviewed has not, to date, been large enough to enable reliable estimates for the First Nations people living on reserve.
Depending on the sample size of each GSS cycle and the type of output analysis required, data for First Nations people, Métis and Inuit must often be aggregated to the total Indigenous population (by combining the three Indigenous identity groups) in order to obtain population counts high enough to be reliable for publication.
3. Keeping up with the times
In 2010, the GSS underwent an in-depth redesign that included a change in sampling frame and the introduction of self-completed online questionnaires. As indicated above, the RDD sampling frame was replaced with a frame that contains landline and cellular telephone numbers. The GSS used the new sampling frame and fielded its first multi-mode (internet and telephone) collection for its Social Identity cycle in the summer of 2013. In 2014, GSS data were linked to administrative data sources for the first time. In 2018, the GSS introduced the use of the Age-Order method to select a respondent within a household through an invitation letter rather than the traditional household rostering method. (The benefit of the Age-Order method is that only one household member is required to login to the online questionnaire, alleviating the “hand-off” issue which occurs when the selected household respondent is not the person who initially logs in to the online survey). All of these changes have helped to mitigate declining response rates which have occurred due to the increase in cell-only households, the emergence of call display features which allows respondents to screen for calls, and many other social factors (see Appendix B for specific response rates by year).
The continued change in technology use and continued declines in response rates, have led to another phase of modernization of the GSS, which began in 2018 and is aligned with modernization activities across Statistics Canada. The key focusses of modernization at Statistics Canada as of 2019 are: User-centric Delivery Service, Leading-edge Methods and Data Integration, Statistical Capacity Building and Leadership, Sharing and Collaboration. For the GSS, this means exploring new sources of data, expanded modes of collection including mobile phone apps, the use of register-based approaches and a faster ability to respond to data gaps and user needs. Changes to the GSS are anticipated to be implemented, beginning in 2021.
4. Current GSS themes
Canadians at Work and Home
Lifestyle has an undeniable effect on health and well-being, and for many Canadians work and home are where a large portion of life takes place. This survey, which was collected for the first time in 2016, seeks to evaluate the quality of life of Canadians and their views about work, and work-life balance.
Where work is concerned, respondents are asked about topics such as work intensity, job security, compensation and benefits, work satisfaction, intercultural workplace relations, and discrimination and harassment. Meanwhile questions related to home cover other aspects of life, including work-life balance, eating habits, nutritional awareness, use of technology, sports, and involvement in outdoor and cultural activities. In addition, this is the only GSS with questions on purpose of life, opportunities, life aspirations, outlook, and resilience.
Together, information on work and home life allows for insights into the quality of life and lifestyle behaviours of Canadians, and into issues surrounding productivity, job satisfaction, work ethic, and discrimination in the workplace. GSS data are important for informing policy areas such as funding for sports and recreational associations, regulations on workplace bullying and harassment, studies on the integration of immigrants into the labour market, and promoting greater nutritional awareness.
The first results from the 2016 GSS were published in November 2017.
For further information on data sources, methodology, products and publications or to access current or past questionnaires, please consult Canadians at Work and Home.
Family
The central role of the family in one’s life is indisputable. The GSS on Family was first conducted in 1990 and has been repeated approximately every five years since then, most recently in 2017. The survey captures information on the structure of families through each of its cycles and uses retrospective questions to follow the historic evolution of families.
This GSS cycle’s ability to monitor the evolution of families from cycle to cycle is in part due to its “life course perspective” approach. This approach, which recognizes the impact of social context on a person’s life, is vitally important given the increasing diversity of today’s families and the events they go through.
The 2011 GSS added new content to investigate organization and decision making within the household, family resiliency, couples living apart, difficulty in conceiving a child, and sterilization (previously asked in 2001). Childcare arrangement modules were also remodeled.
The 2017 GSS updated most of the information collected in previous family surveys, including leaving the family home, conjugal history (marriages, common-law unions, separations and divorces), children (birth, adopted or step), maternity and parental leave, intentions to form (or re-form) a union, fertility intentions, custody, and financial support agreements. In 2017, the modules on childcare services, childcare arrangements, child custody and financial support, and programs used after a separation or a divorce were also redesigned. Other changes involved expanding modules on parents and grandparents and removing the module on work history.
The first results from the 2017 GSS on Family were released in February 2019.
For further information on data sources, methodology, products and publications or to access current or past questionnaires, please consult Family.
Caregiving and Care Receiving
With the aging of the population, women’s increased participation in the labour force, and the shifts in the structures of families in Canada, the importance of caregiving and care receiving has been increasingly recognized. The implications of providing care to someone with a long-term health condition extend beyond the direct economic, health, and social consequences to the family. Caregiving and care receiving also impact other policy areas of importance to governments, including labour productivity, labour force attachment, and institutionalized care expenditures, such as health care costs.
