March 16, 2021

Question
I have a researcher trying to find total new births, birth rate, total new deaths and death rate by year at the CSD level.  I've found some data at the Health Unit level, but thought I would ask if anyone has come across anything at CSD level or smaller geography before.

Answer

Some datasets that may be of interest - the data frequency for the first two is monthly and the rest are annual:

 

Birth registrations in Ontario (by location)

https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/6a2ee0c2-b3f1-4af2-9c86-735377a961af

(municipalities / CSDs)

 

Death registrations in Ontario (by location)

https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/f2d9985b-7195-4a12-8f6c-4efc9adca8d1

(municipalities / CSDs)

 

Population estimates, July 1, by census subdivision, 2016 boundaries

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1710014201

 

Population estimates on July 1st, by age and sex

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1710000501

(Provinces)

 

Fertility: Overview, 2012 to 2016

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/91-209-x/2018001/article/54956-eng.htm

National Registration File of 1940

March 5, 2021

Question

I have received a request from a user who need to have access to the National Registration File of 1940:

The National Registration File of 1940 resulted from the compulsory registration of all persons, 16 years of age or older, in the period from 1940 to 1946. This information was originally obtained under the authority of The National Resources Mobilization Act and the War Measures Act. Custody of the records was subsequently given to Statistics Canada, then known as the Dominion Bureau of Statistics.

Answer

If the client wants to access information contained in this file, they can contact statcan.censuspensionsearch-recherchesurpensionrec.statcan@canada.ca

 

There are however limitations to what can be accessed. More information can be found here: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/93C0006

Master File Documentation Request

Question:

So - it was kindly pointed out to me this morning that 1911 and 1921 files (data and documentation) have been made available here: https://ccri.library.ualberta.ca/enindex.html (and that 1911 is also in ODESI).

So I guess this leaves me with 2 questions:

1. Are we definitely sure the files on the CCRI website are the same as the RDC files? I suspect they must be, and have just been publicly released because they are past the 92 year rule. But if anyone can confirm that would be much appreciated!
2. For 1931, 1941 & 1951, my previous questions still apply about how to get some general information about the datasets.

Answer:

Hi,

Please note this additional information:

The researcher does not need to have RDC access to access some CCRI files. Some information regarding the historical microdata Census files are available via the hyperlinks below. The 1911 to 1951 historical microdata Census files were compiled electronically by the Canadian Century Research Infrastructure (CCRI). While these data files are made accessible through Statistics Canada, the Agency (i.e.: the Research Data Centre analyst or Census subject matter division) will not be providing support for the use of these historical files. Researchers accessing these data do so with the understanding that Statistics Canada support is not available for files provided by CCRI.

Note that the following hyperlink includes a direct link to the publically released 1911 and 1921 microdata files and therefore the researcher can download the files and review the related codebook content.

https://ccri.library.ualberta.ca/en1911census/contextual/index.html    (1911 to 1921 microdata files)

https://ccri.library.ualberta.ca/enresources/schedules/index.html   (Questionnaires and content)

 

Race and the Census

Question:
Hello, I have a researcher who wants clarification as to why 'race' is not used as a variable in the Census. Also, an explanation of how the 'ethnicity' variable was developed for the Census would be helpful.

Answer:

The Census Dictionary for every modern census year explains and expands on any terms and variables contained in that census.

Ethnic origin/race/ancestry/heritage/ etc are all complex terms to define and select, and is a historically evolving concept in addition to being differently measured in other census-holding countries, so there's usually links to further information from the Census Dictionary as well.

Here's the expanded info for Ethnic Origin for the 2016 Census: https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/ref/guides/008/98-500-x2016008-eng.cfm

---

Our subject matter specialist has provided the following information :

“We do not have a 'race' variable as such on the census, but we do have the visible minority variable, which is documented in the Visible Minority and Population Group Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2016, available through the following link:

http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/ref/guides/006/98-500-x2016006-eng.cfm.”

Historical Census Data Project

As some of you may be aware, OCUL’s Historical Census Working Group (part of the OCUL Data Community) is working on scoping a comprehensive bilingual inventory of Canadian census data. Our dream is to eventually build a bilingual and openly available discovery platform for census data & statistical tables (print & digital) going back to the earliest Canadian censuses. 

This is a big goal, and it certainly isn’t exclusively an “OCUL” one. Yes, this project started because a small group of data librarians in Ontario got together and started talking, but we need participation from across the country if we are going to realize our goal and have it meet everyone’s needs. 

I’m writing right now to update you on some of the work we’ve been doing, to request your feedback, and to encourage you to consider getting involved. This project is very flexible, and we can evolve the way we are organized and our working methods to accommodate everyone with an interest in all things census.

So...where are we at? We’ve been hard at work considering all of the relevant census collections in detail, reviewing existing work on the topic (such as existing inventories and platforms that contain some census material), and determining the inventory’s scope (see our scope statement here). 

We have also been prototyping the actual inventory, determining what metadata fields are needed to adequately describe the various data products. We invite you to review the following documents:

Inventory design (in English and French), showing how we propose to organize the inventory to accommodate the relevant census data products and documentation

Prototype inventory spreadsheet (attached for the census year 1921), showing the metadata fields we have selected. The cover sheet provides a summary of the inventory progress. 

Metadata crosswalk (attached), showing how the selected fields correspond to several relevant metadata standards. We intend to harvest existing metadata, which was the main driver for creating this crosswalk. 

Please let us know what you think! You can add comments directly in the documents, or don’t hesitate to send me an email with your feedback.

Next steps: we hope to finalize the inventory design in the next few weeks, and begin inventorying in earnest. There are over 100 censuses on our list to inventory, so this is a very big job! If you are able to contribute in any way (your time, student employee time, etc.) please get in touch. 

Thanks, and we look forward to hearing from you!

Census Data at Dissemination Block Level

Question:
I have a researcher really wanting to get ahold of Census data (2011 & 2016) for NS at the Dissemination Block level. Do we have access to this level of geography (if so – any guidance for grabbing it would be amazing) or should I refer to the local RDC?

Answer:
Subject matter had the following to relay:

“Data for dissemination blocks is not available as part as standard products, besides for population and dwelling counts through our GeoSuite tool.

Other data is available through custom tabulations (additional  suppression is applied). The RDC file only goes down to the Dissemination Area (DA) level.”

Time Series for Labour Force Characteristics

Question:
A researcher would like to know why Table 14-10-0095-01 (Labour force characteristics by census metropolitan area, three-month moving average, unadjusted for seasonality) only go back as far as 2001; he'd like to go back as var as the mid-80s, if possible.

Answer:
We've received the following reply from subject matter:

"Comparable seasonally adjusted data by Census Metropolitan Areas is only available since 2001. We can produce unadjusted data back to March 1987. Please specify which characteristics you are requesting."

Deprivation Data at DA and CT Level

Question:
I am helping a professor develop a health geography assignment using Canada-wide marginalization data that allows students to explore the modifiable aerials units problem (MAUP) by comparing different geographies of the same dataset (eg. using the CT and DA level of the Canadian Marginalization index). This data exists for the 2006 Canadian Marginalization index (CAN-MARG) at the DA and CT level however, the product seems to have only been continued in 2011 and 2016 for Ontario.  As the years pass, it’s harder to rationalize using the 2006 data in order to get a national picture.

I recently discovered the “Canadian Index of Multiple Deprivation (CIMD)”. It seems like a great fit, but I am wondering if it is available at the CT level? If not, could I get an estimate on a custom tab?

I am aware the 2016 deprivation index is available for 2016 however, it also only appears to be available by DA https://open.canada.ca/data/dataset/c595f11f-5d24-421f-9d9b-d63cd5333904 -- any leads to CT level data for comparison would be helpful.

Answer:
I’ve received the following response from subject matter:


“Unfortunately, the CIMD is only available at the DA level. She can link the CIMD using geographic information (e.g. address, postal code). The client can consult the user guide for additional information on postal code information, specifically the postal code conversion file:  https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/45200001.”

BC Provincial Electoral Districts

Question:
A PhD student is looking to compare BC provincial electoral results with socioeconomic variables from the electoral districts, such as; visible minority and income. Is someone aware of a custom census tabulation for the provincial electoral districts in BC? I look on BC provincial website and couldn’t find anything.

Answer:
Have you looked at https://elections.bc.ca/resources/statistics/

Census data for Canadians of Bangladeshi origin

Question:
I have a faculty member looking for all census data (income, education, work, housing, etc) for people of Bangladeshi origin for Edmonton, Calgary, Alberta, and Canada. Does this require a custom tabulation?

Answer:
I’ve received the following reply from subject matter:

“We have the following 2016 data table available. Your client can use the filters to select their desired Geography and Ethnic origin at the top of the page.”

 If this is not sufficient, we will have to go the custom tab route.

ADAs and DAs correspondence files pre-census 2016

Question:
A researcher at Dalhousie has expressed interest in using the ADA as her unit of analysis. Since ADA is a new dissemination geography created for census 2016 and her research included pre-census 2016 time period, she would like to know if it is possible for Stat Can to provide

• DAs and ADAs correspondence for each census year pre-census 2016.  Using GeoSuite 2016 it is possible to generate DAuid corresponding to ADAcode.  This is not possible pre-census 2016.
• correspondence file that describe the ADAs between two censuses.  For examples
• census 2016 ADAs  corresponding to census 2011 ADAs
• census 2011 ADAs corresponding to census 2006 ADAs
• and so on

Answer:

I’ve received the following response from subject matter:

“As noted, there are no ADAs prior to 2016. Correspondences could be created between different census years, since a link is maintained on the geoframe between current census and previous census, at the lowest levels of geography. So, what could be created would be: 

2011 DA — 2016 ADA

2006 DA — 2016 ADA

2001 DA — 2016 ADA

Etc.

Because there is no such thing as an ADA prior to 2016, the concept of 2011 ADA — 2016 ADA does not really exist. All that could be provided is groupings of previous DAs that are close to equivalent to the current ADAs.”

This would all need to be done through a custom tabulation however. 

We do also produce correspondence files between the DAs for each census and its previous census. Those files are available on the Geography website, or I could see about the potential of having them added to the EFT (if they are not already there).

 

New Release - Census 2016 Hierarchical File

We are pleased to inform you that the following product is now available.

Census of Population, 2016 Hierarchical File

Statistics Canada conducts the Census of Population in order to develop a statistical portrait of Canada and Canadians on one specific day. The census is designed to provide information about people and housing units in Canada by their demographic, social and economic characteristics.

Statistics Canada reinstated the mandatory long-form census in time for the 2016 Census of Population. As such, a sample of approximately 25% of Canadian households received a long-form questionnaire. All other households received a short-form questionnaire.

The Census of Population is a reliable basis for the estimation of the population of the provinces, territories and municipal areas. The information collected is related to federal and provincial legislative measures and provides a basis for the distribution of federal transfer payments. The census also provides information about the characteristics of the population and its housing within small geographic areas and for small population groups to support planning, administration, policy development and evaluation activities of governments at all levels, as well as data users in the private sector.

Clients: Federal government, provincial and territorial governments, municipal governments; libraries; educational institutions; researchers and academics; private industry; business associations labour organisations; ethnic and cultural groups; private citizens; public interest groups are among the users of census data.

EFT: /MAD_PUMF_FMGD_DAM/Root/3901_Census-Pop_Recens-Pop/2016/Hierarchical-Hierarchique

Nesstar Webview: Census of Population, 2016 [http://dli-idd-nesstar.statcan.gc.ca/webview/]

*Please note: We are aware that there are issues with some of the PDF Reference files. We are working to correct these.

Census Tract Pairs (Journey to Work)

Question:
I have a researcher looking for a dataset that would contain a list of pairs of Census tracts where one CT represents a person’s home location and the other their work location, along with the number of people who make that specific commute (based on the Census Journey to Work questions). Is this data available, perhaps as a custom tabulation?

Answer:
We’ve received the following response from the regional office:

“Yes it is possible.  It would be CT of residence by CT of work within a CMA or CA.
He is looking for specifics CMAs/CAs and for other variables?”

2001 to 2016 DA Correspondence File

Question:
A doctoral student is interested in comparing certain variables in the 2001 and 2016 census at the DA level.  They would like to standardize the DAs a certain year, preferably 2001.  There are correspondence files on the StatsCan website at https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/92-156-X for each census year relative to the previous census year for 2001 to 2016 (i.e., 2016 to 2011, 2011 to 2006, 2006 to 2001).  However, the student would like to use a correspondence file for 2016 to 2001, if it exists as one file.  Is anyone aware of such a file?  I realize the same task could likely be accomplished programmatically with the three correspondence files available, but I think for this student (and to be honest, for me) it would be easier with one file.

Alternately, is there a way to obtain data for a specific geographic region (Toronto) for the two census years aggregated to 2001 or 2016 DA levels?  For example, in Dataverse we have a semi-custom tabulation https://dataverse.scholarsportal.info/dataset.xhtml?persistentId=doi:10.5683/SP2/QNO5JG of certain census data from 1971-2011 standardized to 2016 DA geographies, but it doesn’t contain the variables the student is looking for.

Answer:
It looks as if (on our end) we’d have to go the custom tabulation route. Please let me know if you would be interested in pursuing this and I will have the proper individuals get in touch with you.

GSS Victimization - Territories and Geography

Question:
I have a question about microdata files available for the GSS (victimization) cycle 28, or previous. A researcher is interested in joining data from this survey with data from the Census and therefore requires more detailed geographic information than what is available with the DLI PUMF. In the PUMF, the geographic variables only 'go down' to the provincial level. The restricted dataset has many more geographic variables available, which would be better in this case.

However, the microdata files aren't consistent with their inclusion of data from the territories vs provinces. None of the DLI PUMFs contain data from the territories. The cycle 28 RDC dataset only contains variables for responses from the provinces, while the cycle 23 RDC dataset only contains responses from the territories.

Are there any microdata datasets (RDC/DLI) that contain responses from both the provinces and territories, that will have more specific geographic variables?

Answer:
I’ve received the following response from subject matter:

“It is never a good idea to ‘join data’ from two different surveys, given differences in in their populations, methodologies and time frames.

In general, the GSS is only carried out in the provinces, the exception being the Victimization cycle, last completed in 2014.

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.”

Location of shape files and DA information for past of Saskatchewan and NWT

Question:
I need to find a shape file for the northern part of Saskatchewan.  We are putting together a map of the Athabasca Watershed which goes into northern Saskatchewan and very southern part of NWT

Are these available through DLI along with the DA population.

Answer:
I’ve received the following reply from subject matter:
“All our 2016 Census boundary files (including shapefiles) can be found here: http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/geo/bound-limit/bound-limit-2016-eng.cfm

We have provinces and territories, which the client might be interested in or they can search on Open Maps (Federal Geospatial Platform): https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset?collection=fgp&q=  Open Maps contains geography products from various Canadian government agencies, including Statistics Canada.”

GSS Cycle 31 (Family) 2017

Question:
When will the PUMF for the GSS Cycle 31 (Family) 2017 be released?

I think I remember seeing an email about it but couldn’t find it.

Then I checked your page for tentative release dates but it was not there.

Answer:
We’ve received the following response from subject matter:

“For GSS Cycle 31 (Family), it is safe to say Winter 2020.

As for GSS Cycle 32 (Caregiving and Care Receiving), the release of the analytical file is planned for November 2019.  The PUMF for GSS 32 (Caregiving and Care Receiving) will not be ready till sometime in 2020; We don’t have a specific time frame at this time.

The researcher use the PUMF for the cycle 26 (2012 GSS on Caregiving and Care Receiving) in the interim, if they haven’t already.”

1971 Census Place Name Reference list[s]

Question:
Bonjour/Hello,

Is there a digital version of 1971 Census Place Name Reference list[s]?

It does not appear to be in Internet Archive.
According to WorldCat only UofA has the print;
http://www.library.ualberta.ca/permalink/opac/2120051/WUAARCHIVE

There is also the 1981
http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2017/statcan/CS94-902-1981.pdf 
http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2017/statcan/CS94-903-1981.pdf 
http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2017/statcan/CS94-904-1981.pdf

but 1971 is needed.

Answer:
The StatCan library has volume 2, and we think we can track down volume 1 as well, however neither are digital versions. The only option would be to have them manually scanned. Before asking them to do this I just want to confirm if you’d like a scanned copy, and need both versions in their entirety? (or just a specific portion?)

I’ve placed both documents in the EFT. Please let me know when you’ve had a chance to grab them and I’ll remove the folder. Please also confirm if you require anything more than what is provided in the original document.

Census Data (custom tabs in ODESI)

Question:
I have a researcher working with the tables giving the number of jobs located in each DA for 2006 and 2016(Place of Work DA from http://odesi2.scholarsportal.info/documentation/CENSUS/2016/cen16labour.html and http://odesi2.scholarsportal.info/documentation/CENSUS/2006/TBT/B2020/DOCS/cenb06labour.html), and they have noted a number of DAs missing. The notes section indicates that communities with fewer than 40 people are not included, but given that this data is for place of work are DAs not included if fewer than 40 people report the DA as their place of work (that is my reading based on the data in the table, but I would like to confirm)? If so, is there a possibility of a custom tab to get this data?

DAs missing from tables:

2016:

59530104

59530023

59530206

59530208

59530051

59530055

59530047

59530086

2006 and 2016:

59530049

59530050

Answer:
Subject matter confirmed the following:
Thank you for your query. You are correct. Place of work geography suppression is done on the employed labour force population who worked at home or had a usual place of work, not on the residential population. The minimum population threshold is 40 for any data.

A custom table would not have data for geographies suppressed under this rule.

Marital Status from 1976 to 2016

Question:
A researcher is looking for the following info.

And apart from looking at each year individually or putting together a couple of years, I have not been able to find it.

Can anyone help me with this request?

“Specifically, I am looking to find out the percentage of the population (aged 15 and over) in each census from 1976 to 2016 that were:

(1) Single
(2) Married
(3) Widowed
(4) Divorced
(5) Separated
(6) Common-law

The most important years for my purposes are 1981 and 2011, but I'd like to have 50 years worth of data from 1976-2016 if possible.”

Answer:
 Vital Statistics stopped being gathered to that level of granularity in 2008 (they're submitted to StatsCan from various Provincial Departments). I know for sure that divorce rates are not available, though births and deaths still are.

Follow-Up Comment:

 I checked, and you’re completely Senioritis-free!  Both of these pages (a and b below) note under Data release, “2008  is the last year for which these data were collected”. 

a)Vital Statistics, Divorce Database, Survey 3235, (data from the Department of Justice Canada)

i.      Note, the StatCan Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics released this: Divorce cases in civil court, 2010/2011

ii.      Also noted in Parenting and child support after separation or divorce

“there are multiple data sources that can provide information on separated or divorced Canadians: the Census of Population, the General Social Survey (GSS) on Families and the Civil Courts Survey”

b)Vital Statistics, Marriage Database, Survey 3232 (data from provincial and territorial registries)

i.      GSS-related publications touch on narrower topics if at all like: Emerging trends in living arrangements and conjugal unions for current and future seniors 1981-2011

I did a basic presentation on “vital” stats a few years ago and noted that the Report on the Demographic Situation in Canada perhaps should touch on these topics but is slow do so.  The “latest” report include 2011 Census data only on marital status. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/91-209-X .  But it’s interesting to know about this report for topics like fertility through to 2016 (data available thanks to the births database).

Just a side note that responsibility for tracking therapeutic abortions was with StatCan from 1969 to 1994 and was transferred to CIHI in 1995.  I don’t know if this older data can be found via CIHI, but a couple of StatCan sources are: Teenage Abortions and Births, for women aged 13 through 19, Canada, provinces and territories - 1974 to 1995 [B2020 on Odesi], and Health Reports, Winter 1997, Vol. 9 no. 3 Marital status and abortion