Statistics Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada are proud to host the 2024 Health Data User Conference at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa on November 14!

This one-day, in-person event will bring together 150 health data users and health data providers to explore innovative, collaboratives ways in which health data are being used to tackle Canada’s emerging health issues.

Participants will have the opportunity to:

• hear from some of Canada’s top data users and providers, including the Chief Statistician of Canada and Canada's Chief Public Health Officer,
• learn about Statistics Canada’s health data and services and how to leverage them,
• engage in discussions that help shape the future of health data,
• connect directly with individuals involved in all aspects of the data pipeline, from conception to collection to application, and
• showcase their research and share their ideas.

This conference is geared toward health researchers and analysts, including students. The event is also relevant to end users, such as health policy and program decision makers, from both governmental and non-governmental organizations.

If you have any questions or would like to be added to our conference mailing list, please email statcan.hduc-cuds.statcan@statcan.gc.ca.

Labour Market and Socio-economic Indicators

In July 2024, the following questions measuring the Labour Market and Socio-economic Indicators were added to the Labour Force Survey as a supplement.

The purpose of this survey is to identify changing dynamics within the Canadian labour market, and measure important socio-economic indicators by gathering data on topics such as type of employment, quality of employment, support payments and unmet health care needs.

Questionnaire flow within the collection application is controlled dynamically based on responses provided throughout the survey. Therefore, some respondents will not receive all questions, and there is a small chance that some households will not receive any questions at all. This is based on their answers to certain LFS questions.

Labour Market and Socio-economic Indicators

ENTRY_Q01 / EQ 1 - From the following list, please select the household member that will be completing this questionnaire on behalf of the entire household.

LMI_Q01 / EQ 2 What forms of payment [do/does] [you/respondent name/this person] receive in [your/his/her/their] main job or business?

Select all that apply.

1. A wage or salary
   e.g., hourly, weekly, annual
2. Piece rate
3. Commissions
   e.g., percentage of a sale
4. Tips
5. Bonus or performance pay
6. Charges or fees for services
   e.g., taxi fares, fees charged for legal or professional services
7. Based on profit
   Any other situation where earnings are based on revenue or the financial performance of a business
   Include profit based on revenue, as well as dividends, profit sharing, stock options
8. Other
9. Unpaid work

LMI_Q02 / EQ 3 - What is the main form of payment in [your/his/her/their] main job or business?

Would you say:

1. A wage or salary
   e.g., hourly, weekly, annual
2. Piece rate
3. Commissions
   e.g., percentage of a sale
4. Tips
5. Bonus or performance pay
6. Charges or fees for services
   e.g., taxi fares, fees charged for legal or professional services
7. Based on profit
   Any other situation where earnings are based on revenue or the financial performance of a business
   Include profit based on revenue, as well as dividends, profit sharing, stock options
8. Other
9. Unpaid work

LMI_Q03 / EQ 4 - You previously mentioned that [you/respondent name/this person] [is/are] self-employed in [your/his/her/their] main job.

Over the last 12 months, was at least 50% of [your/Respondent’s name/this person’s] main business activity reliant on:

A single client
A client is the user of the good or service sold by the business

• Yes
• No

A website or app that matches [you/respondent name/this person] with clients or potential clients
e.g., Amazon, Uber, UpWork, AirBnB, SkiptheDishes

• Yes
• No

Another company or person subcontracting tasks or projects  

• Yes
• No

A single supplier
i.e., of raw materials, supplies or goods for resale

• Yes
• No

An agency, broker or other type of intermediary

• Yes
• No

LMI_Q04 / EQ 5 - Which of these relationships is most important for [your/Respondent’s name/this person’s] main business?