Data on caregiving and care receiving were first extensively collected through the 1996 GSS and again in 2002, 2007, and 2012. The objectives of these surveys were to determine the nature of the help provided and received, to understand the dynamic between an individual’s social network and help they obtained or gave, and to identify those who needed help but were not receiving any.
The 2012 GSS added a greatly expanded look at the impacts of providing care on the caregiver’s life, including social and emotional health, employment and financial consequences. Accessible housing was another new topic. For the first time, the proportion of Canada’s housing stock that is accessible to individuals using a wheelchair was measured.
The 2018 GSS on Caregiving and Care Receiving continued to collect data using many of the same questions as the 2012 GSS, including questions on the types of help provided and received for long-term health conditions, mental or physical disabilities or problems related to aging. Detailed sections covered the characteristics of both family and friend caregivers, as well as those who received formal and informal care. Links can be drawn between caregiving or receiving and the factors influencing or linked to health status (such as income, education, and social networks).
The 2018 GSS on Caregiving and Care Receiving was in collection from April to December 2018. Data are planned for release in late 2019.
For further information on data sources, methodology, products and publications or to access current or past questionnaires, please consult Caregiving and Care Receiving.
Giving, Volunteering and Participating
The GSS on Giving, Volunteering and Participating is a key source of information on charitable giving and community involvement. Data from the survey are used by government and voluntary sector organizations to inform policy and program decisions. While Statistics Canada has conducted a standalone survey on this topic approximately every 3 years since 1997 (previously called the Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating, or CSGVP), this survey became part of the GSS program in 2013.
The 2018 GSS on Giving, Volunteering and Participating (GVP) collects information about how Canadians volunteer their time; donate money and in-kind gifts to charitable and non-profit organizations; and provide direct help to others. While the 2018 GSS covers most of the content of previous GVP surveys, it includes new questions on quality of volunteer experience and skills used, hours spent on informal volunteer activities, help given directly to communities and money given directly to people.
The survey includes a set of modules that rotate in and out by cycle/survey year, depending on analytic priorities, to track changes over longer intervals. The 2018 GSS, for example, includes questions last asked in 2010 about youth experiences and attitudes. On the other hand, rotating modules on skills gained from volunteering, participation in groups and organizations, and donations for natural disaster relief that were asked in previous iterations are not part of the 2018 GSS. A longer module on employer support for volunteering was also rotated out and replaced by a shorter, employer support minimum module for this iteration.
New socio-demographic content, added for 2018, includes gender, disability screening questions and the veterans identifier.
The 2018 GSS was in collection from September to December 2018. Data are planned for release in 2020.
For further information on data sources, methodology, products and publications or to access current or past questionnaires, please consult Giving, Volunteering and Participating.
Victimization
The GSS on Victimization explores the sensitive subjects of criminal victimization and spousal violence. In particular, Victimization cycles ask Canadians about reported and unreported victimization, including experiences of crime, violence and abuse by current or past spouse or partner; use of services available to help victims of abuse or crime; fear of crime; crime prevention; and social disorder and experiences of discrimination. The survey allows for the measurement of victimization rates over time by age, sex, province and other classification variables, as well as many other indicators related to victimization.
GSS data on victimization are an important complement to administrative data on police-reported crime, as they capture information that does not come to the attention of the police and is therefore not counted in official crime rates. The survey produces estimates of the extent to which persons are the victims of eight types of offences: physical assault, sexual assault, robbery, theft of personal property, breaking and entering, motor vehicle theft, theft of household property and vandalism.
The 2019 iteration of the GSS kept most of the content of previous cycles including internet victimization, cyber bullying, and crime prevention. The stalking questions (criminal harassment) from the 2014 cycle were rotated out for the 2019 survey while the questions on perceptions of criminal courts, prison and parole systems were brought back in for 2019. The 2019 survey also included new questions on dating violence (to be comparable with spousal and ex-spousal abuse) childhood victimization (sex of adult responsible, location of the most serious incident, harsh parenting questions) and fraud (during the past 5 years and past 12 months, including details on the most serious incident of fraud).
Additionally, the 2019 GSS included a two-step approach to measuring sex and gender which has recently been adopted by all GSS cycles and by other surveys at Statistics Canada. Specific to the GSS on Victimization, however, the survey also included “gender identity or expression” as one of the potential categories which could be chosen by respondents as the perceived reason that they had experienced a hate crime or discrimination.
The GSS on Victimization is the only national survey of self-reported victimization which provides data for the provinces and territories. It is also the only GSS to conduct interviews in Canada’s territories.
For further information on data sources, methodology, products and publications or to access current or past questionnaires, please consult Victimization.
Social Identity
The GSS on Social Identity was first collected, under that name, in 2013. However, past cycles of this survey were conducted under the names Social Networks in 2008 and Social Engagement in 2003. Each of these cycles collected information on social contacts with family, friends, and neighbours; involvement in formal organizations, political activities and volunteer work; values and attitudes; and level of trust in people and public institutions. The 2008 GSS also looked at how Canadians use their social networks to obtain support during periods of change in their lives.
