Annual Demographic Estimates: Canada, Provinces and Territories, 2022
Data quality, concepts and methodology

Population Estimates

Estimates of the total population

Types of estimates

Population estimates can be either intercensal or postcensal. Intercensal estimates are produced using the counts from two consecutive censuses adjusted for census net undercoverage (CNU)^{Note 1} and postcensal estimates. The production of intercensal estimates involves updating the postcensal estimates using the counts from a new census adjusted for CNU.^{Note 1}

Postcensal estimates are produced using data from the most recent census adjusted for CNU^{Note 1} and the components of demographic growth. In terms of timeliness, postcensal estimates are more up-to-date than data from the most recent census adjusted for CNU,^{Note 1} but as they get farther from the date of that census, they become more variable.

Levels of estimates

The production of the population estimates between censuses entails the use of data from administrative files or surveys. The quality of population estimates therefore depends on the availability of a number of administrative data files that are provided to Statistics Canada by Canadian and foreign government departments. Since some components are not available until several months after the reference date, three kinds of postcensal estimates are produced preliminary postcensal (PP), updated postcensal (PR) and final postcensal (PD). The time lag between the reference date and the release date is three months for preliminary estimates and two to three years for final estimates. Though it requires more vigilance on the part of users, the production of three successive series of postcensal estimates is the strategy that best satisfies the need for both timeliness and accuracy of the estimates. All tables indicate the level of the estimates they contain.

Calculation of postcensal population estimates

Population estimates – preliminary, updated and final – are produced by the component method. This method consists of taking the population figures from the most recent census, adjusted for the CNU^{Note 1} (census undercoverage minus census overcoverage), and adding or subtracting the number of births, deaths, and components of international and interprovincial migration.

A. Provincial / territorial estimates of total population

Population estimates are produced for the provinces and territories first; then they are summed to obtain an estimate of the population of Canada.

The component-method formula for estimating the total provincial / territorial populations is as follows:

C. Levels of estimates

The difference between preliminary^{Note 2} and final postcensal population estimates lies in the timeliness of the components. When all the components are preliminary, the population estimate is described as preliminary postcensal (PP). When they are all final, the estimate is referred to as final postcensal (PD). Any other combination of levels is referred to as updated postcensal (PR).

Base population and components of demographic growth

A. Base population

The base populations are derived from the quinquennial censuses between 1971 and 2016. The population universe of the 2016^{Note 3} Census includes the following groups:

• Canadian citizens (by birth or by naturalization) and immigrants with a usual place of residence in Canada;
• Canadian citizens (by birth or by naturalization) and immigrants who are abroad either on a military base or attached to a diplomatic mission;
• Canadian citizens (by birth or by naturalization) and immigrants at sea or in port aboard merchant vessels under Canadian registry or Canadian government vessels;
• persons with a usual place of residence in Canada who are claiming refugee status and the family members living with them;
• persons with a usual place of residence in Canada who hold study permits and the family members living with them;
• persons with a usual place of residence in Canada who hold work permits and the family members living with them.

For census purposes, the last three groups are referred to as non-permanent residents (NPR). They have been included in the census universe since 1991 but foreign residents are not included. Foreign residents are persons who belong to the following groups:

• government representatives of another country attached to the embassy, high commission or other diplomatic body of that country in Canada, and members of their families living with them;
• members of the Armed Forces of another country who are stationed in Canada, and family members living with them;
• residents of another country visiting Canada temporarily (for example, a foreign visitor on vacation or on business, with or without a visitor’s permit).

These base populations are adjusted as follows:

• adjustment of the population for CNU;
• addition of independent estimates for incompletely enumerated reserves in 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016;
• adjustment for early enumeration in 1991 and 1996 in parts of Northern Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories;
• addition of estimates of NPRs in 1971, 1976, 1981 and 1986. Since 1991, NPRs are included in the census universe;
• estimation of the July 1 base population by addition or subtraction of the components of growth between Census Day and June 30.
• demographic adjustment for old age population is an age structure adjustment of censal estimates for 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016 by sex for each province and territory. An adjustment for the population at age zero is also done for the same period.