1. A single client
   A client is the user of the good or service sold by the business
2. A website or app that matches [you/respondent name/this person] with clients or potential clients
   e.g., Amazon, Uber, UpWork, AirBnB, SkiptheDishes
3. Another company or person subcontracting tasks or projects
4. A single supplier
   i.e., of raw materials, supplies or goods for resale
5. An agency, broker or other type of intermediary

LMI_Q05 / EQ 6 - Does this [main client/website or app/company or person/supplier/agency, broker or other type of intermediary]:

Directly determine [your/Respondent’s name/this person’s] schedule  

• To a large extent
• To some extent
• Not at all
• Does not apply

Directly control how [your/respondent name/this person] organize[s] or conduct[s] [your/his/her/their] work

• To a large extent
• To some extent
• Not at all
• Does not apply

Directly set the price of the product or service

• To a large extent
• To some extent
• Not at all
• Does not apply

Provide the tools or software required to run the business
e.g., a vehicle, an app to connect with clients, power tools 

• To a large extent
• To some extent
• Not at all
• Does not apply

Provide the materials required to run the business
e.g., raw materials, supplies, goods for resale

• To a large extent
• To some extent
• Not at all
• Does not apply

LMI_Q08 / EQ 7 - As part of [your/his/her/their] main business, could [your/Respondent name/this person] hire paid help if [you/he/she/this person] wanted to delegate some tasks?

• Yes
• No, not allowed to delegate tasks as part of the arrangement with the [main client/website or app/company or person/supplier/agency, broker or other type of intermediary]
• No, does not currently have the financial resources
• No, for some other reason

LMI_Q11 / EQ 8 - In [your/his/her/their] main job, [do/does] [you/respondent name/this person] have a written agreement or an oral agreement with [your/his/her/their] employer?

1. Written contract or agreement
   e.g., letter of offer, contract, written agreement, other documentation
2. Oral contract or agreement

LMI_Q12 / EQ 9 - In [your/Respondent’s name/this person’s] main job, does [your/his/her/their] employer contribute to Employment Insurance (EI) on [your/Respondent’s name/this person’s] behalf?

1. Yes
2. No
3. Don’t know

IMM_Q01 / EQ 10 - [Is/Are] [you/respondent name/this person] a Canadian citizen?

1. Yes
2. No

IMM_Q02 / EQ 11 - When did [you/respondent name/this person] first come to Canada to live? 

Was it:

1. Less than 1 year ago
2. 1 year ago to less than 5 years ago
3. 5 years ago to less than 10 years ago
4. 10 years ago to less than 15 years ago
5. 15 years ago or longer

IMM_Q03 / EQ 12 - How old [were/was] [you/respondent name/this person] when [you/he/she/this person] first came to Canada to live?

Select year of age

IML_Q01 / EQ 13 - What type of permit [do/does] [you/respondent name/this person] currently hold?

Is it:

1. Work permit only
2. Study permit only
3. Work and study permit  
4. Other

IML_Q02 / EQ 14 - [Do/Does] [you/respondent name/this person] plan to apply for permanent residence in Canada?

1. Yes
2. No
3. Undecided
4. Don’t know

IML_Q03 / EQ 15 - Since [you/respondent name/this person] first came to Canada to live, how many paid jobs or businesses [have/has] [you/he/she/this person] had?

Is it:

1. None
2. 1
3. 2
4. 3 to 5
5. 6 or more

IML_Q04 / EQ 16 - What is the highest certificate, diploma, or degree that [you/respondent name/this person] [have/has] completed outside Canada prior to [your/his/her/their] arrival?

1. High school diploma or less
2. Trades certificate or diploma
3. College, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma (other than trades certificates or diplomas)
4. University certificate or diploma below the bachelor’s level
5. Bachelor’s degree
   e.g., B.A., B.A. (Hons), B.Sc., B.Ed., LL.B.
6. University certificate, diploma or degree above the bachelor’s level

IML_Q05 / EQ 17 - What was the major field of study of the highest certificate, diploma or degree that [you/respondent name/this person] completed outside Canada prior to [your/his/her/their] arrival?

Major field of study of [trades certificate or diploma/college, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma/university certificate or diploma below the bachelor’s level/bachelor’s degree/university certificate, diploma or degree above the bachelor’s level]:

IML_Q06 / EQ 18 - In what country did [you/respondent name/this person] obtain this certificate, diploma, or degree?

Please select the country from the dropdown menu below. Type the first few letters to narrow down the choices.