The 2013 GSS was expanded to cover the broader issues of social identity and, in particular, Canadians’ identification with, and sense of belonging to, national, ethnic, geographic and cultural groups as well as to local, regional and national institutions. Questions on shared values revealed a portrait of identity as a common body of norms adhered to by most people. Content on engagement and participation have been used to help understand how social integration is built among people living in a modern, diverse society with multiple ethnicities and backgrounds. Finally, questions on social networks and norms of trust examined the social patterns that hold society together. Data from this survey have helped build national measures and support policies on the inclusion and diversity of people living in Canada.
Please note that there were two separate GSSs conducted in 2013: Social Identity, and Giving, Volunteering and Participating (GVP).
The next iteration of the GSS on Social Identity is currently in the consultation and development phase, with collection planned for 2020.
For further information on data sources, methodology, products and publications or to access current or past questionnaires, please consult Social Identity.
Time Use
The GSS on Time Use collects information on how respondents manage their time and perform their daily activities. These data can therefore inform a broad range of policies, and can be used to assess social trends and changes in living conditions. Three key themes have been identified as necessary for informed policy making and for which no other data sources are adequate: unpaid work and non-market production; well-being; and gender equality. Other topics covered by the Time Use survey include leisure time, work-life balance, health, commuting, culture, and sports.
Statistics Canada has been conducting Time Use surveys since 1986 at approximately five- to seven- year intervals, most recently in 2015. The GSS on Time Use employs a retrospective 24-hour time diary to collect information on respondents’ participation in, and time spent on, a wide variety of day-to-day activities. In addition, information is collected on the location where these activities occurred (e.g., at home, at work, etc.) and, for non-personal activities, the people who were with the respondent at the time of the activity. In addition, GSS Time Use surveys also include questions on household composition, labour force status, life satisfaction, unpaid work, time perceptions and pressures, and participation in sports and cultural activities along with numerous socioeconomic characteristics.
In 2010, simultaneous activity questions were introduced for the first time. These questions allow for a better understanding of multitasking, particularly in situations where passive childcare is combined with other activities (e.g., a parent cooking dinner while watching over the children).
Time Use surveys are conducted in several countries other than Canada. In recent years, many Time Use surveys internationally have experienced a drop in response rates. In line with this trend, the response rate for the 2015 GSS Time Use survey (38%) was lower than the response rate achieved for the previous GSS Time Use survey conducted in 2010 (55%). In order to ensure that the data were fit-for-use, additional nonresponse adjustment steps were taken and the final data was validated using several data sources. For more information please consult the Survey Technical Note.
The first results from the 2015 GSS on Time Use were published in June 2017.
For further information on data sources, methodology, products and publications or to access current or past questionnaires, please consult Time Use.
5. Discontinued GSS themes
The table in Appendix A provides a list of GSS themes, including those which have been discontinued or incorporated into other surveys. For additional information on discontinued GSS Cycles, please contact Client Services and Dissemination: statcan.sasdclientservices-dsseaserviceaclientele.statcan@canada.ca.
6. Data and product availability
GSS data and analytical articles published by Statistics Canada are available publicly.
Dissemination activities begin for each survey with a data availability announcement in The Daily. The Daily is Statistics Canada’s official release bulletin and its first line of communication with the media and the public. The Daily issues news releases on current social and economic conditions and announces new products. It provides a comprehensive one-stop overview of new information available from Statistics Canada. One can subscribe to The Daily.
Access to the GSS analytical files and the bootstrap weights files are provided through Statistics Canada’s Research Data Centres (RDCs), which are located throughout the country. RDCs provide researchers with access, in a secure setting, to microdata from population and household surveys, administrative data holdings and linked data. The centres are staffed by Statistics Canada employees. They are operated under the provisions of the Statistics Act in accordance with all the confidentiality rules and are accessible only to researchers with approved projects who have been sworn in under the Statistics Act as ‘deemed employees’. One must submit an application to access data held in the RDCs. Please visit The Research Data Centres (RDC) Program to learn more about the RDCs, and the Application process and guidelines to learn about the application process.
Data files can also be accessed using the Real Time Remote Access (RTRA) tool at Statistics Canada. This is a subscription service provided for a fee to clients associated with an academic institution, a government department or a non-profit organization. The RTRA system is an on-line remote access facility allowing users to run SAS programs, in real-time, using microdata sets located in a central and secure location. Researchers using the RTRA system do not gain direct access to the microdata and cannot view the content of the microdata file. Instead, users submit SAS programs to extract results in the form of frequency tables.
The RTRA complements existing methods of access to confidential microdata, including RDCs. Using a secure username and password, the RTRA provides around the clock access to survey results from any computer with internet access. Confidentiality rules and reliability guidelines are automatically applied to all requests by the RTRA system, eliminating the need for manual intervention and allowing for rapid access to results.
Please visit The Real Time Remote Access (RTRA) system for more information on how to obtain a user account or an RTRA agent can be reached at statcan.madrtra-damadtr.statcan@canada.ca.