Adjustment for the census net undercoverage (CNU)

The adjustment for CNU is important. CNU is the difference between the number of persons who should have been enumerated but were missed (undercoverage) and the number of persons who were enumerated but should not have been or who were counted more than once (overcoverage).

Coverage studies provide undercoverage estimates for the 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016 censuses at the provincial and territorial levels, and for the 1971, 1976, 1981 and 1986 censuses at the provincial level only. Estimates of overcoverage at the provincial and territorial levels are available only for the last six censuses (1991 to 2016). Overcoverage for previous censuses was estimated by assuming that the overcoverage-to-undercoverage ratio for each census between 1971 and 1986 was the same as in 1991. The CNU for the Yukon and the Northwest Territories prior to 1991 was estimated by assuming that the ratio between the CNU for each territory and the 10 provinces for each census between 1971 and 1986 was the same as in 1991.

For consistency, the 1991 Census undercoverage and overcoverage were revised in 1998 to take into account the methodological improvements made in the 1996 Census coverage studies. This revision altered CNU in all censuses between 1971 and 1986. Similarly, the 1996 Census undercoverage and overcoverage were revised in 2003.

B. Births and deaths

The numbers of births and deaths are derived directly from the vital statistics database of Statistics Canada’s Centre for Population Health Data. Although Statistics Canada manages the National system of vital statistics, the central vital statistics registries of the provinces and territories are responsible for collecting and processing the information from those administrative files. Under provincial / territorial vital statistics statutes (or similar legislation), all live births and all deaths must be registered, and all provinces and territories provide this information to Statistics Canada.

The vital statistics universe applied to the population estimates includes births and deaths occurring in Canada, in which the usual place of residence of either the birth mother or the deceased is Canada. Any death or birth occurring outside of Canada, even if the mother or the deceased is Canadian, is excluded from the vital statistics population.

Vital statistics by province or territory of residence are used to produce our final estimates of births and deaths. However, before 2011, the final estimates may differ from the data released by the Centre for Population Health Data due to the imputation of certain unknown values. In addition, for estimates of deaths, the age represents age at the beginning of the period (July 1^st) and not the age at the time of occurrence, as with the Centre for Population Health Data. The Centre for Population Health Data releases preliminary data that the Centre for Demography will use. However, this data will not be final.

When there are no vital statistics, the number of births is estimated using quarterly fertility rates by the mother’s age group. The number of deaths is estimated by using quarterly mortality rates by age group and sex. These methods are used to calculate preliminary^{Note 2} estimates.

Special treatment for preliminary^{Note 2} estimates for Quebec, British Columbia and Yukon

Quebec, British Columbia and Yukon provide their most recent estimates of births and deaths. The figures are used to produce preliminary^{Note 2} estimates. For the final estimates, births and deaths for Quebec and British Columbia are derived from the vital statistics compiled by the Centre for Population Health Data. As of 2017, the total number of births and deaths for Yukon come from their statistical agency.

Levels of estimates

For information on the differences between preliminary^{Note 2} and final estimates, see sections B. Births and Deaths, above.

C. Immigration

Like the numbers of births and deaths, Canadian immigration statistics must be kept by law. In Canada, immigration is regulated by the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) of 2002. This statute superseded the Immigration Act, which was passed in 1976 and amended more than 30 times in the years thereafter. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) collects and processes immigrants’ administrative files. It then provides Statistics Canada with information from Global Case Management System (GCMS) files (until December 2010, data come from the Field Operational Support System files (FOSS)). The information is used to estimate the number and characteristics of people granted permanent resident status by the federal government on a given date. For the Centre for Demography, the terms immigrant and permanent resident are equivalent.

An immigrant is a person who is not a Canadian citizen by birth, but has been granted the right to live in Canada permanently by Canadian immigration authorities. The number of immigrants does not include persons born abroad to Canadian parents who are only temporarily outside the country.

Immigrants are usually counted on or after the date on which they are granted permanent resident status or the right to live in Canada.

Levels of estimates

The difference between preliminary^{Note 2} and final postcensal estimates lies in the timeliness of the source used to estimate this component. Since the GCMS files are continually being updated, new calculations are carried out each year to update the immigration estimates. Immigration estimates are preliminary the first year and final the second year.

