At no time has the role of data—and Statistics Canada's role as a trusted data steward—been more important in helping Canadians not only to survive the COVID-19 pandemic, but also to thrive once it passes. This report outlines how Statistics Canada will respond to the nation's evolving data needs, as Canadians seek to develop a more resilient economy and build a cleaner, healthier future.
As the nation's pandemic response evolves against the backdrop of persistent social and economic uncertainty, the agency will provide Canadians with the data-driven insights they need to improve outcomes through better decision making. In particular, the agency will deliver results over the coming year based on the following priorities, which include ongoing recommendations from world-class statistical advisory bodies such as the Canadian Statistics Advisory Council:
- Publish the results of the 2021 Census of Population and Census of Agriculture. A major focus over the coming year will be the dissemination of the census results. The census is conducted every five years and provides the most accurate portrait of the people of Canada. Canadians demonstrated their unequivocal support for the census even during a pandemic, with a 98% response rate. Of note, more than 84% of respondents—a national record—chose to safely answer their questionnaire online. Statistics Canada looks forward to sharing the rich data collected for the 2021 Census, which will capture the scale of the social and economic impacts that Canadians continue to face because of COVID-19.
- Enhance coverage of emerging issues. Through a new program called the Disaggregated Data Action Plan, Statistics Canada is answering the call of Canadians seeking detailed data to address gender gaps, racism and other systemic barriers, to apply fairness and inclusion to decisions that affect all the people in Canada. Another new program, the Census of the Environment, will develop the first-ever inventory of the country's ecosystems, and monitor changes to those ecosystems over time. The goal is to promote evidence-based decision making as Canada responds to climate change.
- Use leading-edge methods of data collection and integration. As more data become available in a digital world, actionable insights (not data) will become increasingly valued. To position Statistics Canada for the high-value work of producing data-driven insights, the agency is expanding its data science and data modelling capabilities. The agency will focus on developing new data models that can be used by the Government of Canada to develop projections about the potential short- and long-term impacts of various health and social policies. This will enable advisors and decisions makers to assess the ongoing economic and health impacts of the pandemic, and the path forward. In addition, the agency will turn to enabling infrastructure—both technical and statistical—to help bring data, expertise and the necessary tools together.
- Collaborate and engage with partners. By collaborating with a growing number of public and private sector partners, Statistics Canada continues to identify new ways to collect, analyze and share data while maintaining the high standards of trust that Canadians have come to expect from their national statistical agency. These partnerships will continue to grow as the country moves toward recovery from the pandemic.
- Provide user-centric services. As user expectations and needs continue to evolve, the agency will ensure that Canadians have the information they need, when and how they need it. That's why Statistics Canada is continuing its modernization journey by developing additional platforms to tell data stories, such as the new podcast Eh Sayers. The agency is also launching the StatsCAN app, a free mobile application that will provide Canadians with on-demand access to the unbiased facts and data-driven insights they have come to expect from Statistics Canada through their mobile devices of choice. This will enable users to stay on top of the country's latest statistical news anytime they want to.
- Build statistical capacity and foster data literacy. Statistics Canada is committed to sharing its knowledge and expertise to help people in Canada use data as a strategic asset to improve decision making and outcomes. For example, through the Indigenous Statistical Capacity Development Initiative, the agency is supporting Indigenous leaders, organizations and governments in developing their own capacity to collect, analyze and share data in ways that are based on the needs of First Nations people, Inuit and Métis.
- Build a flexible, diverse and agile workforce. The agency recognizes that the incredible dedication and innovation of employees have been fundamental to its success. To ensure that the agency continues to adapt its operations to serve Canadians during what remains a highly fluid public health emergency, Statistics Canada is transitioning to a virtual-by-design workplace, helping to achieve the right balance between a flexible, productive and agile workplace and workforce. This will not only ensure that existing employees continue to work safely and securely during the pandemic, but will also enable the agency to expand its workforce to better represent the geographical and cultural diversity of Canada while building a culture of inclusion and equal opportunity.
For more than 100 years, Statistics Canada has remained steadfast in its legal and ethical duty to collect, store and use data responsibly, as well as to protect the data in its care. Through the agency's online Trust Centre, Statistics Canada engages in an ongoing dialogue with Canadians about how it collects and uses data on their behalf while protecting their privacy and safeguarding the confidentiality of the data they have entrusted to the agency. I invite Canadians to visit the Trust Centre to learn more about how the agency collects, processes, analyzes and shares data safely and securely, as well as how the data-driven insights produced by Statistics Canada contribute to the public interest.
Anil Arora
Chief Statistician of Canada