IML_Q07 / EQ 19 - Did an assessment agency or a government department grant [you/respondent name/this person] an equivalency assessment of credentials obtained outside Canada for [your/his/her/their] highest certificate, diploma, or degree?

1. Yes
2. No, never applied 
3. No, [your/Respondent’s name/this person’s] application was rejected
4. In the process of finding out

IML_Q08 / EQ 20 - Before coming to Canada, how many years of work experience related to the highest diploma, certificate or degree [you/respondent name/this person] obtained outside Canada did [you/he/she/this person] accumulate?

Is it:

1. None
2. Less than a year
3. 1 to less than 5 years
4. 5 to less than 10 years
5. 10 years or more

IML_Q09 / EQ 21 - Since [your/Respondent’s name/this person’s] arrival in Canada, did [you/he/she/they] ever get a paid job that was related to the highest diploma or degree [you/he/she/they] obtained outside Canada?

1. Yes, a job entirely related to [your/his/her/their] highest diploma or degree
2. Yes, a job partially related to [your/his/her/their] highest diploma or degree
3. No, applied but never got it
4. No, never applied
5. Don’t know

IML_Q10 / EQ 22 - Considering the very first job related to [your/Respondent’s name/this person’s] highest diploma or degree, to what extent were [your/his/her/their] years of experience obtained outside Canada considered to determine the characteristics of the position?

Was it:

1. Most of [your/his/her/their] professional experience obtained outside Canada was considered
2. Only a part of [your/his/her/their] professional experience obtained outside Canada was considered
3. None of [your/his/her/their] professional experience obtained outside Canada was considered

IML_Q11 / EQ 23 - For which of the following reasons [have/has] [you/respondent name/this person] never applied to a paid job related to the highest diploma or degree [you/he/she/this person] obtained outside Canada?

Select all that apply.

1. No jobs available in the area
2. Education was not recognized
3. Did not know how to proceed
4. Believed that very few immigrants get their experience accepted
5. Did not think it was worth it
6. Financial pressures
7. Wanted to work in a different field or do something different
8. Other
   Specify

IML_Q12 / EQ 24 - [Have/Has] [you/respondent name/this person] ever attempted to obtain a license or a technical credential to practice a regulated occupation from a professional association or a regulatory body in Canada?

1. Yes, based on foreign credentials, experience or education
2. Yes, but only based on Canadian credentials, experience or education
3. No

IML_Q13 / EQ 25 - Did the professional association or regulatory body accept [your/Respondent’s name/this person’s] foreign credentials or experience to practice a regulated occupation in Canada?

1. Yes, fully
   e.g., no further courses were required
2. Yes, partly
   e.g., further courses or training were needed
3. No
4. Results of application are still pending
5. Don’t know

IML_Q14 / EQ 26 - Did [you/respondent name/this person] have any problems or difficulties finding [your/his/her/their] current main job or starting [your/his/her/their] current main business?

1. Yes
   What main problem or difficulty did [you/respondent name/this person] experience as part of finding [your/his/her/their] current main job or starting [your/his/her/their] current main business?
   Select all that apply.
   • Language-related difficulties
   • Did not know the steps needed to apply for a job
     e.g., filling job applications, writing a resume, preparing for interviews, etc.
   • Difficulty accessing job postings
     e.g., Internet access issues, did not know what websites to use
   • Did not know the steps to start a business
     e.g., permits, accounting, financing, etc.
   • Qualifications from outside Canada were not accepted
   • Job experience from outside Canada was not accepted
   • Not enough job experience or references in Canada
   • Few jobs in what [your/Respondent’s name/this person’s] [were/was] trained in
   • No connections in the job market
   • Discrimination
   • Transportation
   • Other
     Specify
2. No

IML_Q15 / EQ 27 - What languages are required to perform the main tasks or duties of [your/Respondent’s name/this person’s] current main job or business?

Select all that apply.

Is it:

1. English
2. French
3. Other language
   OR
4. No language requirements

IML_Q16 / EQ 28 - How do the required language skills in English at [your/Respondent’s name/this person’s] current main job or business compare to [your/his/her/their] current language skills?

Is it:

1. [Your/Respondent’s name/This person’s] job requires higher language skills
2. [Your/Respondent’s name/This person’s] job matches [your/his/her/their] current language skills
3. [Your/Respondent’s name/This person’s] job requires lower language skills

IML_Q17 / EQ 29 - How do the required language skills in French at [your/respondent’s name/this person’s] current main job or business compare to [your/his/her/their] current language skills?

Is it:

1. [Your/Respondent’s name/This person’s] job requires higher language skills
2. [Your/Respondent’s name/This person’s] job matches [his/her/their/your] current language skills
3. [Your/Respondent’s name/This person’s] job requires lower language skills

IML_Q18 / EQ 30 - After [you/respondent name/this person] arrived in Canada, how long did it take for [you/him/her/them] to find [your/his/her/their] first paid job or start [your/his/her/their] first business?

Is it:

1. Job found before migration
   OR
   Less than 3 months  
2. 3 to less than 6 months
3. 6 to less than 12 months
4. 12 months to less than 2 years
5. 2 years to less than 4 years
6. 4 years or more

IML_Q19 / EQ 31 - How did [you/respondent name/this person] obtain [your/his/her/their] first paid job?

Select all that apply.

1. Applied for the job directly from abroad
2. Recruited by an employer directly from abroad
3. Helped by a friend or a family member outside Canada
4. Helped by a friend or a family member inside Canada
5. Helped by a sponsor
6. On a previous stay
7. Transferred by company
8. Other  
   OR
9. Not applicable
   e.g., only worked as a self-employed-worker

IML_Q20 / EQ 32 - Did [you/respondent name/this person] have any problems or difficulties finding [your/his/her/their] first job or starting [your/his/her/their] first business in Canada?

1. Yes
   What main problem or difficulty did [you/respondent name/this person] experience as part of finding [your/his/her/their] first job or starting [your/his/her/their] first business?
   Select all that apply.
   1. Language-related difficulties
   2. Did not know the steps needed to apply for a job
      e.g., filling job applications, writing a resume, preparing for interviews, etc.
   3. Did not know the steps to start a business
      e.g., permits, accounting, financing, etc.
   4. Difficulty accessing job postings
      e.g., Internet access issues, did not know what websites to use
   5. Qualifications from outside Canada were not accepted
   6. Job experience from outside Canada was not accepted
   7. Not enough job experience or references in Canada
   8. No jobs in what [you/respondent name/this person] [were/was] trained in
   9. No connections in the job market
   10. Discrimination
   11. Transportation
   12. Other
       Specify
2. No, [you/respondent name/this person] did not have any difficulties
3. No, [you/respondent name/this person] [have/has] never looked for work

SCC1_Q05 / EQ 33 - In the last 12 months, did [you/Respondent name] receive support payments from a former spouse or partner?

• Yes
• No

SCC1_Q10 / EQ 34 - What is your best estimate of the amount of support payments [you/he/she/this person] received in the last 12 months?

SCC2_Q05 / EQ 35 - In the last 12 months, did [you/Respondent name] make support payments to a former spouse or partner?

• Yes
• No

SCC2_Q10 / EQ 36 - What is your best estimate of the total amount [you/he/she/this person] paid in support payments in the last 12 months?

SCC3_Q05 / EQ 37 - In the last 12 months, did [you/Respondent name] pay for child care, so that [you/he/she/this person] could work at a paid job?

• Yes
• No

SCC3_Q10 / EQ 38 - What is your best estimate, of the total amount [you/he/she/this person] paid for child care in the last 12 months?

DSQ_Q01 / EQ 39 - [Do/Does] [you/Respondent name] have any difficulty seeing?

• No
• Sometimes
• Often
• Always
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q02 / EQ 40 - [Do/Does] [you/he/she/this person] wear glasses or contact lenses to improve [your/his/her/their] vision?

• Yes
• No
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q03 / EQ 41 - [With [your/his/her/their] glasses or contact lenses, which] of the following best describes [your/Respondent’s name] ability to see?