D. Net non-permanent residents

Like the numbers of births and deaths, Canadian immigration statistics must be kept by law. In Canada, the non-permanent residents (NPR) are regulated by the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) of 2002. This statute superseded the Immigration Act, which was passed in 1976 and amended more than 30 times in the years thereafter. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) collects and processes the administrative files of immigrants and NPRs in Canada. It then provides Statistics Canada with information from Global Case Management System (GCMS) files (until June 2011, data come from the Field Operational Support System files (FOSS)). The information is used to estimate the number and characteristics of people granted non-permanent resident status by the federal government.

NPRs are persons who are lawfully in Canada on a temporary basis under the authority of a temporary resident permit, along with members of their family living with them. NPRs include foreign workers, foreign students, the humanitarian population and other temporary residents. The humanitarian population includes refugee claimants and temporary residents who are allowed to remain in Canada on humanitarian grounds and are not categorized as either foreign workers or foreign students. For the Centre for Demography, the terms non-permanent resident and temporary resident are equivalent.

The number of people in IRCC’s administrative system is estimated on a specific date in each period of observation. First, the end-of-period number of NPR is estimated, and then the start-of-period number of NPR is subtracted from that estimate. That yields the net NPRs used in the calculation of the population estimates.

Anyone who received non-permanent resident status prior to the observation date is counted. For refugee claimants, the date of their application is used. Permit holders and refugee claimants are excluded from the population if their permit has expired, if they receive permanent resident status, or if they are deported. In addition, refugee claimants are excluded if their file has been inactive for two years.

Since GCMS files are continually being updated, the figures are recalculated each year until the estimates of net NPR are final.

Levels of estimates

The difference between preliminary^{Note 2} and final estimates lies in the timeliness of the source used to estimate this component. Since the GCMS files are continually being updated, the figures are recalculated each year to update the estimates of the net number of NPRs. Non-permanent resident (NPR) estimates are preliminary the first year and updated the following year. They become final two to three years after the reference year, when all other components are also final.

E. Emigration

The number of emigrants is estimated using data from the Office of Immigration Statistics, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, data collected by the Canada child benefit (CCB) program and data from the T1 Family File (T1FF).^{Note 6} The first source is used to estimate emigration to the United States. CCB data are used to estimate emigration to other countries. The estimates of the number of child emigrants have to be adjusted because the CCB is not universal and does not provide direct information on the number of adult emigrants. As a result, four adjustment factors are taken into account:

• incomplete coverage due to a delay in the receipt and processing of the files of children eligible for the CCB. Since it seems to take four years after the reference period for CCB administrative files to become complete, the adjustment is made when the estimates are used before this date. The factor is derived from the two-year ratios of emigrant children based on two versions of the CCB files;
• the program’s partial coverage, that is, people who do not apply for the CCB or who are not eligible. This factor is obtained by comparing the estimated number of children in the population with the number of children in CCB files;
• the differential propensity to emigrate between children who are eligible for the CCB and children who are not. This factor is obtained by comparing the emigration rates of CCB-eligible children with the rates for all children (aged 0 to 17). This factor is calculated for each province and territory and is based on the last three available years of T1FF;^{Note 6}
• the differential propensity to emigrate between adults and children. This factor generates the emigration rate for the population aged 18 and over. It is obtained by (1) calculating the average ratio over three years of the adult and child emigration rates based on T1FF^{Note 6} data, (2) calculating the average ratio over three years of the adult and child emigration rates based on data from the Office of Immigration Statistics, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and (3) taking the average of the two rates. This factor is calculated for Canada only.

The adult emigration rate is applied to the adult population. Adult emigration is distributed by province and territory using data from the T1FF^{Note 6} file. We calculate a ratio of the number of emigrant adults to the number of emigrant children from the T1FF^{Note 6} file. We then apply this ratio to the number of emigrant children from the CCB by province, which yields the number of adult emigrants whose provincial distribution will differ from that of the children.

The number of adult emigrants combined with the number of child emigrants (once adjusted for the coverage and differential emigration factors) generate the number of emigrants for the entire population.

Emigration is disaggregated by province and territory based on the number of child emigrants adjusted for coverage and differential emigration.

Please note that the estimates for the most recent periods are expected to be very similar. In the absence of more up-to-date data sources, the emigration rate of the last available year is applied to the beginning of the year population estimate to be estimated.

Levels of estimates

For information on the differences between preliminary^{Note 2} and final estimates, see section E. Emigration, above.

F. Net temporary emigration

Some people leave Canada to live temporarily in another country while others who were temporarily outside of Canada return. The net result of those departures and returns is the component known as “net temporary emigration”. Estimates of the number of departures are derived from the Reverse Record Check (RRC), the most important census coverage study. The RRC provides an estimate of the number of people who left Canada temporarily during an intercensal period and are still out of the country at the end of the period. Estimates of the number of returns are based on two sources: the census and the Centre for Demography estimates of returning emigrants. The census provides the number of people who were outside Canada at the time of the previous census and returned during the intercensal period. That number includes all returning emigrants. Then the Centre for Demography’s estimate of the returning emigrants component is subtracted to produce the number of returning temporary emigrants. The estimated numbers of departures (RRC) and returns (census and Centre for Demography) yield an estimate of net temporary emigration.

The five-year net temporary emigration is calculated first at the national level. It is then disaggregated by province or group of provinces based on RRC estimates of temporary emigration. For the Atlantic provinces and the territories, the estimate for the group is disaggregated on the basis of each province / territory’s proportion of the group’s total population.

This estimate is for the whole intercensal period; it is disaggregated into estimates for each of the five years in the period and then into monthly estimates using a seasonal adjustment that is an average between zero seasonality and the seasonality of emigration.

Net temporary emigration can be estimated only for the intercensal period preceding the most recent census. For the postcensal period, the rate of the last available year (2015/2016) is applied to the beginning of the year population estimate to be estimated.

Levels of estimates

The difference between preliminary^{Note 2} and final estimates lies in the timeliness of the emigration estimate used to calculate the seasonal adjustment for the net temporary emigration. The same estimation method is used.

G. Returning emigrants

A returning emigrant is a person who returns to Canada after having been classified as an emigrant. In a manner similar to the procedure used to calculate the number of emigrants, data from the Canada child benefit (CCB) file from Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and T1FF^{Note 6} file are used to estimate the number of returning emigrants. Adjustment factors are applied to compensate for the fact that the CCB program is not universal, and an adult/child ratio is used to estimate the number of adult returning emigrants. As a result, four adjustment factors are used to take into account:

• incomplete coverage due to a delay in the receipt and processing of the files of children eligible for the CCB. Since it seems to take four years after the reference period for CCB administrative files to become complete, the adjustment is made when the estimates are used before this date. The factor is derived from the two-year ratios of returning emigrant children based on two versions of the CCB files;
• the program’s partial coverage, that is, people who do not apply for the CCB or who are not eligible. This factor is obtained by comparing the estimated number of children in the population with the number of children in CCB files;
• the differential propensity to emigrate between children who are eligible for the CCB and children who are not. This factor is obtained by comparing the emigration rates of CCB-eligible children with the rates for all children (aged 0 to 17). This factor is calculated for each province and territory and is based on the last three available years of T1FFs;^{Note 6}
• the adult / child ratio, which is based on the data from the 2016 Census.

Please note that the estimates for the most recent periods are expected to be identical or very similar. In the absence of more up-to-date data sources, the assumption is made that levels remain similar.

Levels of estimates

For information on the differences between preliminary^{Note 2} and final estimates, see section G. Returning emigrants, above.

H. Interprovincial migration

Interprovincial migration represents movements from one province or territory to another, involving a change in usual place of residence. As is the case for emigration, there is no provision for recording interprovincial migration in Canada. Consequently, such movements have to be estimated using data from the Canada child benefit (CCB) of Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and T1FF.^{Note 6}

Final estimates of interprovincial migration are obtained by comparing addresses indicated on personal income tax returns over two consecutive tax years. However, the migration status of tax filers’ dependants has to be imputed. An adjustment is also required to take into account migrants who do not file income tax returns. From 2001/2002 to 2005/2006, the adjustment was slightly modified (for further information, see Wilkinson, 2004). From 2006/2007, this adjustment has been slightly modified (Cyr, 2008 – Internal document).