Custom tabulations are also available on a cost recovery basis for individuals who require a specific set of data for an article or analysis. Please contact Client Services and Dissemination: statcan.sasdclientservices-dsseaserviceaclientele.statcan@canada.ca.
Researchers wishing to undertake more in-depth analysis of their own may request a Public Use Microdata File (PUMF). A PUMF, including documentation, is produced for each GSS and is available free of charge. In order to protect the confidentiality of Canadians, an extensive disclosure risk analysis takes place before the release of the PUMF. Variables with extreme values are capped, information for some variables is aggregated into broader classes and in rare cases certain variables are modified.
For the most up-to-date information on products and services, please visit Statistics Canada’s website.
7. Appendices
Appendix A – Topics according to series, year and cycle
| Topic | 1st series | 2nd series | 3rd series | 4th series | 5th series | 6th series | 7th series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| year (cycle) | |||||||
| Health | 1985 (1) | 1991 (6) | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period |
| Time Use | 1986 (2) | 1992 (7) | 1998 (12) | 2005 (19) | 2010 (24) | 2015 (29) | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period |
| Victimization | 1988 (3) | 1993 (8) | 1999 (13) | 2004 (18) | 2009 (23) | 2014 (28) | 2019 (34) |
| Education, Work and Retirement | 1989 (4) | 1994 (9) | 2002 (16) | 2007 (21) | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period |
| Family | 1990 (5) | 1995 (10) | 2001 (15) | 2006 (20) | 2007 (21) | 2011 (25) | 2017 (31) |
| Access To and Use of ICT | 2000 (14) | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period |
| Social Identity | 2003 (17)Table A.1 Note † | 2008 (22)Table A.1 Note ‡ | 2013 (27) | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period |
| Caregiving and Care Receiving | 1996 (11) | 2002 (16) | 2007 (21) | 2012 (26) | 2018 (32) | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period |
| Giving, Volunteering and Participating | 1997Table A.1 Note § | 2000Table A.1 Note § | 2004Table A.1 Note †† | 2007Table A.1 Note †† | 2010Table A.1 Note †† | 2013 (27) | 2018 (33) |
| Canadians at Work and Home | 2016 (30) | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period | Note ..: not available for a specific reference period |
.. not available for a specific reference period
|
|||||||
Appendix B – GSS cycle numbers, collection dates and response rates
| Cycle | Date of collection | Core content | New content | Response rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | 2019 | Victimization | Dating violence, childhood victimization, fraud, gender, veterans identifier | Not available |
| 33 | 2018 | Giving, Volunteering and Participating | Quality of the volunteer experience and skills used, mandatory unpaid work hours, hours spent on informal volunteer activities, help given directly to communities, money given directly to people, gender, disability screening questions, veterans identifier | Not available |
| 32 | 2018 | Caregiving and Care Receiving | Aboriginal group, population group, veterans identifier | Not available |
| 31 | 2017 | Family | Expanded modules on parents and grandparents | 52.4 |
| 30 | 2016 | Canadians at Work and Home | 2016 was the first time this survey was conducted | 50.8 |
| 29 | 2015 | Time Use | Subjective wellbeing/use of technology/light diary | 38.2 |
| 28 | 2014 | Victimization | Childhood victimization, criminal harassment | 52.9 |
| 27 | 2013 | Social Identity | Sense of belonging, pride in Canada, shared values, trust, importance of symbols, discrimination | 48.1 |
| 27 | 2013 | Giving, Volunteering and Participating | Online giving, searching for information about a charity before giving, knowing how to verify if an organization is a registered charity, awareness of organizations that monitor how charities use their donations | 46.0 |
| 26 | 2012 | Caregiving and Care Receiving | The consequences of caregiving | 65.7 |
| 25 | 2011 | Family | Family transitions | 65.8 |
| 24 | 2010 | Time Use / Stress and Well-being | Simultaneous activities, work-life balance | 55.2 |
| 23 | 2009 | Victimization | Internet victimization | 61.6 |
| 22 | 2008 | Social Networks | Coping with change | 57.3 |
| 21 | 2007 | Family, Social Support, Retirement | Work/family history, retirement experiences and plans | 57.7 |
| 20 | 2006 | Family History | Family transitions | 67.4 |
| 19 | 2005 | Time Use | Social networks/trust/transportation | 58.6 |
| 18 | 2004 | Victimization | Use of restraining orders, stalking and social disorder | 74.5 |
| 17 | 2003 | Social Engagement | Social/civic participation, trust and values | 78.0 |
| 16 | 2002 | Social Support and Aging | Retirement planning and experience | 74.5 |
| 15 | 2001 | Family History | Education history, mobility | 80.9 |
| 14 | 2000 | Technology - Computer and Internet | Use of computers, impact of technology on privacy, access to information | 80.8 |
| 13 | 1999 | Victimization | Spousal, senior abuse/perceptions | 81.3 |
| 12 | 1998 | Time Use | Sports participation/culture | 77.6 |
| 11 | 1996 | Social Support | Tobacco use | 85.3 |
| 10 | 1995 | Family | Effects of tobacco smoke | 81.4 |
| 9 | 1994 | Education, Work and Retirement | Transition into retirement | 81.2 |
| 8 | 1993 | Personal Risk | Alcohol and drug use | 81.6 |
| 7 | 1992 | Time Use | Culture, sport and unpaid-work activities | 76.8 |
| 6 | 1991 | Health | Various health topics | 80.2 |
| 5 | 1990 | Family and Friends | Relationships and interactions with family and friends | 75.8 |
| 4 | 1989 | Education and Work | New technologies and human resources | 80.7 |
| 3 | 1988 | Personal risk | Victim services | 82.4 |
| 2 | 1986 | Time Use, Social Mobility | Language | 78.9 |
| 1 | 1985 | Health | Social support | 83.4 |
Appendix C – Selected publications using GSS data, by survey theme
| Title | Catalogue number | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 Public Use Microdata File | 45-25-00012018001 | June, 2018 |
| Eating out: Nutrition information on menus and menu boards | 11-627-M | January, 2019 |
| Eating out: How often and why? | 11-627-M | January, 2019 |
| Canadian youth: hopeful, resilient and hard-working | 11-627-M | December, 2018 |
| Harassment in Canadian workplaces | 75-006-X | December, 2018 |
| Assessing Job Quality in Canada: A Multidimensional Approach | 11F0019M | December, 2018 |
| Life satisfaction among Canadian seniors | 75-006-X | August, 2018 |
| Making time for creative activities | 11-627-M | June, 2018 |
| Canadians and the outdoors | 11-627-M | March, 2018 |
| Nutritional Information on Packaged Foods | 11-627-M | February, 2018 |
| A portrait of Canadian youth | 11-631-X | February, 2018 |
| Barriers to Labour Mobility in Canada | 11-626 | November, 2017 |
| Life in the fast lane: How are Canadians managing?, 2016 | 11-001 | November, 2017 |
| The Internet and Digital Technology | 11-627-M | November, 2017 |
| Title | Table number |
|---|---|
| Use of technology by age group and sex, Canada, provinces and regions | 22-10-0110-01 |
| Job satisfaction by age group and sex, Canada, provinces and regions | 22-10-0111-01 |
| Average satisfaction with life and with selected domains of life by age group and sex, Canada, provinces and regions | 13-10-0106-01 |
| Resilience by age group, Canada, provinces and regions | 13-10-0107-01 |
| Participation in cultural activities in the past 12 months by age, sex, current employment status, and perceived health, Canada, provinces and regions | 13-10-0108-01 |
| Participation in outdoor activities in the past 12 months, by age, sex, current employment status, and perceived health, Canada, provinces and regions | 45-10-0030-01 |
| Job-family conflict by age group and sex, Canada, provinces and regions | 14-10-0100-01 |
| Satisfaction with the balance between work and home by age group, sex and employment type, Canada, provinces and regions | 14-10-0207-01 |
| Title | Catalogue number | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 Public Use Microdata File | 12M0025XCB | April, 2013 |
| Report on the Demographic Situation in Canada | 91-209-X | June, 2018 |
| Women and Paid Work (Women in Canada: A Gender-based Statistical Report) | 89-503 | March, 2017 |
| Families and Living Arrangements (Women in Canada: A Gender-based Statistical Report) | 89-503 | November, 2015 |
| Diversity of grandparents living with their grandchildren | 75-006-X | April, 2015 |
| Parenting and child support after separation or divorce | 89-652-X | February, 2014 |
| Living apart together | 75-006-X | March, 2013 |
| 2011 General Social Survey: Overview of Families in Canada | 89-650-X | October, 2012 |
| Making fathers "count" | 11-008 | June, 2010 |
| Parenting after separation and divorce: a profile of agreements and arrangements for spending time with and making decisions for children | 85-002 | October, 2009 |
| I Do...Take Two? Changes in Intentions to Remarry Among Divorced Canadians during the Past 20 years | 89-630-X | July, 2008 |
| Do older Canadians have more friends now than in 1990? | 89-630-X | July, 2008 |
| Title | Catalogue number | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 Public Use Microdata File | 89M0031X | August, 2014 |
| Senior Women (Women in Canada: A Gender-based Statistical Report) | 89-503 | March, 2016 |
| Senior care: Differences by type of housing | 75-006-X | February, 2015 |
| End-of-life care | 89-652-X | October, 2014 |
| Young Canadians providing care | 89-652-X | September, 2014 |
| Canadians with unmet home care needs | 75-006-X | September, 2014 |
| Receiving care at home | 89-652-X | June, 2014 |
| Portrait of caregivers, 2012 | 89-652-X | September, 2013 |
| Family Caregiving: What are the Consequences? | 75-006-X | September, 2013 |
| Caring for a parent who lives far away: The consequences | 11-008 | January, 2010 |
| Online activities of Canadian boomers and seniors | 11-008 | August, 2009 |
| 2007 General Social Survey: Care Tables | 89-633-X | October, 2008 |
| Elder care: What we know today | 11-008 | October, 2008 |
| 2007 General Social Survey report: The retirement plans and expectations of older workers | 11-008 | September, 2008 |
| 2007 General Social Survey report: The retirement puzzle: Sorting the pieces | 11-008 | September, 2008 |
| Title | Table number |
|---|---|
| Population providing care to a family member or friend with a long-term illness, disability or aging needs, by sex and age group, occasional, 2012 | 44-10-0001-01 |
| Population providing care to a family member or friend with a long-term illness, disability or aging needs, by sex and presence of children under 18 years in the household, occasional, 2012 | 44-10-0002-01 |
| Population providing care to a family member or friend with a long-term illness, disability or aging needs, by sex and main activity of caregiver, occasional, 2012 | 44-10-0003-01 |
| Population providing care to a family member or friend with a long-term illness, disability or aging needs, by sex and household income of caregiver, occasional, 2012 | 44-10-0004-01 |
| Population providing care to a family member or friend with a long-term illness, disability or aging needs, by sex and relationship between caregiver and primary care receiver, occasional, 2012 | 44-10-0005-01 |
| Time spent providing care to a family member or friend with a long-term illness, disability or aging needs, by sex and age group, occasional, 2012 | 44-10-0006-01 |
| Time spent providing care to a family member or friend with a long-term illness, disability or aging needs, by sex and presence of children under 18 years in the household, occasional, 2012 | 44-10-0007-01 |
| Time spent providing care to a family member or friend with a long-term illness, disability or aging needs, by sex and main activity of caregiver, occasional, 2012 | 44-10-0008-01 |
| Time spent providing care to a family member or friend with a long-term illness, disability or aging needs, by sex and household income of caregiver, occasional, 2012 | 44-10-0009-01 |
| Time spent providing care to a family member or friend with a long-term illness, disability or aging needs, by sex and relationship between caregiver and primary care receiver, occasional, 2012 | 44-10-0010-01 |
| Caregivers receiving financial support from family or friends for providing care to relatives or friends with a long-term illness, disability or aging needs, occasional (percent), 2012 | 44-10-0011-01 |
| Caregivers receiving financial support from government programs for providing care to relatives or friends with a long-term illness, disability or aging needs, occasional (percent), 2012 | 44-10-0012-01 |
| Caregivers receiving federal tax credits for providing care to relatives or friends with a long-term illness, disability or aging needs, occasional (percent), 2012 | 44-10-0013-01 |
| Title | Catalogue number | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 Public Use Microdata File | 89M0033X | November, 2015 |
| A portrait of Canadian youth | 11-631-X | February, 2018 |
| The Girl Child (Women in Canada: A Gender-based Statistical Report) | 89-503 | February, 2017 |
| Employer support of volunteering: Underlying characteristics of participation and presence of support | 89-652 | June, 2016 |
| Senior Women (Women in Canada: A Gender-based Statistical Report) | 89-503 | March, 2016 |
| Charitable giving in Canada | 11-627-M | December, 2015 |
| Charitable giving by individuals | 89-652 | December, 2015 |
| Volunteering in Canada, 2004 to 2013 | 89-652 | June, 2015 |
| The Faces of Volunteers | 11-627-M | April, 2015 |
| Volunteering and charitable giving in Canada | 89-652 | January, 2015 |
| Giving and volunteering among Canada's immigrants | 11-008 | May, 2012 |
| Employer support of volunteering | 11-008 | May, 2012 |
| Charitable giving by Canadians | 11-008 | April, 2012 |
| Volunteering in Canada | 11-008 | April, 2012 |
| Title | Table number |
|---|---|
| Donor rate and distribution of donations, by age group, Canada, provinces, occasional (Percent), 2013 | 45-10-0004-01 |
| Donor rate and distribution of donations, by sex, Canada, provinces, occasional (Percent), 2013 | 45-10-0005-01 |
| Donor rate and distribution of donations, by marital status, Canada, provinces, occasional (Percent), 2013 | 45-10-0006-01 |
| Donor rate and distribution of donations, by education, Canada, provinces, occasional (Percent), 2013 | 45-10-0007-01 |
| Donor rate and distribution of donations, by labour force status, Canada, provinces, occasional (Percent), 2013 | 45-10-0008-01 |
| Donor rate and distribution of donations, by household income, Canada, provinces, occasional (Percent), 2013 | 45-10-0009-01 |
| Donor rate and distribution of donations, by presence of children in household, Canada, provinces, occasional (Percent), 2013 | 45-10-0010-01 |
| Donor rate and distribution of donations, by religious attendance, Canada, provinces, occasional (Percent), 2013 | 45-10-0011-01 |
| Volunteer rate and distribution of volunteer hours, by age group, Canada, provinces, occasional (Percent), 2013 | 45-10-0012-01 |
| Volunteer rate and distribution of volunteer hours, by sex, Canada, provinces, occasional (Percent), 2013 | 45-10-0013-01 |
| Volunteer rate and distribution of volunteer hours, by marital status, Canada, provinces, occasional (Percent), 2013 | 45-10-0028-01 |
| Volunteer rate and distribution of volunteer hours, by education, Canada, provinces, occasional (Percent), 2013 | 45-10-0015-01 |
| Volunteer rate and distribution of volunteer hours, by labour force status, Canada, provinces, occasional (Percent), 2013 | 45-10-0016-01 |
| Volunteer rate and distribution of volunteer hours, by household income, Canada, provinces, occasional (Percent), 2013 | 45-10-0017-01 |
| Volunteer rate and distribution of volunteer hours, by presence of children in household, Canada, provinces, occasional (Percent), 2013 | 45-10-0018-01 |
| Volunteer rate and distribution of volunteer hours, by religious attendance, Canada, provinces, occasional (Percent), 2013 | 45-10-0019-01 |
| Title | Catalogue number | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 Public Use Microdata File | 12M0026X | July, 2016 |
| Female offenders in Canada, 2017 | 85-002-X | January, 2019 |
| Police-reported violence against girls and young women in Canada, 2017 | 85-002-X | December, 2018 |
| Violent victimization of Canadians with mental health-related disabilities, 2014 | 85-002-X | October, 2018 |
| Women and men who experienced cyberstalking in Canada | 75-006-X | June, 2018 |
| Violent victimization of lesbians, gays and bisexuals in Canada, 2014 | 85-002-X | May, 2018 |
| Association between the frequency of cannabis use and selected social indicators | 75-006-X | May, 2018 |
| Violent victimization and discrimination, by religious affiliation in Canada, 2014 | 85-002 | April, 2018 |
| Violent victimization and discrimination among visible minority populations, Canada, 2014 | 85-002 | April, 2018 |
| Violent victimization, discrimination and perceptions of safety: An immigrant perspective, Canada, 2014 | 85-002 | April, 2018 |
| Police-reported hate crime in Canada, 2016 | 85-002 | April, 2018 |
| Violent victimization of women with disabilities, 2014 | 85-002 | March, 2018 |
| A portrait of Canadian youth | 11-631-X | February, 2018 |
| Family Violence in Canada: A statistical profile, 2016 | 85-002 | January, 2018 |
| Canadians' perceptions of personal safety and crime, 2014 | 85-002 | December, 2017 |
| Cyberstalking in Canada | 11-627-M | December, 2017 |
| Childhood physical abuse: Differences by birth cohort | 75-006 | September, 2017 |
| Self-reported sexual assault in Canada, 2014 | 85-002 | July, 2017 |
| Women and the Criminal Justice System (Women in Canada: A Gender-based Statistical Report) | 89-503 | June, 2017 |
| The Girl Child (Women in Canada: A Gender-based Statistical Report) | 89-503 | February, 2017 |
| Family Violence in Canada: A statistical profile, 2015 | 85-002 | February, 2017 |
| Cyberbullying and cyberstalking among Internet users aged 15 to 29 in Canada | 75-006 | December, 2016 |
| Hidden homelessness in Canada | 75-006 | November, 2016 |
| Perceptions of police performance in the territories, 2014 | 89-652 | June, 2016 |
| Victimization of Aboriginal people in Canada, 2014 | 85-002-X | June, 2016 |
| Criminal victimization in the territories, 2014 | 85-002 | April, 2016 |
| Canadians' perceptions of neighbourhood disorder, 2014 | 89-652-X | March, 2016 |
| Family Violence in Canada, 2014 | 11-627-M | January, 2016 |
| Criminal victimization in Canada, 2014 | 85-002 | November, 2015 |
| Payment Patterns of Child and Spousal Support | 85-002 | April, 2013 |
| Measuring Violence Against Women: Statistical Trends | 85-002 | February, 2013 |
| Victimization of Older Canadians, 2009 | 85-002 | March, 2012 |
| Criminal Victimization in the Territories, 2009 | 85-002 | January, 2012 |
| Canadians' Perceptions of Personal Safety and Crime, 2009 | 85-002 | December, 2011 |
| Self-reported Internet Victimization in Canada, 2009 | 85-002 | September, 2011 |
| Police-reported hate crime in Canada, 2009 | 85-002 | June, 2011 |
| Violent Victimization of Aboriginal Women in the Canadian Provinces, 2009 | 85-002 | May, 2011 |
| Violent Victimization of Aboriginal people in the Canadian Provinces, 2009 | 85-002 | March, 2011 |
| Criminal Victimization in Canada, 2009 | 85-002 | September, 2010 |
| A profile of perceptions of incivility in the metropolitan landscape | 11-008 | July, 2008 |
| Title | Table number |
|---|---|
| General social survey, perception of job being done by local police in regard to enforcing the law, by sex, population aged 15 and over, every 5 years (Persons), 2014 | 35-10-0158-01 |
