Thursday, December 29, 2016

Revised Bootstrap weights files for the CTADS 2015 PUMF

Please note that Statistics Canada is currently working on revised Bootstrap weights files for the CTADS 2015 PUMF.

The new files should be ready near the end of January 2017.

Friday, December 23, 2016

Survey Methodology (Statistics Canada's scientific journal)

Survey Methodology

Statistics Canada recently released Volume 42, Number 2 (December 2016) of its scientific journal Survey Methodology on its website. This highly recognized, peer reviewed journal allows researchers, statisticians, mathematicians and methodologists from around the world to share research in the field of survey techniques and their practical applications.

The December 2016 online issue of Survey Methodology is now available. This issue contains six papers, two short notes and one corrigendum.

Regular papers
Tests for evaluating nonresponse bias in surveys
(Sharon L. Lohr, Minsun K. Riddles and David Morganstein)





A cautionary note on Clark Winsorization
(Mary H. Mulry, Broderick E. Oliver, Stephen J. Kaputa and Katherine J. Thompson)
Short notes


A note on the concept of invariance in two-phase sampling designs
(Jean-François Beaumont and David Haziza)

Corrigendum

Note to readers


Published since 1975, Survey Methodology has been a dependable reference point entirely dedicated to the latest advances in the field of survey techniques and methodology used around the world. To increase access to this scientific research and for environmental reasons, Statistics Canada publishes the journal free of charge on its website.

Historical papers from Survey Methodology are now available online. Electronic copies of any paper published since December 1981 (Volume 7-2) can be obtained here. Papers from Volume 1 to Volume 7-1 can also be obtained by contacting us at STATCAN.infostats-infostats.STATCAN@canada.ca.

How to submit an article for publication

Authors are invited to submit their articles to the journal’s Editor by email. Articles must be submitted in English or French, preferably in Word with MathType for the mathematical expressions. For instruction on formatting, please consult the guidelines for manuscripts.

All papers are refereed. However, authors retain full responsibility for the contents of their papers, and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the journal's Editorial Board or of Statistics Canada.

Beware of hackers and fake websites. The journal Survey Methodology will never ask for a publication fee, nor any financial information from authors. Pirate website fraudulently representing the journal have recently been identified. Be careful. Do not hesitate to contact the editor in chief directly statcan.smj-rte.statcan@canada.ca.

Subscribing is easy and free

Would you like to receive an automatic alert by email when new issues of Survey Methodology are available on Statistics Canada’s website? Go to www.statcan.gc.ca/eng/mystatcan.

Login or Register.
Once inside the My StatCan portal, select ‘Email notifications.’
Under the ‘Publications’ tab, choose the subject ‘Statistical Methods,’ then add the item ‘Survey Methodology (12-001-X)’.

For more information, visit www.statcan.gc.ca/surveymethodology or contact us.

Don’t hesitate to share this email with anyone who might be interested in Survey Methodology.

Note: You are receiving this email because you have previously shown interest in Statistics Canada data, reports, analysis or conferences.

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Today's Release - HES 2015

Households and the Environment Survey (HES)

HES data for 2015 are now available on the EFT site.

The Households and the Environment Survey (HES) measures the environmental practices and behaviours of Canadian households that relate to the condition of our air, water and soils. The survey was also designed to collect data to develop and improve three key environmental indicators: air quality, water quality and greenhouse gas emissions.

Eft: /MAD_PUMF_FMDG_DAM/Root/3881_HES_EME/2015/

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

CSDs by MIZ classification codes

Question
Is anyone able to point me to how to find the MIZ classification code for all CSDs (those outside CMAs and CAs) in Canada (2011)? 


Before I re-install Geosuite, is this product able to attach the MIZ category codes? Or, does this require a custom tabulation request?

Answer
I just checked GeoSuite 2001, which I downloaded to answer a question, and it includes a SACType field (http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/english/census01/Products/Reference/dict/geo045.htm). 

 So, I'm assuming that the more recent GeoSuites also include this data.

2016 Census Public Use Microdata Files (PUMFS) and Research Data Centre File Release Dates

To those inquiring about the release schedule for 2016 Census Public Use Microdata Files (PUMFS) and Research Data Centre File, the release dates are as follows:

1. 2016 Census Long Form Census RDC File April 30, 2018
2. 2016 Census Individuals PUMF December 18, 2018
3. 2016 Census Hierarchical PUMF June 18, 2019

PCCF and PCCF+ Analysis

Question
Does anyone know if the PCCF and PCCF+ files can be analyzed using R?

Answer
PCCF is an ASCII text file and can be read by any statistical program environment, including R.

PCCF+ consists of many files processed by a SAS program that would require a major re-write to use in R, although the output from the SAS program includes ASCII text files that could be used directly in R.

Friday, December 16, 2016

2016 Census microdata

Question
Given the current schedule, what is the best estimate of when one would either be able to order a custom tab from the 2016 Census of Individuals, or get access to the master file via the RDC?

Answer
Here is the link to the 2016 Census Project release schedule: http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/ref/release-dates-diffusion-eng.cfm

Subject matter has confirmed that custom tabulations will be available after these release dates. The first data release is scheduled for February 8, 2017, and will be population and dwelling counts.

In regards to your question on accessing the masterfile via the RDC, various factor such as the size of data files, urgency of the data, documentation and vetting rules availability affect the turnaround time for Masterfiles. The average time could be between 2 days to 2 weeks for a survey that has all factors mentioned.

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

DLI Training Repository: DLI webinar on the SPSD/M!

The session materials from the DLI webinar on the SPSD/M is now available on the DLI Training Repository:

https://cudo.carleton.ca/dli-training/4078

For more information on the SPSD/M, please see http://www.statcan.gc.ca/eng/microsimulation/spsdm/spsdm

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Enumeration area maps for historical censuses

Question
what are the odds of finding enumeration area (EA) maps for the 1961 and 1971 censuses?

Specifically, I'm looking to determine which rural fringe EAs correspond to the areas later amalgamated into Timmins but which were not considered part of the CA/major urban centre in each of those census years.

Answer
It would be great to inventory paper and digital maps, it is on our radar for next year as part of the older census boundaries project. Some good news though, you may soon be able to get 1971 Census EAs in digital boundary form. Statistics Canada will be releasing this in the New Year as part of a data restoration project Giuseppe Filoso is working on (cc’d on this message).

For now, you can see some maps available through the Internet Archive, and population centre points for EAs in the GeoPortal, but I’m not sure if they cover the rural areas around Timmins.

1961 Census Reference Maps (Major urban areas) https://archive.org/stream/1961925381962engfra#page/n83/mode/2up

1971 Census Geographic Attribute File (EAs population centre points) http://geo.scholarsportal.info/#r/details/_uri@=809361798

The Statistical Registers and Geography Division has confirmed that they are working on a project to convert and update historical data holdings. It’s a work in progress and is currently prioritized by requests.

Thursday, December 8, 2016

CIS (Canadian Income Survey) Available as a PUMF?

Question

A grad student here seeking to obtain a PUMF for the CIS (Canadian Income Survey). It appears the CIS is done alongside the LFS and has occurred annually since 2012.

I’ve check NESSTAR and the DLI-EFT and didn’t come across CIS. It does appears that there are data tables from CIS included in CANSIM but I just wanted to check to see if I’ve missed any available PUMF for it.

Answer

“The release estimate at this point is either JAN or FEB 2017” for the CIS PUMF."

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Percentage of urban areas in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver CMAs

Question
I have been asked if I could provide the percentage of urban areas (in square km) for the Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto CMAs. My understanding is that this would translate, in terms of the 2011 Census geography, in the area covered by Population Centres within those CMAs.

I’m not sure if those numbers are readily available, but I thought I could calculate them using GeoSuite 2011 by:
  • Generating a list of POPCTR areas for each CMA, making sure to exclude any rural area (POPCTRRAclass = 1)
  • Adding up the values of the POPCTRRAarea field for all population centres
  • Dividing that result by the area of the CMA
Can someone confirm that is an accurate method for calculating the % of the area covered by urban/population centres within a CMA?

Answer
GEO has provided the following response:

“We talked with subject matter on this. The methodology presented by the client is reasonable. The two things to remember are:
  • PopCentres do not overlap CMA boundaries
  • There may be multiple PopCentres of different types (Primary, Secondary, Fringe) within a CMA
So, removing the Rural Area PopCentres and calculating land areas with the remaining seems to be a valid methodology.”

Intellectual Disability Data Request

Question
The researcher is looking for data sets that link intellectual disabilities (not just mental health) and substance use treatment?

Answer
The Canadian Community Health Survey has a Healthy Aging component (C2008-2009). Specifically it has the variable CR1_01A, which asks “During the past 12 months, did you receive short-term or long-term professional assistance at home ...?”. The questionnaire further clarifies that professional assistance, means help from paid workers or volunteer organizations, which include assistance received because of physical, mental or cognitive health problems or limitations or because of aging. Furthermore it does deal with alcohol and drug abuse, specifically variables CIH_2, CIH_3, CIH_8L, which asks respondents about ways to improve their health, with options such as receiving medical treatment.

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Social Policy Simulation Database and Model (SPSD/M) V22.3 is now available

The DLI is pleased to announce that version 22.3 of the Social Policy Simulation Database and Model (SPSD/M) is now available. For an overview of the SPSD/M Database and Model product, see here.

This is a model update – the database remains unchanged and remains based on the 2010 survey data from the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics (SLID). As part of your license agreement for version 22.0, you are entitled to this model update. Depending on how you received version 22.0 of the SPSD/M, you will either be sent a CD-ROM or an email indicating how to download the file through the Electronic File Transfer facility.

This update includes the following:

• New parameters for the Working Income Tax Benefit (WITB) have been included. As these parameters have provincial dimensions, the parameters for Quebec, Alberta, and British Columbia are no longer necessary.
• The Quebec Health Contribution is eliminated as of January 1, 2017.
• The Canada Child Benefit is indexed as of July 1, 2020.
• The calculation of the amount of the Canada Child Benefit when the calendar year flag is on (FCBENCAL) has been corrected.
• A new parameter has been included for the non-refundable tax credit rate for tuition fees in the calculation of provincial taxes.

Please inform the DLI team if there are any issues.

Friday, December 2, 2016

New files on Statistics Canada Nesstar

We are pleased to inform you that the following are now available on the Statistics Canada Nesstar WebView site (http://dli-idd-nesstar.statcan.gc.ca/webview).

PUMFs
Labour Force Survey (LFS), 2016 – October
Labour Force Survey (LFS), 2016 – November
Employment Insurance Coverage Survey (EICS), 2014

And more to come!

To access the microdata housed in the Research Data Centres (RDCs), researchers must submit a project proposal to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and Statistics Canada.
Please contact me if you have any questions or comments.

Today's Release - LFS - November 2016

Labour Force Survey (LFS) – November 2016

LFS data for November 2016 are now available on the EFT site.

This public use microdata file contains non-aggregated data for a wide variety of variables collected from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The LFS collects monthly information on the labour market activities of Canada's working age population. This product is for users who prefer to do their own analysis by focusing on specific subgroups in the population or by cross-classifying variables that are not in our catalogued products
The Labour Force Survey estimates are based on a sample, and are therefore subject to sampling variability. Estimates for smaller geographic areas, industries, occupations or cross tabulations will have more variability. For an explanation of sampling variability of estimates, and how to use standard errors to assess this variability, consult the Data Quality section in the Guide to the Labour Force Survey.

Eft: /MAD_PUMF_FMDG_DAM/Root/3107_LFS_EPA/1976-2016/data/micro2016-11.zip

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We are pleased to inform you that the following are now available on the Statistics Canada Nesstar WebView site (http://dli-idd-nesstar.statcan.gc.ca/webview).

PUMFs
Labour Force Survey (LFS), 2016 – November

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