Since income tax returns are not available at the time preliminary^{Note 2} estimates are produced, the estimation of preliminary^{Note 2} interprovincial migration is based on CCB administrative files, which provide counts of child migrants (aged 0 to 17) registered to the program. The estimates have to be adjusted later for children who are not registered to the CCB program. Finally, the number of adult migrants is calculated using the number of child migrants and factors derived from the T1FF.^{Note 6} As a result, three adjustment factors are used to take into account:

• the program’s partial coverage, that is, people who are not registered to the CCB program. This factor is obtained by comparing the estimated number of children in the population with the number of children in CCB files;
• the differential propensity to migrate between children who are registered to the CCB program and children who are not. This factor is obtained by comparing the out-migration rates of children registered to the CCB program with the rates for all children (aged 0 to 17). This factor is calculated for each province and territory and is based on the last available year of T1FF;^{Note 6}
• the differential propensity to migrate between adults and children. This factor generates the out-migration rate of the population aged 18 and over for each province / territory of origin and destination. It is obtained by calculating the ratio of the central migration rate for adults to the rate for children. It is estimated using data from the last three available years of T1FF.^{Note 6}

The adult migration rate is then applied to the estimated adult population. The number of adult migrants is then added to the number of child migrants to produce the number of interprovincial migrants for the entire population.

Since 2015, the method to estimate the interprovincial migration has been modified. This new method is applied from July 2011 onward. In order to reduce the differences between the preliminary annual series (which was derived from the sum of 12 monthly migration matrices) and the final annual series, CCB microdata have been used. Using microdata is allowing estimating migration for various periods (monthly, quarterly and annually). It also allows improving the comparability between preliminary and final estimates. Final annual estimates (T1FF)^{Note 6} are now distributed by quarter on the basis of preliminary^{Note 2} quarterly estimates derived from CCB microdata. It is important to note that, as a result of using CCB microdata, it is not possible to add the quarterly interprovincial in-migrants and out-migrants estimates to get the annual estimates. It is however possible to add the quarterly net interprovincial migration estimates to get the annual estimates.

Levels of estimates

For information on the differences between preliminary^{Note 2} and final estimates of total interprovincial migration, see section H. Interprovincial migration above.

Intercensal population estimates

Intercensal estimates – population estimates for reference dates between two censuses – are produced following each census. They reconcile previous postcensal estimates with the new census counts adjusted for the CNU.^{Note 1}

There are two main steps in the production of intercensal estimates:

• calculation of the error of closure;
• linear distribution of the error of closure.

The error of closure is defined as the difference between the postcensal population estimates on Census Day and the population enumerated in that census adjusted for CNU.^{Note 1}

The error of closure is spread uniformly over the intercensal period of days within each month.

Quality of demographic data

The estimates contain certain inaccuracies stemming from two types of errors:

• errors in the census data;
• imperfections in other data sources and the method used to estimate the components.

Census data

A. Coverage, response and imputation errors

The errors attributable to census data can be divided into two groups: response and processing errors, and coverage errors. The first group implies non-response error, misinterpretation by respondents, incorrect coding and non-response imputation. Errors in the second group primarily result from undercoverage and, to a lesser extent, overcoverage. It should be noted that both types of errors are intrinsic to any survey data.

The coverage errors occur when dwellings and/or individuals are missed, incorrectly included (except for the 2006, 2011 and 2016 censuses, where people incorrectly included were not considered in the Census Overcoverage Study) or counted more than once. Following each census, Statistics Canada undertakes coverage studies to measure these errors. The main studies are the Reverse Record Check Survey (RRC) and the Census Overcoverage Study (COS). Based on these studies, estimates of census undercoverage and overcoverage are produced. The Centre for Demography adjusts the population enumerated in the census by province and territory using these estimates.

When creating base populations, the Demographic Estimates Program (DEP) corrects the census populations only for coverage errors. This correction, which is based on the findings of coverage studies, is primarily subject to sampling errors, and to a lesser extent, processing errors. Statistical tests indicate that coverage adjustments improve the quality of census data. The DEP uses the estimates from coverage studies for the provinces and territories. However, given the size of the samples in these studies, estimates by age and sex are modelled. Furthermore, it is assumed that the coverage rates estimated for a province or territory apply to the regions within that geographic area. Prior to 1993,^{Note 7} the DEP used census data that was unadjusted for coverage errors. Coverage studies had been done to measure undercoverage, but none measured overcoverage. Following the decision to integrate a correction for the coverage to the enumerated population in 1991, the DEP had to revise the population estimates for the period from 1971 to 1992. The correction is based on the findings of the coverage studies conducted during this period and on hypotheses regarding the ratio between the overcoverage and undercoverage levels based on the findings of subsequent coverage studies.

The corrections to the census data due to CNU improved, in general, the quality of the estimates by compensating for the differential undercoverage by age, sex and by province/territory across censuses.

The adjustment also incorporates the results of a study on the estimates of the number of people living on incompletely enumerated reserves to complete the corrections for coverage errors in the census. The results of the coverage studies contain mainly sampling errors.

These adjustments have a direct impact on:

• the error of closure and its distribution by age and sex within a province or a territory as well as by province/territory as the CNU^{Note 1} and its distribution vary from one census to another;
• within-cohort consistency of population estimates. If for example, the male cohort of children in age group 0 to 4 in 1981 was tracked up to the 2001 Census (unadjusted for CNU)^{Note 1} the age group 20 to 24 would be noticeably smaller in 2001 than the age group 15 to 19 in 1996. Since Canada receives many immigrants within these age groups, the opposite would be expected. However, only after adjustment for CNU,^{Note 1} the cohort size increases from 1996 to 2001.

For further information regarding the main coverage studies, please see the following document on Statistics Canada’s web site: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016 Census Technical Report on Coverage.

Components

Errors due to estimation methodologies and data sources other than the census can also be significant.

A. Births and deaths

Since the law requires the recording of vital statistics, the final estimates for births and deaths data meet very high standards. Nevertheless, since preliminary^{Note 2} estimates are derived, they can be slightly different from final estimates.

B. Immigration and non-permanent residents

With respect to immigrants and non-permanent residents, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) administers special data files on both of these components. Since immigration is controlled by law, data on immigrants and NPRs are compiled upon arrival in Canada. These data represent only “legal” immigration and exclude illegal immigrants. Thus, for the “legal” part of international movement into Canada, the data are considered to be of high quality. However, some biases such as the difference between the stated province of intended residence at the time of arrival and the actual province of residence, may persist. Finally, since information provided by the Visitor Data System (VDS) from IRCC is not complete (age and sex of dependents, province of residence for certain groups of permit holders), estimates of NPRs are more prone to error than data on immigrants.

C. Emigration, returning emigration and net temporary emigration

Of all the demographic components that are used by the DEP, the emigration, returning emigration and net temporary emigration are the most difficult to estimate with precision. Canada does not have a complete border registration system. While immigration and non-permanent residents (NPRs) are well documented by the federal government, Statistics Canada has always used indirect techniques for the estimation of the number of persons leaving the country. For this reason, available statistics regarding these three components have historically been of a lower quality than other components.

Estimates of the number of emigrants and returning emigrants are both derived using Canada child benefit (CCB) data provided by Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Estimates must be adjusted to take into account the incomplete coverage of the program and to derive the emigration and returning emigration of adults.

These adjustments and the delay in obtaining the data are the two main sources of errors. As current information on the number of persons living temporarily abroad does not exist, estimates are based on the Reverse Record Check (RRC) and the census. Estimates for the intercensal period are distributed equally among the five years. Moreover, assumptions were made to allow for the distribution of national estimates by province and territory and of annual estimates to a quarterly level. Assumptions must also be made to establish the variation for the postcensal period. Any geographical or quarterly variation may introduce error in the estimation of these components.

D. Interprovincial migration

Since July 1993, preliminary^{Note 2} interprovincial migration estimates have been based on Canada child benefit (CCB) files. As this program covers only children, various adjustments must be done in order to derive the migration of adults. Consequently, preliminary^{Note 2} CCB based estimates are subject to larger error than final estimates derived from Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) tax files.

Quality assessment

In order to assess the quality of our estimates, two evaluation measures are used: precocity errors and errors of closure.

A. Precocity error

The quality of preliminary estimates of components is evaluated using precocity errors. Precocity error is defined as the difference between preliminary and final estimates of a particular component in terms of its relative proportion of the total population for the relevant geographical area. The precocity error can be calculated for both population and component estimates. The precocity error measures the impact of the trade-off of accuracy in favour of timeliness on the estimated population. The annual precocity error of a component is calculated as:

where:

Precocity error allows for useful comparisons between components, as well as between provinces and territories having different population size. Precocity error can either be positive or negative. A positive precocity error denotes that the preliminary estimate is larger than the final estimate while a negative precocity error indicates the opposite. As precocity errors measure differences between preliminary and final estimates, small precocity errors refer to those that are close to zero per thousand.

Precocity error by component for Canada

At the national level, the immigration component yielded the smallest precocity errors in absolute values, with error values close to zero per thousand throughout the years under consideration. On the other hand, interprovincial in-migrants and out-migrants^{Note 8} yielded the largest precocity errors in absolute values, ranging between 0.17 per thousand and 0.98 per thousand during the period 2017/2018 to 2020/2021 (see Table 3).

Precocity errors for births were positive for the entire period under consideration, ranging from 0.10 per thousand in 2019/2020 to 0.28 per thousand in 2016/2017. Precocity errors for deaths were positive for three of the past four years under consideration. Only the year 2017/2018 had a negative precocity error at -0.10 per thousand, the other years ranging from 0.09 per thousand (2019/2020) to 0.13 per thousand (2018/2019).

Precocity errors for emigration and returning emigration were mostly positive. During the years under consideration, precocity error in absolute values for emigration was lowest in 2019/2020 (0.11 per thousand) and largest in 2017/2018 (0.52 per thousand). For returning emigration, the absolute value of the error ranged from 0.02 per thousand in 2016/2017 to 0.10 per thousand in 2019/2020. In 2016/2017, the precocity error for net temporary emigration was -0.24 per thousand and it was -0.17 per thousand in 2019/2020. In 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 it was close to zero per thousand.

Over the period 2016/2017 to 2019/2020, precocity error of the net non-permanent residents ranged from close to zero per thousand in 2019/2020 to 0.09 per thousand in 2017/2018.

Precocity error by component for provinces and territories

In general, precocity error is typically more prone to higher volatility for smaller provinces or territories as it is an error measurement relative to the population size. At the provincial and territorial level, precocity errors in absolute values for births ranged from close to zero per thousand (Quebec from 2016/2017 to 2018/2019)^{Note 9} to 1.91 per thousand (in Yukon for 2019/2020).

Overall, precocity errors for deaths were slightly more often positive than negative. For the years under consideration, the largest precocity error in absolute value for deaths was 1.23 per thousand (Prince Edward Island in 2017/2018).

Compared to the other demographic components, precocity errors for immigration were low among the provinces and territories. The largest absolute error value was 0.02 per thousand in Prince Edward Island and in British Columbia in 2019/2020. Otherwise, the precocity error values for all provinces and all territories for the years from 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 was close to zero per thousand. For 2020/2021, the precocity errors for most provinces and territories were also about zero per thousand, with the exception of Prince Edward Island (0.01 per thousand) and Saskatchewan (-0.1 per thousand).

Precocity errors in absolute values for the net change in the number of non-permanent residents were less than or equal to 1.28 per thousand across the provinces and territories, during the years 2016/2017 to 2019/2020.

Precocity errors in absolute values for emigration ranged from close to zero per thousand (in Nunavut for 2016/2017) to 1.53 per thousand (in Yukon for 2016/2017). The absolute values of precocity errors for returning emigration ranged from close to zero per thousand for some years in Manitoba and Nunavut to 0.42 per thousand for the Northwest Territories in 2017/2018. Precocity errors for net temporary emigration were negative during the year 2016/2017 (with the exception of Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia) and the year 2019/2020. The precocity errors were close to zero per thousand for all provinces and all territories in 2017/2018, except for Nunavut (-0.03 per thousand) and for the year 2018/2019, except for Newfoundland and Labrador (-0.01 per thousand), Prince Edward Island (-0.01 per thousand), Yukon (-0.02 per thousand), and the Northwest Territories (0.02 per thousand).