• No difficulty seeing
• Some difficulty seeing
• A lot of difficulty seeing
• [You/He/She/This person] [are/is] legally blind
• [You/He/She/This person] [are/is] blind
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q04 / EQ 42 - How often does this [difficulty seeing/seeing condition] limit [your/his/her/their] daily activities?

• Never
• Rarely
• Sometimes
• Often
• Always
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q05 / EQ 43 - [Do/Does] [you/Respondent name] have any difficulty hearing?

• No
• Sometimes
• Often
• Always
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q06 / EQ 44 - [Do/Does] [you/Respondent name/this person] use a hearing aid or cochlear implant?

• Yes
• No
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q07 / EQ 45 - [With [your/his/her/their] hearing aid or cochlear implant, which/Which] of the following best describes [your/respondent’s name] ability to hear?

• No difficulty hearing
• Some difficulty hearing
• A lot of difficulty hearing
• [You/He/She/This person] cannot hear at all
• [You/He/She/This person] [is/are] Deaf
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q08 / EQ 46 - How often does this [difficulty hearing/hearing condition] limit [your/his/her/their] daily activities?

• Never
• Rarely
• Sometimes
• Often
• Always
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q09 / EQ 47 - [Do/Does] [you/Respondent name] have any difficulty walking, using stairs, using [your/his/her/their] hands or fingers or doing other physical activities?

• No
• Sometimes
• Often
• Always
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q10 / EQ 48 - How much difficulty [do/does] [you/he/she/this person] have walking on a flat surface for 15 minutes without resting?

• No difficulty
• Some difficulty
• A lot of difficulty
• [You/He/She/This person] cannot do at all
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q11 / EQ 49 - How much difficulty [do/does] [you/he/she/this person] have walking up or down a flight of stairs, about 12 steps without resting?

• No difficulty
• Some difficulty
• A lot of difficulty
• [You/He/She/This person] cannot do at all
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q12 / EQ 50 - How often [does this difficulty walking/does this difficulty using stairs/do these difficulties] limit [your/his/her/their] daily activities?

• Never
• Rarely
• Sometimes
• Often
• Always
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q13 / EQ 51 - How much difficulty [do/does] [you/Respondent name] have bending down and picking up an object from the floor?

• No difficulty
• Some difficulty
• A lot of difficulty
• [You/He/She/This person] cannot do at all
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q14 / EQ 52 - How much difficulty [do/does] [you/he/she/this person] have reaching in any direction, for example, above [your/his/her/their] head?

• No difficulty
• Some difficulty
• A lot of difficulty
• [You/He/She/This person] cannot do at all
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q15 / EQ 53 - How often [does this difficulty ending down and picking up an object/does this difficulty reaching/do these difficulties] limit [your/his/her/their] daily activities?

• Never
• Rarely
• Sometimes
• Often
• Always
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q16 / EQ 54 - How much difficulty [do/does] [you/Respondent name] have using [your/his/her/their] fingers to grasp small objects like a pencil or scissors?

• No difficulty
• Some difficulty
• A lot of difficulty
• [You/He/She/This person] cannot do at all
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q17 / EQ 55 - How often does this difficulty using [your/his/her/their] fingers limit [your/his/her/their] daily activities?

• Never
• Rarely
• Sometimes
• Often
• Always
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q18 / EQ 56 - [Do/Does] [you/Respondent name] have pain that is always present?

• Yes
• No
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q19 / EQ 57 - [Do/Does] [you/he/she/this person] [also] have periods of pain that reoccur from time to time?

• Yes
• No
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q20 / EQ 58 - How often does this pain limit [your/his/her/their] daily activities?

• Never
• Rarely
• Sometimes
• Often
• Always
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q21 / EQ 59 - When [you/Respondent name] [is/are] experiencing this pain, how much difficulty [do/does] [you/he/she/they] have with [your/his/her/their] daily activities?

• No difficulty
• Some difficulty
• A lot of difficulty
• [You/He/She/This person] cannot do most activities
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q22 / EQ 60 - [Do/Does] [you/Respondent name] have any difficulty learning, remembering or concentrating?

• Never
• Sometimes
• Often
• Always
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q23 / EQ 61 - Do you think [you/Respondent name] [have/has] a condition that makes it difficult in general for [you/him/her/them] to learn? This may include learning disabilities such as dyslexia, hyperactivity, attention problems, etc.

• Yes
• No
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q24 / EQ 62 - Has a teacher, doctor or other health care professional ever said that [you/Respondent name] had a learning disability?

• Yes
• No
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q25 / EQ 63 - How often are [your/his/her/their] daily activities limited by this condition?

• Never
• Rarely
• Sometimes
• Often
• Always
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q26 / EQ 64 - How much difficulty [do/does] [you/Respondent name] have with [your/his/her/their] daily activities because of this condition?

• No difficulty
• Some difficulty
• A lot of difficulty
• [You/He/She/This person] cannot do most activities
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q27 / EQ 65 - Has a doctor, psychologist or other health care professional ever said that [you/Respondent name] had a developmental disability or disorder? This may include Down syndrome, autism, Asperger syndrome, mental impairment due to lack of oxygen at birth, etc.

• Yes
• No
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q28 / EQ 66 - How often are [your/Respondent’s name] daily activities limited by this condition?

• Never
• Rarely
• Sometimes
• Often
• Always
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q29 / EQ 67 - How much difficulty [do/does] [you/Respondent name] have with [your/his/her/their] daily activities because of this condition?

• No difficulty
• Some difficulty
• A lot of difficulty
• [You/He/She/This person] cannot do most activities
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q30 / EQ 68 - [Do/Does] [you/he/she/this person] have any ongoing memory problems or periods of confusion?

• Yes
• No
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q31 / EQ 69 - How often are [your/his/her/their] daily activities limited by this problem?

• Never
• Rarely
• Sometimes
• Often
• Always
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q32 / EQ 70 - How much difficulty [do/does] [you/Respondent name] have with [your/his/her/their] daily activities because of this problem?

• No difficulty
• Some difficulty
• A lot of difficulty
• [You/He/She/This person] cannot do most activities
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q33 / EQ 71 - [Do/Does] [you/Respondent name] have any emotional, psychological or mental health conditions?

• No
• Sometimes
• Often
• Always
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q34 / EQ 72 - How often are [your/his/her/their] daily activities limited by this condition?

• Never
• Rarely
• Sometimes
• Often
• Always
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q35 / EQ 73 - When [you/he/she/Respondent name] [is/are] experiencing this condition, how much difficulty [do/does] [they/you/he/her] have with [your/his/her/their] daily activities?

• No difficulty
• Some difficulty
• A lot of difficulty
• [You/He/She/This person] cannot do most activities
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q36 / EQ 74 - [Do/Does] [you/Respondent name] have any other health problem or long-term condition that has lasted or is expected to last for six months or more?

• Yes
• No
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q37 / EQ 75 - How often does this health problem or long-term condition limit [your/his/her/their] daily activities?

• Never
• Rarely
• Sometimes
• Often
• Always
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q38 / EQ 76 - [Do/Does] [you/Respondent name] have pain that is always present?

• Yes
• No
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q39 / EQ 77 - [Do/Does] [you/he/she/this person] [also] have periods of pain that reoccur from time to time?

• Yes
• No
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q40 / EQ 78 - How often does this pain limit [your/his/her/their] daily activities?

• Never
• Rarely
• Sometimes
• Often
• Always
• Don’t know

DSQ_Q41 / EQ 79 - When [you/Respondent name] [is/are] experiencing this pain, how much difficulty [do/does] [you/he/she/they] have with [your/his/her/their] daily activities?

• No difficulty
• Some difficulty
• A lot of difficulty
• [You/He/She/This person] cannot do most activities
• Don’t know

UCN_Q05 / EQ 80 - During the past 12 months, was there ever a time when [you/Respondent name] felt that [you/he/she/they] needed health care, other than homecare services, but [you/he/she/they] did not receive it?

• Yes
• No

UCN_Q10 / EQ 81 - Thinking of the most recent time [you/Respondent name] felt this way, why didn’t [you/he/she/they] get care?

• Care not available in the area
• Care not available at time required (e.g. doctor busy, away from office or no longer at that practice, inconvenient hours)
• Do not have a regular health care provider
• Waiting time too long
• Appointment was cancelled
• Felt would receive inadequate care
• Cost
• Decided not to seek care
• Doctor didn't think it was necessary
• Transportation issue
• Other

UCN_Q15 / EQ 82 - Again, thinking of the most recent time, what was the type of care that was needed?

• Treatment of a chronic physical health condition diagnosed by a health professional
• Treatment of a chronic mental health condition diagnosed by a health professional
• Treatment of an acute infectious disease (e.g., cold, flu and stomach flu)
• Treatment of an acute physical condition (non-infectious)
• Treatment of an acute mental health condition (e.g., acute stress reaction)
• A regular check-up (including pre-natal care)
• Care of an injury
• Dental care
• Medication / Prescription refill
• Other

UCN_Q20 / EQ 83 - Did [you/he/she/this person] actively try to obtain the health care that was needed?

• Yes
• No

UCN_Q25 / EQ 84 - Where did [you/he/she/this person] try to get the service [you/he/she/they] [were/was] seeking?

• A doctor’s office
• A hospital outpatient clinic
• A community health centre [or CLSC]
• A walk-in clinic
• An emergency department or emergency room
• Other

Consultative engagement objectives

In Budget 2023, the Government of Canada introduced a national dental program to be implemented by Health Canada and committed over $13 billion in funding for the administration of this program. In parallel, Statistics Canada received $23.1 million over two years "to collect data on oral health and access to dental care in Canada" and inform the rollout of the new Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP). The funding received by Statistics Canada is being leveraged to establish a robust statistical program that includes the collection of data on Canadians' self-reported oral health status and oral health care needs, as well as data on the state of the oral health care system. Secondly, Statistics Canada is making the necessary investments required to build infrastructure for future collection activities beyond 2025.

Statistics Canada's new Oral Health Statistics Program (OHSP) aims to address oral health data needs through a comprehensive and integrated strategy that focuses on two core activities: the creation of new oral health surveys, and the acquisition and integration of administrative data on the topic.

With the creation of its new statistical program, Statistics Canada launched a series of consultative engagement sessions with key stakeholders. The objective of the engagement was to better understand stakeholder preferences for: accessing OHSP results, the format of dissemination products, and how to engage with OHSP data. This activity also aimed to informally survey the stakeholders' awareness of relevant data sources on oral health and oral health care.

Consultative engagement methods

Consultations on the Oral Health Statistics Program were conducted virtually through information sessions that included group discussions with a broad range of stakeholders from the Oral Health community. Input was received from regulatory authorities, professional associations, research networks, and other groups. The engagement sessions took place in two phases, one in the first two weeks of December 2023 and the second in the last two weeks of January 2024. These consultative engagement sessions were publicized through Statistics Canada's Consulting Canadians page. Moreover, individual stakeholders were invited by email to participate and to share the invitation with others within their network. In addition to the virtual group discussions, interested parties were offered an opportunity to provide feedback through means that included electronic forms and written submissions.

Overall, Statistics Canada moderated 10 group discussion sessions in both official languages and received feedback from 115 individuals who represented a total of 61 organizations from both the public and private sectors. These organizations—who were potential data providers and/or data users—included academia, municipal and provincial governments, and provincial and national professional associations in all oral health professions. Oral health professions including dental hygienists, dentists and dental surgeons, dental assistants, dental technicians/technologists, and dental therapists took part in the discussions. Input was also received from provincial- and federal-level regulatory bodies in oral health care.

What we heard from stakeholders

Organizations varied widely in their capabilities and experience when it came to oral health data analytics. Our consultations revealed that academic institutions, professional associations, and government agencies typically have dedicated data analytics teams, while smaller entities such as regulatory bodies tended to have limited capacity for independent data analysis.

Expressing their challenges in the current oral health data ecosystem, several stakeholders generally identified the following: limited resources to conduct analysis; barriers to data access; incomplete datasets due to the lack of integration of claims data with electronic health records, hospital admissions data for oral health issues, and provincial dental program data; organizational silos; and fatigue from responding to surveys resulting in low response rates. Despite these barriers, participants overwhelmingly expressed the potential benefits of using data from the Oral Health Statistics Program (OHSP) in support of advocacy efforts and to inform strategic decision-making. Stakeholders emphasized the importance of enabling access to aggregated, readily analyzable data, along with the flexibility to request specific datasets as needed. Notably, most organizations stated they do not conduct their own oral health surveys or maintain independent data repositories, choosing instead to leverage multiple external data sources. In sum, oral health stakeholders actively seek comprehensive, actionable data to effectively address key challenges and improve oral health outcomes.

Statistics Canada thanks participants for their contributions to this consultative engagement initiative. Their insights and experiences will be essential in developing relevant and timely data dissemination products and strategies that support data users.

As StatCan seeks to improve the quality of delivery of its IT services and reduce overall management and support costs, and as part of its ongoing modernization efforts, the Agency is now aligning services with the current and future needs of the business and has implemented a new Enterprise Service Management Solution (ESMS) for the organization called Helix Software as a Service (SaaS) system from the service provider BMC.

Objective

A privacy impact assessment for the Enterprise Service Management Solution (ESMS) was conducted to determine if there were any privacy, confidentiality, or security issues with this initiative and, if so, to make recommendations for their resolution or mitigation.

Description

The new solution integrates all the functions of service delivery formerly available through the outgoing systems: HEAT, Service Request Management (SRM), Self-service Hub request forms, Informatics Account Portal (IAP) and other portals and forms that integrate with the HEAT system. BMC Helix is a cloud-based SaaS, rather than the on-site hosted solutions of SRM-HEAT.

This system serves two functions: to serve as a service request system for IT as well as a service request management system for internal service delivery areas including: HR, Procurement, Finance, Facilities and Security. All services will now be provided via a unique front-end portal (DWP). The IT Service Management (ITSM) suite (incident management, work order management, change management, asset and configuration management) will be used to deliver IT services. Business Workflows will be used for delivering other internal service delivery areas requiring confidentiality within StatCan.

Risk Area Identification and Categorization

The PIA identifies the level of potential risk (level 1 is the lowest level of potential risk and level 4 is the highest) associated with the following risk areas:

Risk Area Identification and Categorization

Description	Risk scale
a) Type of program or activity
Administration of program or activity and services	2
b) Type of personal information involved and context
Social Insurance Number, medical, financial or other sensitive personal information or the context surrounding the personal information is sensitive; personal information of minors or of legally incompetent individuals or involving a representative acting on behalf of the individual.	3
c) Program or activity partners and private sector involvement
Private sector organizations, international organizations or foreign governments	4
d) Duration of the program or activity
Long-term program or activity.	3
e) Program population
The program's use of personal information for internal administrative purposes affects all employees.	2
f) Personal information transmission
The personal information is transmitted using wireless technologies.	4
g) Technology and privacy
The ESMS software solution will be implemented to support StatCan IT and internal service delivery areas in a Software as a service (SaaS) cloud environment hosted by BMC in their Government of Canada approved Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud. This solution will service IT as well as various internal service delivery areas. BMC will also be responsible for providing support in certain capacities. The platform includes self-service features and functionalities available to employee users for the purpose of, for example, reporting issues, submitting service requests, and performing other general user functions.
h) Potential risk that in the event of a privacy breach, there will be an impact on the individual or employee.
There is a low risk of a breach of some of the confidential personal information transiting through the Helix cloud. Should such a breach extend beyond StatCan, there could be an impact to the individual of varying significance depending on the sensitivity of the information breached. See Appendix 2, Personal Information Elements Table, for a list of the personal information.
i) Potential risk that in the event of a privacy breach, there will be an impact on the institution.
There is a low risk of a breach of some of the confidential personal information transiting through the Helix cloud. Should such a breach extend beyond StatCan, there could be a negative impact on StatCan’s reputation as a perceived inability to safeguard employee personal information.

Conclusion

This assessment of the Enterprise Service Management Solution (ESMS) did not identify any privacy risks that cannot be managed using existing safeguards.