Small Area Retail Data

Question

Is there a source of older small-area retail trade figures, comparable to SARTRE, at the sub-provincial level?

Answer

“The only retail trade data at sub-provincial level we have are for Census Metropolitan Areas (CMA) of Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver only. These CMA’s unadjusted data can be found in CANSIM table 80-0020.

SARTRE data are no longer available as the system is no longer supported.”

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.”

LFS through the DLI - Economic Regions

Question
I note the geography for the LFS through DLI[Nesstar] is limited to province and the 3 largest CMAs, however CANSIM includes a table [282-0124] with geography for the ERs.

I thought this would have been addressed before so I did look at the DLI archive and training repository, but find nothing addressing the fact that the LFS in Nesstar does not includes a breakdown by ER.

Answer
That is correct, in the Public Use Microdata File (PUMF) (the file on nesstar), the geographic variables are limited to the province and the 3 largest CMAs. Included in the PUMF you also have a wealth of other variables to choose from. Microdata enables a user more control over the variables offered for analysis. Whereas, the tables in CANSIM have limited variables for which a user can manipulate.

The variables in an aggregate data file (table on CANSIM) do not lend themselves to generating cross-tabulations of individuals since the initial unit of observation has been replaced by time (eg: time series data), geography (eg: census / geography) or a social construct (eg: cause of death – HID).

Modifications are performed to a PUMFs to anonymise the file, including combining variables, limiting categories, removing variables (example with Geography), etc, that will reduce the risk of users identifying a respondent.

More information can be found in section 4. Data in the DLI Survival Guide.

Federal electoral districts by 2013 CMA

Question

A researcher is looking for a list of the 338 federal electoral ridings Revised (2013) grouped by census metropolitan area (CMA).

Answer

Here is a note that explains how the FEDs were formed for the Census and the NHS (this is valid for both the 2011 Census and the 2011 NHS):

The Constitution of Canada requires that the number of seats in the House of Commons be recalculated and the boundaries of federal electoral districts (FEDs) be reviewed after each 10-year census to reflect changes and movements in Canada's population. This process is known as the redistribution of federal electoral districts. A 2013 Representation Order was proclaimed with 338 federal electoral districts, and reported in the Canada Gazette on October 5, 2013.

Many of the 338 federal electoral districts (2013 Representation Order) do not fully align with the 2011 Census geographic structure. To tabulate the data from the 2011 National Household Survey, the 2011 dissemination block structure was used. In some cases, dissemination blocks were split between FEDs and had to be assigned to a single FED for the purpose of tabulating the data. For this reason, and also due to random rounding and weighting, the 2011 National Household Survey data for these FEDs may not match the population counts reported in the Canada Gazette. In addition, the 2011 National Household Survey is based on the population in private households rather than the total population.

Collective dwelling x CMA

Question

Does anyone know if there is an equivalent product for 2006 down to CMA?

2001 Census: analysis series
Collective dwellings
http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/Products/Analytic/companion/coll/pdf/96F0030XIE2001004.pdf

I am only finding down to province for 2006: http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/famil62a-eng.htm

Specifically, our researcher needs shelter population for 2006 down to cma level.


Answer

The only 2006 topic based tabulation with information on population in collective dwellings is this one which unfortunately only goes down to the province level:

Selected Collective Dwelling and Population Characteristics (25) and Type of Collective Dwelling (17) for the Population in Collective Dwellings of Canada, Provinces and Territories, 2006 Census - 100% Data

A census metropolitan area (CMA) level custom tabulation could be ordered (for a fee). Please don't hesitate to contact me if this is of interest.

There does not appear to be a comparable 2006 analysis document but collective dwellings are discussed in the Census in the Housing and Dwelling Characteristics Reference Guide, 2006 Census (http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/ref/rp-guides/housing-logement-eng.cfm#collect) and in the 2006 Census Dictionary (http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/ref/dict/dwelling-logements002-eng.cfm).

Please don't hesitate to get back to me if you have any questions.