Most of the time, precocity errors for interprovincial in-migrants and out-migrants were positive during the years under consideration, meaning that final estimates were mostly lower than preliminary estimates. Precocity errors for these two components were comparatively larger at the territorial level than for the provinces mainly due to the smaller population size of the territories.

At the provincial level, the largest absolute precocity error value for net interprovincial migration was 10.24 per thousand (Prince Edward Island in 2019/2020), while the smallest was 0.09 per thousand (Ontario in 2020/2021). At the territorial level, precocity errors for net interprovincial migration were comparatively higher, the smallest absolute precocity error was 0.71 per thousand for Yukon in 2017/2018 and the largest was 14.02 per thousand also in Yukon but for the year 2018/2019.

Contribution of components to the sum of precocity errors

When looking at aggregated estimates of precocity errors, there is the potential for a “netting-out” effect, referring to negative precocity errors in one component canceling out positive errors in another component. The analysis of the contribution of each component to the sum of precocity errors without the netting-out effect can be done by using absolute values of the precocity errors. A mean absolute percentage precocity error by component is calculated by dividing the mean absolute precocity error by component by its sum and expressed in percentage. In this case, the mean absolute precocity error by component is the mean of the absolute precocity errors for the 2015/2016 to 2019/2020 period, the latest 5-year period that annual precocity errors by all components are available.

At the national level, the mean absolute precocity error for the total emigration^{Note 10} component contributed the most to the sum of mean absolute precocity errors (50.92%), followed by the errors related to births (25.79%) and deaths (14.37%) between 2015/2016 and 2019/2020. Immigration (1.64%) and net non-permanent residents (7.28%) accounted the least to the sum of mean absolute precocity errors (refer to Table 4).

At the provincial and territorial level, the contribution of the individual components to the sum of mean absolute precocity errors was not uniform across the country. Net interprovincial migration accounted for the largest share of the sum of mean absolute precocity errors in ten out of the thirteen provinces and territories, ranging for those ten provinces between 37.59% in British Columbia to 80.59% in Yukon. In Quebec (42.00%), Ontario (29.16%) and Saskatchewan (24.15%), it is total emigration that explains the largest share of the mean absolute precocity errors (refer to Table 4).

On the other hand, immigration accounted for the smallest share of the sum of mean absolute precocity errors in almost all provinces and territories, ranging from close to zero per thousand in Nunavut to 1.92% in Saskatchewan. The province of Quebec was the sole exception, where births (0.69%) were the smallest share, followed by immigration (0.77%).

B. Error of closure

The error of closure measures the accuracy of the final postcensal estimates. It is defined as the difference between the final postcensal population estimates on Census Day and the enumerated population of the most recent census adjusted for census net undercoverage (CNU^{Note 1}). A positive error of closure means that the postcensal population estimates have overestimated the population.

The error of closure comes from three sources: errors primarily due to sampling when measuring the starting (2011) and end of period (2016) censuses coverage and errors related to the components of population growth over the intercensal period. For each five-year intercensal period, the error of closure can only be calculated following the release of census data and estimates of CNU.^{Note 1} The error of closure can be calculated for the total population of each province and territory as well as by age and sex. For the moment, the error is only available for total population by province and territory.

Text table 5 shows postcensal population estimates on May 10, 2016 and census counts adjusted for CNU^{Note 1} and the errors of closure for Canada, provinces and territories from 2001 to 2016.

For Canada as a whole, the error of closure was estimated at 110,310 or 0.31% in 2016. This is a decrease over the error for 2011 (0.42%).

The population estimates overestimated the population of eight provinces, one territory and Canada as a whole. Five provinces posted errors of closure greater than 1% or less than -1%. Of these jurisdictions, only British Columbia’s estimated population differed from the adjusted census population by more than 2% (-2.07%). In 2011, four provinces and two territories posted errors of closure greater than 1% or less than -1%.

By considering the variance in CNU, it is possible to identify errors of closure that are statistically significant. Text table 5 shows the results of this analysis.

The error of closure is statistically significant for Canada and seven provinces. This means that the population estimates significantly overestimated or underestimated the adjusted census population in these jurisdictions. As noted above, these results are due to both the sampling for census coverage studies and errors in the components of population growth over the intercensal period. Among these components, interprovincial migration and emigration are mostly associated with large errors of closure.

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