| General social survey, perception of job being done by local police in regard to responding quickly to calls, by sex, population aged 15 and over, every 5 years (Persons), 2014 | 35-10-0159-01 |
| General social survey, perception of job being done by local police in regard to being approachable and easy to talk to, by sex, population aged 15 and over, every 5 years (Persons) | 35-10-0160-01 |
| General social survey, perception of job being done by local police in regard to supplying information to the public on ways to prevent crime, by sex, population aged 15 and over, every 5 years (Persons), 2014 | 35-10-0161-01 |
| General social survey, perception of job being done by local police in regard to ensuring neighbourhood safety, by sex, population aged 15 and over, every 5 years (Persons), 2014 | 35-10-0162-01 |
| General social survey, perception of job being done by local police in regard to treating people fairly, by sex, population aged 15 and over, every 5 years (Persons), 2014 | 35-10-0163-01 |
| Title | Catalogue number | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 Public Use Microdata File | 89M0032X | June, 2015 |
| Canadians and political activities | 11-627-M | October, 2018 |
| A portrait of Canadian youth | 11-631-X | February, 2018 |
| The Girl Child (Women in Canada: A Gender-based Statistical Report) | 89-503 | February, 2017 |
| Patterns and Determinants of Immigrants' Sense of Belonging to Canada and Their Source Country | 11F0019M | October, 2016 |
| Senior Women (Women in Canada: A Gender-based Statistical Report) | 89-503 | March, 2016 |
| Visible Minority Women (Women in Canada: A Gender-based Statistical Report) | 89-503 | March, 2016 |
| The use of media to follow news and current affairs | 89-652-X | February, 2016 |
| Public confidence in Canadian institutions | 89-652-X | December, 2015 |
| Political participation and civic engagement of youth | 75-006 | October, 2015 |
| Canadian identity, 2013 | 89-652-X | October, 2015 |
| Immigrant Women (Women in Canada: A Gender-based Statistical Report) | 89-503 | October, 2015 |
| Civic engagement and political participation in Canada | 89-652-X | September, 2015 |
| Proud to be Canadian | 11-627-M | June, 2015 |
| Sense of belonging to Canada, province of residence and local community, 2013 | 89-652-X | June, 2015 |
| Trends in social capital in Canada, 2003, 2008 and 2013 | 89-652-X | May, 2015 |
| Canadians' connections with family and friends | 89-652-X | December, 2014 |
| Quality of personal networks: Does living alone matter? | 11-008 | November, 2011 |
| Personal networks and the economic adjustment of immigrants | 11-008 | November, 2011 |
| Ethical consumption | 11-008 | January, 2011 |
| Working at home: An update | 11-008 | December, 2010 |
| 2008 General Social Survey: Selected Tables on Social Engagement | 89-640-X | June, 2009 |
| 2008 General Social Survey report: Social networks help Canadians deal with change | 11-008 | June, 2009 |
| Title | Table number |
|---|---|
| General social survey (GSS), electoral participation in last federal election, by sex and age group, every 5 years (Persons), 2013 | 45-10-0025-01 |
| General social survey (GSS), electoral participation in last provincial election, by sex and age group, every 5 years (Persons), 2013 | 45-10-0026-01 |
| General social survey (GSS), electoral participation in last municipal election, by sex and age group (Persons), 2013 | 45-10-0027-01 |
| Title | Catalogue number | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 Public Use Microdata File | 89-M0034X | October, 2017 |
| Ready, set, snooze! | 11-627-M | October, 2018 |
| Time use: Total work burden, unpaid work, and leisure | 89-503-X | July, 2018 |
| Time to eat | 11-627-M | March, 2018 |
| A day in the life: How do older Canadians spend their time? | 75-006-X | March, 2018 |
| Changes in parents' participation in domestic tasks and care for children from 1986 to 2015 | 89-652-X | June, 2017 |
| General Social Survey 2015 Time Use Survey Technical Note | 89-658-X | June, 2017 |
| Satisfaction with work-life balance: Fact sheet | 89-652-X | April, 2016 |
| What's stressing the stressed? Main sources of stress among workers | 11-008 | October, 2011 |
| Commuting to work: Results of the 2010 General Social Survey | 11-008 | August, 2011 |
| General Social Survey - 2010: Overview of the Time Use of Canadians | 89-647 | July, 2011 |
| Life in metropolitan areas: Are suburban residents really less physically active? | 11-008 | April, 2009 |
| Who participates in active leisure? | 11-008 | February, 2009 |
| Kids' Sports | 11-008 | June, 2008 |
| Who gets any sleep these days? Sleep patterns of Canadians | 11-008 | April, 2008 |
| Title | Table number |
|---|---|
| Average time spent in hours on unpaid domestic and care work by sex | 45-10-0014-02 |
| Daily average time spent in hours on various activities by age group and sex, 15 years and over, Canada and provinces, 2015 | 45-10-0014-01 |
- Date modified: