Frequently asked questions - RDC

Still have questions or need more information? Please visit Contact information for the Data Access Division.

Research Data Centres

  • Why do researchers need to sign a contract with Statistics Canada?

    Why do researchers need to sign a contract with Statistics Canada?

    A contract is required by the Statistics Act. Access to anonymized microdata can only be given to Statistics Canada employees or deemed employees, employees who are under contract to Statistics Canada.

  • I am required to have an ethics review for the use of Statistics Canada microdata. What do I need to do?

    I am required to have an ethics review for the use of Statistics Canada microdata. What do I need to do?

    The document "Mitigation of Risk to Respondents of Statistics Canada's Surveys" outlines the policies and procedures that Statistics Canada has established to mitigate the risk to respondents of Statistics Canada's surveys and can be shared with ethics review boards.

  • How does Statistics Canada assure confidentiality and security of data?

    How does Statistics Canada assure confidentiality and security of data?

    For more information visit the Trust Centre.

  • Why are fingerprinting and credit checks mandatory? Does it apply to everyone? Is my information protected?

    Why are fingerprinting and credit checks mandatory? Does it apply to everyone? Is my information protected?

    Please visit Treasury board for more information.

  • What is the Oath of Secrecy?

    What is the Oath of Secrecy?

    The Oath is a requirement of the Statistics Act indicating a promise to never disclose any identifiable information about individual respondents. The Oath lasts forever in that even after a deemed employee has completed the work, they can never divulge any of the confidential information accessed.

    While the Oath of Secrecy does not expire, a researcher will be asked to reaffirm the Oath every 10 years if they continue to work as a deemed employee of Statistics Canada.

  • Is any personally identifiable information available in the RDCs?

    Is any personally identifiable information available in the RDCs?

    No. All data sets have been stripped of personal details such as names, addresses and phone numbers that could be used to identify particular individuals.

  • Is there support for older data?

    Is there support for older data?

    Older data or data that is part of a discontinued collection have little or no support for inquiries about content, sample design and related methodology issues. Please contact your RDC Analyst if you have questions about a particular dataset.

  • Can I use non-Statistics Canada data sets?

    Can I use non-Statistics Canada data sets?

    On occasion, a researcher may wish to use non-Statistics Canada data as part of their analysis. Non-Statistics Canada data can be brought into the RDC under certain conditions. These data should complement the Statistics Canada microdata requested in the proposal. It is the researcher's responsibility to acquire non-Statistics Canada data and bring a copy to the RDC.

    In order for Statistics Canada to determine if the data can be brought into the RDC, provide the following information in your proposal:

    • nature and type of data
    • unit of analysis
    • source (e.g. website, agency)
    • permission received to access the data (e.g. publicly available, written permission, signed contract, ethics approval)
    • How does the use of these data contribute to the research question?
    • Will the new data be amended, pooled or merged with Statistics Canada datasets?
      • If yes, will these data be linked at the individual micro-record level?

    Record linkage requires additional approval from Statistics Canada.

    Please contact the analyst at your RDC for more information.

  • What statistical software is available to researchers?

    What statistical software is available to researchers?

    • SAS
    • STATA
    • SPSS
    • ArcGIS
  • When my proposal is approved, is the software I requested also approved and available in the Research Data Centre?

    When my proposal is approved, is the software I requested also approved and available in the Research Data Centre?

    If the proposal includes a request for non-standard software, there is additional approval required.

  • Can I submit a request for additional software?

    Can I submit a request for additional software?

    Yes, if additional software such as R (Rstudio) is required, the researcher can submit a request through their Statistics Canada analyst.

  • How long will my project files be retained after I am finished?

    How long will my project files be retained after I am finished?

    Effective September 2023, RDC project files will be retained for a period of 5 years after a project has ended. The contract end date includes the original contract length plus any extensions. Unless an exemption is granted, all project files including syntax, notes, and vetted output will be archived for 5 years after a project has expired, after which it will all be deleted. This aligns with the Directive on Retention and Documentation of Statistical Data.

    Researchers are strongly encouraged to release all syntax files prior to the completion of a project to ensure replication if necessary. We also ask that you delete any files that are no longer required to reduce the size of your research folder before it is archived.

  • What can I do if someone asks to undertake a replication analysis of my published work?

    What can I do if someone asks to undertake a replication analysis of my published work?

    We strongly encourage all research teams to have their syntax vetted and released to the Principal Investigator (PI) at the end of their contract. The PI may decide to share their syntax with researchers asking to reproduce their analysis. Researchers undertaking replication studies must apply to the MAP following regular application procedures and become a deemed employee of Statistics Canada. Please note that if, over time, a microdata file in our data repository has been updated, those wishing to reproduce the findings will only be given access to the latest release of the microdata research file. Be advised that older and specialized data may no longer be available.

Deemed employees

  • What is a "deemed employee"?

    What is a "deemed employee"?

    The Statistics Act allows Statistics Canada to use the services of individuals (persons, incorporated contractors, public servants) to do work for Statistics Canada without being an employee in the general sense of the term. The Act refers to these individuals as "deemed to be a person employed under this Act", hence the expression "deemed employee." Section 5 addresses the hiring of "deemed employees" from federal government departments, individuals and consultants while section 10 allows for the hiring of provincial public servants.

    A deemed employee is someone who is providing a specific service which, in most cases, involves having access to confidential information for statistical purposes, including the anonymized microdata available in the RDCs. In performing this service, the person has the same obligations of a Statistics Canada employee to keep identifiable information confidential.

  • How does someone become a deemed employee?

    How does someone become a deemed employee?

    In order to become a deemed employee, the individual must:

    • be granted "Reliability Status" following a security check
    • be identified in an agreement under which they are granted access to specific confidential information
    • take the Oath of Office, as required by section 6 of the Statistics Act
    • acknowledge in writing that they have read, understood and will comply with the security requirements listed in the appendix of the agreement, relevant Statistics Canada policies as well as this document
    • declare in writing that they do not have any conflict of interest as described in the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service.
  • What are the responsibilities of a deemed employee?

    What are the responsibilities of a deemed employee?

    A deemed employee must protect the confidentiality of any identifiable information as per subsection 17(1) of the Statistics Act and that the information can only be used for the purposes described in the agreement.

    Keeping the information confidential means that a deemed employee cannot discuss the information with unauthorized persons and it must be protected at all times (i.e., it cannot be removed from Statistics Canada premises; it cannot be sent via email on an unsecured network; it must be locked up when not in use; and it must be destroyed in a secure manner).

  • What happens if a deemed employee does something that is prohibited under the Statistics Act?

    What happens if a deemed employee does something that is prohibited under the Statistics Act?

    Because all deemed employees take the Oath of Secrecy, they must uphold the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act or be liable to prosecution and the penalties outlined in the Act: a fine of up to $1000 and/or a jail term of up to six months.

  • What information can a deemed employee access?

    What information can a deemed employee access?

    The agreement will specifically indicate the confidential information required for the work that a deemed employee performs. As is the case with employees of Statistics Canada, taking the Oath of Secrecy does not give a deemed employee access to all information held by Statistics Canada: access to confidential information is strictly on a need-to-know-basis.

  • Who are the authorized persons deemed employees can discuss the information with?

    Who are the authorized persons deemed employees can discuss the information with?

    This includes employees of Statistics Canada who are also entitled to access the same information due to the nature of their work. Potentially it could also include other deemed employees who are also named in an agreement. Any discussion involving confidential information with an unauthorized person would constitute a breach of the Statistics Act as well as the terms of the agreement.

Microdata Access Portal

  • What types of applications can be completed in the Microdata Access Portal (MAP)?

    What types of applications can be completed in the Microdata Access Portal (MAP)?

    Applications for access to microdata for research projects to be conducted within a Research Data Centre can be submitted through the Microdata Access Portal (MAP) for academic or federal government researchers. In addition, researchers can submit a request to access samples from the Statistics Canada biobank.

    Provincial or Territorial government researchers cannot request access through the MAP at this time.

  • Where can I get more information on the application process?

    Where can I get more information on the application process?

    Refer to the Application Process and Guidelines page.

  • Who can apply through the MAP?

    Who can apply through the MAP?

    The following researchers who require access to Statistics Canada microdata or biobank samples for research purposes can submit a request through the MAP:

    • Members of a post-secondary institution such as a faculty member, student (if the project forms an integral part of their thesis or dissertation, or is a post-doctoral project), or staff of a Canadian post-secondary institution.
    • Employees of the federal government or contractors working on behalf of the federal government.
    • Employees of a Provincial/Territorial/Municipal government or contractors working on behalf of these governments.
  • Who can’t apply through the MAP?

    Who can’t apply through the MAP?

    The following researchers cannot submit a request through the MAP:

    • Faculty requesting access to microdata for the purpose of teaching a graduate level course on methodology related to complex survey data analysis.
    • Researchers performing data validation activities on behalf of Statistics Canada. Contact the Statistics Canada employee who requested your assistance with data validation activities.
    • Researchers working on behalf of a non-governmental organization.
    • Researchers working on behalf of a for-profit company.

    Contact the Research Data Centres for more information on how to access microdata.

  • What is a MAP ID?

    What is a MAP ID?

    A MAP ID is an identification number that is associated to each of your proposals. It is included in your dashboard and will be required if you need to contact Statistics Canada about your proposal.

  • What are the benefits of the MAP?

    What are the benefits of the MAP?

    The MAP streamlines the application process by bringing all the requirements into one central location. In addition, researchers will be able to manage their application within their own personalized dashboard.

  • What has changed in the application process?

    What has changed in the application process?

    Academic researchers will no longer apply to access Statistics Canada microdata through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). As well, the peer review process has changed and the information is submitted in the MAP. Government, for profit and not-for-profit researchers, will now use the MAP instead of emailing Statistics Canada directly. For more information visit the Application Process and Guidelines page.

  • How is my personal data protected in the MAP?

    How is my personal data protected in the MAP?

    Researchers will establish a password protected account with Statistics Canada before inputting their information into the MAP. Only a limited number of individuals will have access to your personal information on a need-to-know basis, in order for Statistics Canada staff to process your application. The administrative component of the MAP is restricted, and password protected. The personal information and project application information will be stored in a secure permission protected shared folder located on Statistics Canada's secure internal network. Your personal information will be used to administer your application as well as to manage and monitor user access to secure computing environments.

    Limited personal information, as well as information about the project, may be disclosed to trusted partner organizations in order to manage your project, e.g., to verify affiliation and accreditation, to recover costs from sponsoring parties, or to support the operation and monitoring of the program and infrastructure. When it is necessary to transmit information to trusted partner organizations, contact information and project details will be transmitted by unencrypted email.

    For the purpose of public transparency, Statistics Canada also displays on its website a list of projects that have been approved within the last 12 months. The published information includes your project title, name of principal investigator and datasets used.

  • Why do you collect my date of birth?

    Why do you collect my date of birth?

    The date of birth is required to confirm the security clearance status and will be used for administrative purposes only (e.g., to identify you if someone else has the same name in the MAP).

  • Do I need to use the MAP during the entire life cycle of my project or just at the application stage?

    Do I need to use the MAP during the entire life cycle of my project or just at the application stage?

    You need to use the MAP when applying for a new project. Once your project is approved, your main point of contact for any project amendments (e.g., to add data, to change the list of investigators, to extend the project) will be your local analyst.

  • What do I need to create an account?

    What do I need to create an account?

    To create an account you need an email address, a password and about 5 minutes.

  • How long will it take me to complete an application?

    How long will it take me to complete an application?

    When you have all the documents required, (Note: this should be worded to clearly indicated the user is going to the forms page.) it will take about 15 minutes to apply.

  • Can I save my partially completed application and finish it later?

    Can I save my partially completed application and finish it later?

    Yes, you can complete your application in multiple sessions. Changes will be saved and your proposal will remain in a draft mode (i.e. not yet submitted). If a document is missing or you are waiting for a co-investigator to create an account, you can always come back at a later time to complete your application. Once your application is submitted, you cannot change it in the portal.

  • Can I make changes to my application?

    Can I make changes to my application?

    Yes, you can make changes to your application as long as it has not been submitted (saved as draft).

    If your application has been submitted but is still in the approval process, you can contact us, to request a change.

    Once your application has been approved, you will need to make amendments by contacting your local analyst.

  • My project's funding type changed. How do I adjust my application?

    My project's funding type changed. How do I adjust my application?

    If the application has not yet been submitted, edit this information in the Application portal.

    If the application has already been submitted, please contact us contact the RDC team for assistance.

  • How often is the list of available data updated in the MAP?

    How often is the list of available data updated in the MAP?

    The list of datasets is updated every week.

  • Will I be notified when my application has been processed?

    Will I be notified when my application has been processed?

    In your dashboard, the project status will be "Approved (awaiting contract)." You will also be notified by Statistics Canada via email. Processing usually takes 6 to 8 weeks.

  • How do I check my project status?

    How do I check my project status?

    For an update on your project status, log into your dashboard. The project statuses are:

    • Draft
    • Submitted
    • Under Review
    • Approved (awaiting contract)
    • Denied
    • Active
    • Inactive / Expired
  • What do the statuses mean?

    What do the statuses mean?

    In the dashboard, the definitions of the project statuses are:

    • Draft: when the principal investigator is filling out a project application.
    • Submitted: when all the mandatory fields are completed and the principal investigator has submitted the application.
    • Under Review: Statistics Canada is in the process of reviewing the application
    • Approved (awaiting contract): the project has been approved by Statistics Canada and is awaiting the Statistics Canada signature on the contract.
    • Denied: the project is not approved. Statistics Canada will send an email to the principal investigator requesting additional information or explain why the request is denied.
    • Active: when the project is approved and the agreement is signed.
    • Inactive / Expired: when a project has been in draft mode for a year time or when a project has expired the project timeline.
  • Can I select more than one RDC for my project in the portal?

    Can I select more than one RDC for my project in the portal?

    No, in the portal, you can only select one RDC: chose the main one you will be using. Please contact the RDC team if you need to use more than one RDC.

  • More than one level of government is sponsoring my project. How do I enter this in the portal?

    More than one level of government is sponsoring my project. How do I enter this in the portal?

    Select the government who is the primary sponsor. You will be able to report multiple sources of government funding in the text field available in each section of the Fee for Service questionnaire.

  • Can I request any Statistics Canada microdata product through the MAP?

    Can I request any Statistics Canada microdata product through the MAP?

    Researchers can apply to access any type of Statistics Canada microdata through the MAP, including social and business data. In some cases, certain Statistics Canada data products are not accessible at a Research Data Centre.

Microdata Access Portal (for academics only)

  • Why are applications no longer submitted through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)?

    Why are applications no longer submitted through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)?

    The SSHRC platform will be available for applications until January 29, 2020. After this date, new applicants will be redirected to Statistics Canada Microdata Access Portal. Statistics Canada, SSHRC, CIHR, and the Canadian Research Data Centre Network (CRDCN) have agreed to move this process to the MAP.

  • I was familiar with the SSHRC portal, how different is the MAP?

    I was familiar with the SSHRC portal, how different is the MAP?

    The application process used to be two processes: the application and peer review was with SSHRC and then Statistics Canada processed the application to grant access to an RDC. The whole process now is with Statistics Canada and all the required forms are in the MAP. As a user, you will be able to check the status of your application.

  • Why do you need to ask questions about the funding of my project?

    Why do you need to ask questions about the funding of my project?

    To determine whether fees apply to your project, we need to understand (1) whether your research is self-directed, (2) evaluate funding for the project, and (3) assess whether there are deliverable(s) required for a funding agency. More information on the Access and Fee for Service Policy is available on the Canadian Research Data Centre Network (CRDCN) website.

  • What is required for the peer review?

    What is required for the peer review?

    When a peer review is required, the Principal Investigator needs to:

    • Identify an appropriate assessor
    • Send the peer review form and your proposal to the assessor
    • Have the assessor fill out the form
    • Submit the peer review form.
  • Why do some researchers have to complete the peer review form?

    Why do some researchers have to complete the peer review form?

    This peer review process is for those who are not students, are not pre-approved and/or do not have funding from an adjudicated funding process. This process was approved by the Canadian Research Data Centre Network (CRDCN) and Statistics Canada in order to streamline the peer review.

  • Why can't I access the data without completing the peer review form?

    Why can't I access the data without completing the peer review form?

    Since it is important to maintain the trust of Canadians in the use of their personal information and to ensure that all academic research carried out in the Research Data Centres (RDCs) is of scientific merit, a new, simpler peer review process was developed for academic researchers.

  • Who can be an assessor for my project?

    Who can be an assessor for my project?

    If a peer review is needed, you need to contact an assessor knowledgeable in your area of research. The assessor is a person who holds the rank of tenured Associate Professor or Full Professor at an accredited Canadian university (this would exclude faculty working in teaching only positions).

  • Why do I need to find my own assessor?

    Why do I need to find my own assessor?

    This will streamline our application processes and will help in the established timelines for getting applications to the active stage of the project.

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