Canadian Survey on Disability, 2017: Concepts and Methods Guide
9. Data dissemination

Warning View the most recent version.

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

9.1 Data products and services

Data for the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability (CSD) were released publicly on November 28, 2018. Included in the release on that day were: an analytical article to provide a portrait of adults with disabilities in Canada, an infographic of key survey findings and a set of data tables on the prevalence of disability among adults in Canada, by age and sex, for each of the provinces and territories. Tables also included data on the types and severity of disabilities. A short video using sign language and captions to explain some of the survey results was also posted. These items are available to the public free of charge on Statistics Canada’s website. Later releases for the 2017 CSD may include additional data tables and analytical products. The November 28, 2018 release was announced on Statistics Canada’s official news site, The Daily, as well as on Facebook and Twitter. 

Starting in 2019, researchers across the country will be able to conduct in-depth analyses using the CSD analytical data files housed at Statistics Canada’s Research Data Centres (RDCs). RDCs are located at over 30 Canadian universities and at the Federal Research Data Centre in Ottawa. In order to access the files, researchers must undergo a research and ethics committee review for approval. Their use of the data must be conducted according to Statistics Canada policies, guidelines and standards. For instance, only aggregate statistical estimates that conform to the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act will be released outside of Statistics Canada. For more information, please consult the The Research Data Centres (RDC) Program.

Data for the 2017 CSD will also be made available through a subscription service called the Real Time Remote Access (RTRA) system, provided for a fee to clients associated with an academic institution, a government department or a non-profit organization. This online service allows users to run SAS software programs, in real time, against microdata sets located in a central and secure location. Researchers using the RTRA system do not gain direct access to the micro-data and cannot view the content of the micro-data file.Note Instead, users submit SAS programs to extract results in the form of aggregated frequency tables at the national, provincial or territorial level only (no sub-provincial tables for CSD dataNote ). 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 standards are applied to all requests in an automated way by the RTRA system allowing for rapid access to results. An RTRA agent can be reached by RTRA email or please visit the The Real Time Remote Access (RTRA) system for more information on how to obtain a user account.

In addition to these data products and services, clients can request custom data tables from Statistics Canada on a fee-for-service basis. All such requests are screened for confidentiality and the aggregate data are rounded before being released to clients. Statistics Canada also delivers special CSD presentations and webinars to key stakeholders and at various conferences. For more information, please contact Statistics Canada Client Services or call 1-800-263-1136.

9.2 Reference products

Information about the 2017 CSD is available on Statistics Canada’s website. Statistics Canada provides an Integrated Metadata Base (IMDB) on-line for all surveys that it conducts, including the 2017 CSD. The purpose of the IMDB is to provide information that will assist the public in interpreting Statistics Canada's published data. The information (also known as metadata) is provided to ensure an understanding of the basic concepts that define the data, including variables and classifications, the underlying statistical methods and surveys, and key aspects of the data quality. Direct access to the CSD questionnaire is also provided.

In addition to the IMDB, the present Concepts and Methods Guide is provided online for a detailed discussion of survey content, sampling design, data collection and processing, weighting of the data, data quality, differences between the 2017 CSD and the 2012 CSD, and dissemination products for the CSD.

For researchers using the analytical files in Statistics Canada’s RDCs, an RDC User Guide is available with detailed step-by-step instructions for accessing and using the data files. The RDC User Guide describes the structure of the data files in detail, including all core variables, derived variables and linkages to the census. Detailed data dictionaries provide information for all variables available. The RDC User Guide also provides detailed guidelines for tabulation and statistical analysis, how to apply the necessary weights to the data, information on software packages available and guidelines for the release of data, such as rounding rules. The process of estimating the reliability of estimates, both quantitative and qualitative, is covered in detail. 

For CSD clients who are not RDC researchers, the detailed CSD Data Dictionaries of variables are also available in a special reference-only format (called the “zero-frequency versions”). These products are designed for use by the general public and include all variable definitions and other content information, but exclude any data frequencies. These reference documents can assist CSD clients to prepare their data specifications for any custom requests for tabulations to be prepared by Statistics Canada employees. For details on how to obtain the zero-frequency CSD Data Dictionaries, please contact Statistics Canada Client Services or call 1-800-263-1136.

9.3 Disclosure control

Statistics Canada is prohibited by law from releasing any data that would divulge information obtained under the Statistics Act that relates to any identifiable person, business or organization without the prior knowledge or the consent in writing of that person, business or organization. Various confidentiality rules are applied to all data that are released or published to prevent the publication or disclosure of any information deemed confidential. If necessary, data are suppressed to prevent direct or residual disclosure of identifiable data.


Report a problem on this page

Is something not working? Is there information outdated? Can't find what you're looking for?

Please contact us and let us know how we can help you.

Privacy notice

Date modified: