Canadian Economic News, May 2023 Edition

This module provides a concise summary of selected Canadian economic events, as well as international and financial market developments by calendar month. It is intended to provide contextual information only to support users of the economic data published by Statistics Canada. In identifying major events or developments, Statistics Canada is not suggesting that these have a material impact on the published economic data in a particular reference month.

All information presented here is obtained from publicly available news and information sources, and does not reflect any protected information provided to Statistics Canada by survey respondents.

Wildfires

  • On May 6th, the Government of Alberta declared a provincial state of emergency in response to the threat of multiple wildfires burning throughout the province.
  • On May 11th, the Government of Canada announced it had approved a Request for Federal Assistance from the Province of Alberta to support efforts to combat the wildfire situation in the province, including authorizing the Canadian Armed Forces to provide personnel and resources to assist and enable fire fighting.
  • On May 17th, the Government of Saskatchewan announced that provincial command had been activated through Saskatchewan Public Safety's Provincial Emergency Operations Centre (PEOC) to assist in response to wildfire across northern Saskatchewan. On May 24th, the Government announced that due to recent rainfall and cooler weather it was lifting the provincial fire ban that had been in place since May 16th.
  • On May 28th, the Halifax Regional Municipality declared a local state of emergency in the communities affected by fires. On May 29th, the Government of Nova Scotia declared a provincewide burn ban until June 25th because of the seriousness of the current fires.
  • Calgary-based TC Energy Corporation announced on May 8th that as a result of the wildfires’ paths and proximity, the company conducted precautionary controlled shutdowns of three compressor stations on its NGTL System nearest to the active wildfires. On May 10th the company said it had been able to complete a restart of compressor units at all locations that were shut down.
  • Calgary-based Pembina Pipeline Corporation announced on May 8th that it had shut down assets, including the Saturn I and II gas plants north of Hinton, and the Duvernay Complex, west of Fox Creek, with a combined processing capacity of 443 million cubic feet per day. The company said that various related pump stations, gathering systems and other supporting infrastructure were also shut down. On May 11th, Pembina said that all facilities previously shut down due to the wildfires had resumed operations.
  • Calgary-based Cenovus Energy Inc. announced that on May 4th it began shutting in a number of producing Conventional fields and bringing down processing plants and that approximately 85,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d) of production, primarily dry gas, had been impacted in the company’s Rainbow Lake, Kaybob-Edson, Elmworth-Wapiti and Clearwater operating areas.
  • Calgary-based Crescent Point Energy Corporation announced on May 8th that it had temporarily shut-in approximately 45,000 boe/d of production in the Kaybob Duvernay. On May 10th, the company said it had restored approximately 75% of the production. On May 16th, Crescent Point said it was temporarily shutting back-in the remainder of its 45,000 boe/d of production in the area as a precautionary measure due to changing wildfire conditions. On May 29th, Crescent Point said that over the past week it had brought back on stream the full 45,000 boe/d of Kaybob Duvernay production previously shut in.
  • Calgary-based Paramount Resources Ltd. announced on May 7th that as a result of the shut-in of fields and operated and third-party infrastructure, approximately 50,000 boe/d of production had been temporarily curtailed since the evening of May 5th. On May 10th, Paramount said it had restored 75% of the curtailed production and that it had fully resumed operations in the Grande Prairie Region. On May 14th, the company said that the third-party Wapiti natural gas processing facility and the Company's fields producing to the facility were again shut down on the afternoon of May 12th and that approximately 45,000 boe/d of production in the Grande Prairie and Kaybob Regions was temporarily curtailed. On May 29th, Paramount said it had restored the majority of production that had been temporarily curtailed.
  • Calgary-based NuVista Energy Ltd. announced on May 8th that it had temporarily shut in and depressured  all operations and that the impact was approximately 40,000 boe/d. On May 23rd, NuVista said it was able to restart most operations over the prior weekend, with daily production increased to approximately 65,000 boe/d.
  • Calgary-based Whitecap Resources Inc. announced on May 17th that wildfires had continued to impact operations in northern Alberta and in northeast British Columbia and that approximately 26,000 boe/d was shut-in. The company said that over the last two weeks this had fluctuated between 12,000 boe/d and 40,000 boe/d shut-in at any given time.

Resources

  • Texas-based ConocoPhillips Company announced it was exercising its preemption right to purchase the remaining 50% interest in Surmont from TotalEnergies EP Canada Ltd. for approximately $4 billion. The company said the transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2023, with an effective date of April 1, 2023, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.
  • On May 9th, Calgary-based TC Energy Corporation announced it had halted the majority of construction on an approximately 20-km stretch of the Coastal GasLink project route near the Anzac River, B.C. in order to enhance erosion and sediment control measures during the Spring melt season. On May 11th, the company said  it had stopped construction work on an approximately 10-km stretch of the project route south of Houston, B.C. to implement erosion and sediment control measures. TC Energy said construction on certain areas will continue where conditions permit, with ramp up back to full construction expected in early summer and construction completed by the end of 2023.
  • Toronto-based Centerra Gold Inc. announced on May 31st that it expects to restart full operations at the Öksüt mine in Türkiye in the coming weeks after the Turkish Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change approved the amended Environmental Impact Assessment for the mine.

Financial

  • Toronto-based CI Financial Corp. announced it had agreed to sell a 20% minority investment in its U.S. wealth management business (CI US) for approximately $1.34 billion. CI Financial said the transaction was expected to close in late May 2023.
  • California-based Franklin Resources, Inc. announced a definitive agreement to acquire Putnam Investments of Massachusetts from Great-West Lifeco, Inc. of Winnipeg for approximately USD $925 million as well as up to USD $375 million in contingent consideration tied to revenue growth targets from the partnership. Franklin Resources said the transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2023, subject to customary closing conditions.

Other news

  • The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) announced on May 4th that its bargaining team had reached a tentative agreement for more than 35,000 Canada Revenue Agency workers.
  • On May 25th the Government of Prince Edward Island presented its 2023-24 operating budget, which included increased investments in healthcare and housing as well as funding to make life more affordable, protect the environment, and grow the workforce and economy. The Government forecasts a $97.6 million deficit and real GDP growth of 3.5% for 2023.
  • The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador announced the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW) and the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) had reached an agreement to commence the 2023 crab fishery.

United States and other international news

  • The World Health Organization announced on May 5th that COVID-19 is now an established and ongoing health issue which no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).
  • The U.S. Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) raised the target range for the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to 5.00% to 5.25%. The last change in the target range was a 25 basis points increase in March 2023. The Committee also said it will continue reducing its holdings of Treasury securities and agency debt and agency mortgage-backed securities.
  • The European Central Bank (ECB) raised its three key interest rates by 25 basis points to 3.75% (main refinancing operations), 4.00% (marginal lending facility), and 3.25% (deposit facility). The last change in these rates was a 50 basis points increase in March 2023. The ECB also said the Asset Purchase Programme (APP) portfolio will decline by €15 billion per month on average until the end of June 2023 and then the Governing Council expects to discontinue the reinvestments under the APP as of July 2023. The ECB also said it intends to reinvest the principal payments from maturing securities purchased under the Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme (PEPP) until at least the end of 2024.
  • The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted to increase the Bank Rate by 25 basis points to 4.50%. The last change in the Bank Rate was a 25 basis points increase in March 2023.
  • The Monetary Policy and Financial Stability Committee of Norway's Norges Bank raised the policy rate by 25 basis points to 3.25%. The last change in the policy rate was a 25 basis points increase in March 2023.
  • The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) raised the target for the cash rate by 25 basis points to 3.85%. The last change in the target for the cash rate was a 25 basis points increase in March 2023.
  • The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) increased the Official Cash Rate (OCR), its main policy rate, by 25 basis points to 5.50%. The last change in the OCR was a 50 basis points increase in April 2023.
  • The U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) announced on May 1st that First Republic Bank of San Francisco was closed by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation and that to protect depositors, the FDIC entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with New York-based JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association to assume all of the deposits and substantially all of the assets of First Republic Bank. The FDIC said First Republic Bank’s 84 offices in eight states would reopen as branches of JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association and that all depositors of First Republic Bank would become depositors of JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, and would have full access to all of their deposits.
  • Virginia-based Boeing Company and Ryanair DAC of Ireland announced that Ryanair had signed an order for up 300 737 MAX airplanes, including a firm order for 150 737-10 jets and options for 150 more.
  • Oklahoma-based ONEOK, Inc., an owner of natural gas liquids (NGL) systems, and Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P., a transporter and distributer of refined petroleum products and crude oil, announced they had executed a definitive merger agreement under which ONEOK will acquire all outstanding units of Magellan in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at approximately USD $18.8 billion including assumed debt. The companies said the transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2023, subject to customary closing conditions, including the approvals of both ONEOK shareholders and Magellan unitholders, as well as Hart Scott Rodino Act clearance.

Financial market news

  • West Texas Intermediate crude oil closed at USD $68.09 per barrel on May 31st, down from a closing value of USD $76.78 at the end of April. Western Canadian Select crude oil traded in the USD $46 to $54 per barrel range throughout May. The Canadian dollar closed at 73.51 cents U.S. on May 31st, down from 73.65 cents U.S. at the end of April. The S&P/TSX composite index closed at 19,572.24  on May 31st, down from 20,636.54 at the end of April.

Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey – Follow-up Questionnaire, 2023

Date: April 2023

Program manager: Director, Center for Direct Health Measures
Director General, Health Statistics  

Original Supplement to the Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey (CCAHS) - Privacy impact assessment summary:
Supplement to Privacy Impact Assessment for the Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey for Cycle 2

Reference to Personal Information Bank (PIB):

Personal information collected through the voluntary Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey – Follow-up Questionnaire, 2023 is described in Statistics Canada's "Health Surveys" PIB, (Bank number: StatCan PPU 806) which is published on the Statistics Canada website for Information about Programs and Information Holdings.

Description of changes to the statistical activity:

Statistics Canada conducted the voluntary Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey (CCAHS) Cycle 2 from April to August 2022, a survey for which a Supplement to the Privacy Impact Assessment for the Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey for Cycle 2 was created.

For this voluntary follow-up survey, 80% of respondents (26,036 individuals) from the second cycle of the Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey (the parent survey) who voluntarily provided a valid email address at the end of the survey for follow-up by Statistics Canada will be contacted and asked to participate in the online questionnaire.

The content of the Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey – Follow-up Questionnaire, 2023 (follow-up) is a mix of new and reused CCAHS Cycle 2 questions. As with the parent survey, the follow-up will collect a variety of personal information such as: the presence of chronic conditions and symptoms, COVID-19 status, vaccination against COVID-19, prescription medication use to treat COVID-19, impacts to work or school and interactions with the health care system from experiencing COVID-19 and sources of income and labour market activities.

Key differences between the parent survey and the follow-up include:

  1. The follow-up will be collected longitudinally: the sample for the follow-up will be limited to CCAHS Cycle 2 participants who provided a valid email address after being informed that Statistics Canada could contact them in the future to follow-up on some of the information they provided in the survey. Microdata linkage will be performed to link individual respondent information between the parent survey and the follow-up.
  2. The follow-up will not repeat the parent survey biospecimen (blood sample) collection or the survey content related to testing, e.g., consent to test and biobank samples.
  3. The follow-up will not repeat the parent survey collection of the following modules from the CCAHS Cycle 2 questionnaire: contact information, demographics, pregnancy status, general health and risk factors.
  4. The follow-up will introduce new questions to determine the recency of COVID-19 infections, severity of symptoms, support for symptom management, and respondents’ reliance on disability benefits or worker’s compensation.

Reason for addendum:

While the Supplement to the Privacy Impact Assessment for the Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey for Cycle 2 addresses most of the privacy and security risks related to statistical activities conducted by Statistics Canada, this addendum describes the changes related to the Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey – Follow-up Questionnaire, 2023 and demonstrates the necessity and proportionality of removing the biospecimen collection component, making the follow-up longitudinal and collecting additional sensitive information not addressed in either of the previous CCAHS PIAs on receiving disability benefits or worker’s compensation.  

Necessity and Proportionality

The collection of personal information for the program can be justified against Statistics Canada’s Necessity and Proportionality Framework:

1. Necessity

1.1 Removal of biospecimen collection

The collection of additional biospecimens is no longer a data requirement as the focus of the research program has shifted from determining SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and active infection status to gathering updated self-reported health information from respondents.

1.2 Longitudinal nature of collection

The need for a longitudinal questionnaire linking respondent information from the parent and follow-up surveys emerged based on the changing impacts of the pandemic and increasing knowledge about the post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) and its relatively high prevalence in those who had COVID-19. Comparing data over time will allow for a more accurate analysis of the outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection by extending the follow-up time to track the evolution of symptoms, including the persistence of PCC, while considering the mediating effects of reinfections. The longitudinal aspect of the survey aims to fulfill the data gaps surrounding the longer-term health, financial and social impacts of COVID-19.

1.3 New disability benefits or workers’ compensation question

New data is required to investigate if experiencing a SARS-CoV-2 infection and/or its resulting health outcomes is associated with obtaining disability benefits and workers’ compensation, in an aim to increase the availability of high-quality evidence to support the mandate of public health authorities in Canada. These data could, for instance, help to better understand the impacts of PCC on Canadians, including possible financial effects related to the type and longevity of symptoms. The data will also enable an evaluation of existing disability and workers’ compensation services during the pandemic recovery.

2. Effectiveness - Working assumptions:

2.1 Removal of biospecimen collection

Biospecimen collection does not fall within the scope of the follow-up; prevalence for antibody and active COVID-19 infections are not required and therefore not collected for this questionnaire.  

2.2 Longitudinal nature of collection

Data from the follow-up will be combined with CCAHS Cycle 2 data to produce the evidence needed to inform decision-making. A longitudinal survey design is selected over repeating a cross-sectional survey design because it enables the use of a shorter collection instrument to track the potential persistence of health outcomes (e.g., long-term symptoms) following a SARS-CoV-2 infection while reducing the burden on respondents. Moreover, the relatively invasive biospecimen collection of self-administered dried blood spot tests does not need to be repeated in this longitudinal cohort of Canadians, as they have already self-administered and returned biospecimens that confirmed the status of a prior infection through antibody testing. No additional follow-ups are planned for the selected cohort of participants.

2.3 New disability benefits or workers’ compensation question

The new question and wording for disability benefits and worker’s compensation is based on a question from Statistics Canada’s 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability that was tested and performed well in the field. A minor adjustment was made to the question to include a reference to benefits from the workers’ compensation program as the target population of the follow-up is not limited to Canadians who previously reported living with a disability.

3. Proportionality

3.1 Removal of biospecimen collection

Proportional to evolving needs, the removal of biospecimen collection reduces both respondent burden and the privacy invasiveness associated with the collection of sensitive data.

3.2 Longitudinal nature of collection

Those who responded to the parent survey detailed their experience surrounding a first COVID-19 experience in the context of SARS-CoV-2 variants circulating between the start of the pandemic and the end of August 2022; as the virus is continually evolving, a longitudinal survey design enables Statistics Canada to complement existing respondent information and investigate the impacts of reinfections, evolving variants and whether persisting post-infection symptoms have resolved. Furthermore, by linking follow-up data to parent survey data and not readministering the baseline health and sociodemographic questions that are necessary for analyses of quality, the follow-up survey allows for a proportional reduction in respondent burden leading to improved response rates in a population that is being surveyed twice in less than a year. Surveying all eligible respondents for the follow-up, as opposed to a sub-sample, was deemed methodologically necessary to reach or exceed the minimum number of respondents required to produce and publish disaggregated statistics by sub-population and province while protecting the privacy of the individual respondents. While the questionnaire collects sensitive health data, careful consideration was made to avoid adversely impacting the privacy of respondents by limiting the number of questions being asked. Compared to its parent survey, which had 72 questions, the follow-up is limited to 26 questions. This step limits the overall survey completion time and invasiveness of the research program. Moreover, the longitudinal nature of the follow-up questionnaire removes the need to request that a new cohort of respondents self-administer the relatively invasive biospecimen test.

3.3 New disability benefits or workers’ compensation question

Fulfilling this data gap could help identify health inequities and better evaluate existing programs and services to better inform the pandemic recovery efforts. This is particularly relevant given the high prevalence (≈15%) of Canadians who were previously infected by SARS-CoV-2 who may be affected by PCC.

4. Alternatives

4.1 Removal of biospecimen collection

No alternatives considered as this action reduces privacy invasiveness and the burden of self-administered tests on respondents.

4.2 Longitudinal nature of collection

There are no other sources of nationally representative data on the longitudinal progression of COVID-19 symptoms and reinfections in Canada, at the person level, in individuals for whom we have sociodemographic information, health status data such as existing chronic conditions and symptoms, and COVID-19-specific health data such as vaccination and infection status confirmed through antibody testing, dating back to the start of the pandemic.

4.3 New disability benefits or workers’ compensation question

There are no other data sources collecting or combining information on disability benefits or workers’ compensation with individual level confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity (a positive result of a blood test for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies), chronic conditions and symptoms, progression and symptoms of PCC, details about a prior infection, vaccination status, pre-existing conditions, the use of and challenges with accessing health care services along with sociodemographic information that will enable the disaggregated statistics by sub-population and province.

Mitigation factors

The overall risk of harm to the survey respondents has been deemed manageable with the implementation of existing Statistics Canada safeguards that are described in Statistics Canada’s Generic Privacy Impact Assessment, the Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey (CCAHS) - Privacy Impact Assessment, and the Supplement to Privacy Impact Assessment for the Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey for Cycle 2, including the following:

  • The longitudinal collection and microdata linkage between the parent survey and the follow-up survey will result in the latter collecting less sensitive content overall.
  • Removal of the self-administered blood sample will similarly reduce privacy invasiveness by eliminating biospecimen collection from the follow-up.
  • Respondents were duly informed that participation in the parent survey was voluntary, that their information could be combined with other data, and that their contact information could be used to contact them for follow-up:

Voluntary participation

The Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey (CCAHS) aims to collect important information about lasting general health problems and symptoms and about post-COVID-19 condition. The purpose is to gather information on the presence of COVID-19 among the Canadian population, protection against COVID-19, health concerns, use of the health care system and prescribed medications. This information will be collected in two parts: through an electronic questionnaire and through a self-administered COVID-19 testing component.
 
Even if you do not think you have been exposed to COVID-19, your participation is important as it will provide useful information about the virus and insight into the overall health of Canadians. You will also receive a copy of your lab report, providing you with valuable information about your own health. Survey results will be used to develop programs and services to respond to needs related to the pandemic.

Your information may also be used by Statistics Canada for other statistical and research purposes.

Although voluntary, your participation is important so that the information collected is as accurate and complete as possible.

Record linkages

To enhance the data from this survey and to minimize the reporting burden for respondents, Statistics Canada will combine your responses with information from the tax data of all members of your household. Statistics Canada and the ministry of health for your home province or territory may also add information from other surveys or administrative sources.

For Quebec residents, the Institut de la statistique du Québec may add information from other surveys or administrative sources.

Having a provincial or territorial health number will assist Statistics Canada in linking the survey data to the provincial or territorial health information.

Contact information

Statistics Canada may contact you in the future to follow-up on some of the information you have provided. …

Wording in the survey purpose and data linkage content at the beginning of the follow-up questionnaire informs respondents of the longitudinal nature of the survey:

Why are we conducting this survey?

Understanding how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the health and well-being of Canadians is an important step toward Canada’s recovery. To support this goal, Statistics Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada have partnered to conduct a follow-up to the Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey (CCAHS – Follow-up Questionnaire). The data from this survey will be combined with data from cycle 2 of the CCAHS, which was conducted between April and August 2022, to produce the evidence needed for informed decision-making.

This follow-up will collect updated information about your health. The questions will touch on changes in vaccination status, reinfection with the virus that causes COVID-19, symptoms of COVID-19 and impact on daily life, health conditions and the use of health care services.

Your information may also be used by Statistics Canada for other statistical and research purposes.

Although voluntary, your participation is important so that the information collected is as accurate and complete as possible.

Record linkages

To enhance the data from this survey and to reduce the response burden, Statistics Canada will combine the information you provide with information from the Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey (CCAHS) – Cycle 2.

Statistics Canada may also combine the information you provide with other survey or administrative data sources.

Wording in the data sharing content in the follow-up questionnaire informs respondents of the data sharing agreements:

Data sharing agreements

To avoid duplication of surveys, Statistics Canada may enter into agreements to share the data from this survey with provincial and territorial ministries of health, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. For Quebec residents, Statistics Canada may also enter into an agreement with the Institut de la statistique du Québec to share the same information.
 
The Institut de la statistique du Québec and provincial ministries of health may make this data available to local health authorities. Local health authorities will not receive any identifiers.

These organizations have agreed to keep the data confidential and use it only for statistical purposes.”

Conclusion:

This assessment concludes that with the existing Statistics Canada safeguards and mitigations listed above, any remaining risks are such that Statistics Canada is prepared to accept and manage the risk.

Canada's population reaches 40 million

40,000,000

As of June 16, 2023, there are now 40 million Canadians! This is a historic milestone for Canada and certainly cause for celebration. It is also a great opportunity to look back on the country's growth over the years, and to reflect on the future.

Video: Canada by the million

Join us in celebrating a milestone as Canada's population surges to an incredible 40 million! Discover the factors contributing to this growth and gain insights into the social and economic implications for the country. From immigration trends to regional shifts, uncover the fascinating dynamics behind Canada's evolving demographic landscape.

Canada's population is currently growing at a record-setting pace. In 2022, the number of Canadians rose by 1,050,110. This marks the first time in Canadian history that our population grew by over 1 million people in a single year, and the highest annual population growth rate (+2.7%) on record since 1957 (+3.3%).

Canada's population through the years

Canada's population growth, from confederation to 2023.
Description - Canada's population growth, from confederation to 2023.
1867
 
Late 1800s
The Klondike Gold Rush
1894
5,000,000
Early 1900s
Major waves of European immigration
1929
10,000,000
1946 to 1965
Post-World War II baby boom
1966
20,000,000
1995
Immigration becomes the main source of population growth
1997
30,000,000
2015
More Canadians aged 65 and up than under 14 for the first time
2023
40,000,000

Variant of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0 with Aggregates for Analysis of Labour force - Background information

The variant of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0 with Aggregates for Analysis of Labour force is a regrouping variant. The first level of the variant replaces the broad occupational categories by regrouping for labour force categories and a new level has been added above major groupings in order to aggregate selected major groups.

The variant is designed to provide a context-specific alternative to the standard classification structure. The variant regroups occupations by similar characteristics such as wages, tenure, hours worked, union status, management responsibilities.

Each grouping is composed of complete major groups; no major groups are split between variant groupings.

Each grouping is composed of complete major groups; no major groups are split between variant groupings.
Variant code Variant grouping for labour force categories
L0 This section comprises all management occupations with management responsibilities. It includes legislators, senior managers and middle managers.
L1 This section comprises all professional occupations in finance and business; administrative and financial supervisors and specialized administrative occupations; administrative occupations and transportation logistics occupations; and administrative and financial support and supply chain logistics occupations. It excludes middle management occupations, which are included in variant category L0 - Management occupations.
L2 This section comprises occupations in natural sciences (including basic and applied sciences and experimental development), engineering, architecture and information technology. It excludes middle management occupations, which are included in variant category L0 - Management occupations.
L3 This section comprises occupations concerned with providing health care services directly to patients (professional and technical occupations in health) and occupations that provide support to health services. It excludes middle management occupations, which are included in variant category L0 - Management occupations.
L4 This section comprises occupations concerned with teaching, law, counselling, conducting social science research, developing government policy, and administering government and other programs, and related support occupations. It excludes middle management occupations, which are included in variant category L0 - Management occupations.
L5 This section comprises professional, technical, support and other occupations concerned with art and culture (including the performing arts, film and video, broadcasting, journalism, writing, creative design, libraries and museums), recreation and sports. It excludes middle management occupations, which are included in variant category L0 - Management occupations.
L6 This section comprises occupations concerned with wholesale and retail sales, and customer, personal and support service occupations related to a wide range of industries, such as accommodation and food services, travel, tourism and cleaning services. It excludes middle management occupations, which are included in variant category L0 - Management occupations.
L7 This section comprises occupations concerned with transportation; technical trades; general trades; and mail and message distribution. Transportation officers and controllers; other transport equipment operators and related maintenance workers; and helpers and labourers and other transport drivers, operators and labourers are also included.
It excludes middle management occupations, which are included in variant category L0 - Management occupations.
L8 This section comprises supervision and equipment operation occupations in the natural resource-based sectors of mining, oil and gas production, forestry and logging, agriculture, horticulture and fishing. Harvesting, landscaping and natural resources labourers are also included. Most occupations in this category are industry specific and do not occur outside of the primary resources industries. It excludes middle management occupations, which are included in variant category L0 - Management occupations.
L9 This section comprises all occupations concerned with supervisory, production and labouring in manufacturing, processing and utilities. It excludes middle management occupations, which are included in variant category L0 - Management occupations.

Hierarchical structure

The structure of the NOC 2021 V1.0 – Aggregates for Analysis of Labour force variant is hierarchical. It is composed of six levels:

Level 1: section - regrouping for labour force categories (two-digit alpha numeric variant codes)

Level 2: division (three -digit alpha numeric variant codes)

Level 3: major group (two-digit standard codes)

Level 4: sub-major group (three-digit standard codes)

Level 5: minor group (four-digit standard codes)

Level 6: unit group (five-digit standard codes)

2021 Census of Population: Families, households and marital status, Canadian military experience, and Income

Video - 2021 Census of Population: Families, households and marital status, Canadian military experience, and Income

A presentation on the third set of results from the 2021 Census of Population.  This presentation provides an an overview of key results, including marital status and family structure, with data on the gender diversity of couples, a new question on current and past military service in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), income concepts and definitions, as well as information on results, and how to access data products and resources and more.

In June 2023, questions measuring the Labour Market Indicators were added to the Labour Force Survey as a supplement.

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 Indicators

ENTRY_Q01 / EQ1 – From the following list, please select the household member that will be completing this questionnaire on behalf of the entire household.

RET_Q1 / EQ2 – At this time, [do/does] [you/respondent name/this person] consider [yourself/himself/herself/themselves] to be?

RET_Q2 / EQ3 – After retirement, some people return to work and later retire again. [Have/Has] [you/respondent name/this person] retired more than one time?

RET_Q3/ EQ4 – When did [you/respondent name/this person] [last] retire?

RET_Q4/ EQ5 – Which of the following factors affected the timing of [your/respondent name’s/this person’s] retirement?

RET_Q5/ EQ6 – Which of those factors played the most important role?

RET_Q6/ EQ7 – At what age [do/does] [you/respondent name/this person] plan to [completely] retire?

RET_Q7/ EQ8 – Instead of retiring, would [you/respondent name/this person] work longer if:

Retail Commodity Survey: CVs for Total Sales March 2023

Retail Commodity Survey: CVs for Total Sales March 2023
Table summary
This table displays the results of Retail Commodity Survey: CVs for Total Sales (March 2023). The information is grouped by NAPCS-CANADA (appearing as row headers), and Month (appearing as column headers).
NAPCS-CANADA Month
202301 202302 202303
Total commodities, retail trade commissions and miscellaneous services 0.55 0.63 0.66
Retail Services (except commissions) [561] 0.55 0.62 0.64
Food and beverages at retail [56111] 0.41 0.33 0.34
Cannabis products, at retail [56113] 0.00 0.00 0.00
Clothing at retail [56121] 1.23 1.49 1.42
Jewellery and watches, luggage and briefcases, at retail [56123] 4.58 3.87 4.95
Footwear at retail [56124] 1.63 1.15 1.30
Home furniture, furnishings, housewares, appliances and electronics, at retail [56131] 1.10 1.16 1.14
Sporting and leisure products (except publications, audio and video recordings, and game software), at retail [56141] 2.46 2.32 2.28
Publications at retail [56142] 5.63 5.62 6,13
Audio and video recordings, and game software, at retail [56143] 6.99 5.33 5.16
Motor vehicles at retail [56151] 1.75 2.34 2.25
Recreational vehicles at retail [56152] 5.94 5.28 4.16
Motor vehicle parts, accessories and supplies, at retail [56153] 1.78 1.66 1.78
Automotive and household fuels, at retail [56161] 1.70 1.38 1.40
Home health products at retail [56171] 2.44 2.39 2.53
Infant care, personal and beauty products, at retail [56172] 2.88 2.80 3.01
Hardware, tools, renovation and lawn and garden products, at retail [56181] 2.23 1.71 1.77
Miscellaneous products at retail [56191] 3.28 2.41 2.31
Retail trade commissions [562] 2.25 2.28 2.51

2023 submissions

Linking the 2011 National Household Survey and the 2016 long-form Census data to Nunavut incident Tuberculosis (TB) data (2010 to present) (001-2023)

Linking the 2011 National Household Survey and the 2016 long-form Census data to Nunavut incident Tuberculosis (TB) data (2010 to present) (001-2023)

Purpose: The goal of the project is to develop methodology to predict residential households or groups of households at high risk of developing active TB disease. This will concentrate efforts on community-wide screening using an Inuit-specific prediction score that goes beyond traditional biological risk factors that often do not apply to Inuit living in this remote region of Canada in a reproducible, standardized, automated approach that local health care practitioners can use.

Output: The linked datasets (2011 NHS-TB and 2016 long-form Census-TB) will be used for analysis by the Taima TB research group at UOttawa. Members of the team will be made deemed employees for this purpose. The datasets will contain geocoordinates for houses in Nunavut, which are direct identifiers. To minimize the risk of disclosure and breach of confidentiality, the Centre of Indigenous Statistics and Partnerships (CISP) will be custodians for the datasets, the data will only be accessed at a StatCan office, and any dissemination will be subject to disclosure control guidelines developed by StatCan methodologists. The source datasets will be anonymized and will respect variable restrictions in effect for them.

Only aggregate data that conforms to the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act will be released outside of Statistics Canada. The household level data will be used in regression models and outputs such as aggregate distribution of the derivation and validation cohorts, regression coefficients, Receiver Operating Characteristics curves, list of variables that will make up the risk scores, a histogram of risk score and predicted risk of TB will be released in publications and presentations.

Firm technology adoption, its determinants, and impacts (003-2023)

Firm technology adoption, its determinants, and impacts (003-2023)

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to better understand what causes firms to adopt new technology and the consequences it has on firms and workers. To do so, a microdata linkage will be established between firm-level surveys on technology adoption (Survey of Business Innovation and Strategy, Survey of Advanced Technology, and Survey of Digital Technology and Internet Use) and employer-employee database (Canadian Employer-Employee Dynamics Database) as well as other databases (Census of Population and data on union representation votes for Canadian firms).

This project can help better inform Canadians on technology adoption and its impacts on the economy and labour market. In addition, it will provide relevant evidence and information to the academic community and policy-makers, which helps support the development of policies and programs to promote equal technology adoption and diffusion among businesses so as to increase Canada’s competitiveness and the benefit of people living in Canada.

Output: The output of this project will include several analytical reports that address the following questions:

  1. What are the main factors that drive a firm’s decision to adopt technology?
  2. How different are the patterns of technology adoption by businesses owned by subpopulation groups such as women and immigrants? Do they experience additional hurdles for technology adoption?
  3. What is the relationship between unionization and technology adoption? Do unions act as facilitator or inhibitor of technology adoption?
  4. What are the impacts of technology adoption on firm performance?
  5. What are the outcomes of technology adoption on workers such as job displacement, changes in wages and inequality etc.?

The analytical file, without identifiers, will be made available via Statistics Canada Secure Access Points (such as Research Data Centres), and access will be granted to Statistics Canada deemed employees following the standard approval process.bation standard.

Linking the Level of Supervision and Official Language Variables to the ESDC Employee Wellness Survey (ESDC EWS) (004-2023)

Linking the Level of Supervision and Official Language Variables to the ESDC Employee Wellness Survey (ESDC EWS) (004-2023)

Purpose: The overall objective of the ESDC Employee Wellness Survey is to assess conditions in the work environment at ESDC and inform strategies that meet the needs of employees and optimize their well-being.

The purpose of the linkage is to add two variables to the ESDC EWS share file, which would be used to subset the data by Level of supervision and by official language. This would allow for analysis of principal survey results that would provide for a more in-depth analysis of these subgroups of respondents’ potentially different experiences to be understood and addressed in the form of improved people management practices.

Output: The planned outputs are a ESDC EWS Share file, and non-confidential aggregate statistics in the form of Excel tables and a Power BI dashboard, for Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). Statistics Canada will enter into a data sharing agreement with ESDC who in signing the agreement, agrees to keep the information shared confidential, and only use it for statistical and research purposes. Respondents to the ESDC EWS were informed of the sharing with ESDC at the time of collection, and only those respondents that agreed to share their information will be included in the ESDC EWS Share file. No direct identifiers, including personal identifiers, will be included on the ESDC EWS Share file. The ESDC EWS Master file placed in the Research Data Centres (RDCs) will not include the two linked variables. Only non-confidential aggregate statistics will be released outside of Statistics Canada.

Surrey Opioid Data Collection and Community Response Project: Linking Surrey Opioids data with Census, income, health and immigration data to generate privacy-enhancing synthetic data (005-2023)

Surrey Opioid Data Collection and Community Response Project: Linking Surrey Opioids data with Census, income, health and immigration data to generate privacy-enhancing synthetic data (005-2023)

Purpose: Building on the purpose of the 008-2018 linkage project, which was to build the capacity for identifying the primary risk factors and the sub-populations at greatest risk of an overdose. To create a better understanding of the characteristics of those individuals at the heart of the opioid crisis-particularly for those individuals using and dying in their residence. To aid in the effort to understand the roots of the illicit drug epidemic and the individuals most at risk of overdose. In addition to the policy perspective, if successful, synthetically generated opioid data can be used by researchers, health-care developers and clinical scientists to develop innovative health-care solutions and use it for teaching and training purposes.

This new project will utilize the same referenced cohort (008-2018 linkage project) to produce a generative Machine-Learning model for generation of privacy-enhancing synthetic datasets. Several Machine Learning models will be assessed to identify one which optimally balances privacy risks disclosures with data utility. Development and assessments of models and synthetic datasets will be a collaborative work between Statistics Canada and UQAM University researchers.

In addition, should the proof-of-concept be successful in balancing privacy and confidentiality risks against the data utility, it will allow useable privacy-enhancing granular-level synthetic data and study outcomes to a wider group of researchers and policymakers could encourage innovation through active collaboration and facilitate a broader and faster advancement of solutions to the opioid crisis. Synthetic patient data that preserves the relationship among study variables but contains no records that represents or identifies an actual individual in the cohort would be a viable solution to this problem.

Output: A comprehensive technical report summarizing the methodology, assessment of the generative algorithms, key findings, lessons learned and recommendations for next steps (if any). High-level findings may be reported in the form of presentations to various Public Safety Canada partners. Deemed employees of Statistics Canada will only have access to the data with an anonymized linkage ID, but NOT the direct identifiers, and use only authorised devices from Statistics Canada secure access points during this project.

A well-documented code repository for the project under Statistics Canada’s existing and future policies. As part of Open Science initiative, free access to the open-source tool and libraires will be rendered to public. Code will not contain sensitive information and will undergo appropriate assessments before release.

A pre-trained generative model that can produce a high-quality data in a differentially private setting. Such an approach in production could guide the development of targeted approaches for prevention, treatment, and identification of possible intervention points for the high-risk population in opioid-toxicity studies. This model will be capable of generating novel synthetic data instances not found in the original dataset which maintains the privacy of the members of the original dataset, while maintaining key properties that respect the data distribution.

No confidential Statistics Canada micro-data will be made publicly available during or after the completion of the research collaboration under this agreement. This term also extends to Machine Learning (pre-trained) models and prototypes that may in turn divulge confidential information.

Linkage of the Census of Agriculture across census years, 1986 to 2011 (006-2023)

Linkage of the Census of Agriculture across census years, 1986 to 2011 (006-2023)

Purpose: Relatively little analysis has been undertaken to measure farm-level productivity in Canada. This work will examine the degree that productivity growth is driven by improvements within continuing farms compared to how much results from the reallocation of resources like land between farms. This serves to inform policy aimed at improving the productivity of the agriculture sector.

Output: Only non-confidential aggregate statistical outputs and analyses that conform to the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act will be released outside of Statistics Canada. The information will be presented in the form of tables of regression results and summary statistics related to the project’s goal.

Analytical datasets will be placed in the Research Data Centres (RDCs) and access will be granted following the standard RDC approval process. The source datasets will be anonymized and will respect variable restrictions in effect for the source datasets. Access to the analytical file is restricted to researchers who have become deemed employees of Statistics Canada.

Linkage of the Survey of Before and After School Care in Canada, 2022 to the 2020 T1 Family File, 2021-2022 Canadian Child Benefit File, the Longitudinal Immigration Database. (007-2023)

Linkage of the Survey of Before and After School Care in Canada, 2022 to the 2020 T1 Family File, 2021-2022 Canadian Child Benefit File, the Longitudinal Immigration Database. (007-2023)

Purpose: The purpose of this linkage is to respond to the data needs of the Government of Canada’s Multilateral Framework for Early Learning and Child Care. This framework identifies key priorities for child care, including child care that is inclusive and flexible.

This microdata linkage will augment the 2022 Survey of Before and After School Care in Canada with information on income and employment characteristics, family structure and immigrant status in order to explore more fully characteristics associated with the use of child care in Canada.

Output: A linked microdata file will be available within Statistics Canada and will be placed in the Research Data Centres (RDCs) where access will be granted following the standard RDC approval process. Aggregate findings will be reported in research papers, internal and external reporting documents, presentations at workshops and conferences, as well as external publications (e.g., academic manuscripts).

Assessing socio-demographic and health characteristics of people who received Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID). (009-2023)

Assessing socio-demographic and health characteristics of people who received Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID). (009-2023)

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to create a linked dataset that will allow the study of socio-demographic and health characteristics of people who have accessed MAID. In order to achieve this purpose, decedent information from Health Canada will be linked to the T1FF to obtain income and employment data, the Discharge Abstract Database (DAD) to obtain hospital discharge records, and the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS) and the Ontario Mental Health Reporting System (OMHRS) to obtain information on use of health care services. The MAID data will also be linked to the Canadian Vital Statistics Death Database (CVSD) to obtain coded cause of death data, as well as the Canadian Cancer Registry to obtain information cancer diagnosis and treatment. Linking the MAID data to other data sources at Statistics Canada will allow the identification of possible barriers and inequalities in accessing MAID supports in Canada.

Output and Dissemination Plan: Only non-confidential aggregate statistics and analyses that will not result in the identification of an individual person, business or organization will be released outside of Statistics Canada. Exact outputs and products are still to be determined but will be based on needs to address key research questions. It is anticipated that high-level findings will be shared with Health Canada in the form of reports, presentations, data tables, and data visualization dashboards. It is possible that high-level findings may also be published for public use through reports, web tables, data dashboards or other means. The analytical file, without identifiers, will be made available via Statistics Canada Secure Access Points (such as Research Data Centres), and access will only be granted to Statistics Canada deemed employees following the standard approval process.

Comparing the innovation performance of multinational and non-multinational enterprises (010-2023)

Comparing the innovation performance of multinational and non-multinational enterprises (010-2023)

Purpose: The goal of this project is to measure the contribution of multinational enterprises (MNEs) and non-multinational enterprises (non-MNEs) to innovation, advanced technology use and the high-tech sector in Canada. The analysis can provide insights into factors that contribute to innovation success and inform policies that promote innovation and competitiveness in all types of firms.

In the initial usage of this linkage Statistics Canada's Investment, Science and Technology Division will analyze the differences between MNE and non-MNEs across a variety of indicators. This will allow statistics Canada to analyse to what extent MNEs contribute to the structural changes in the economy. Particularly, as it pertains to the adoption and implementation of innovation, and the usage of advanced technology.

Output: Only non-confidential aggregate statistical outputs and analysis that conform to the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act will be released outside Statistics Canada. These outputs will include aggregate statistical tabulations showing the difference in MNEs and non-MNEs in terms of innovation rate, advanced technology use, and patents for high-tech and non-high-tech sectors.

Estimating participation in the tax and benefit system (011-2023)

Estimating participation in the tax and benefit system (011-2023)

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to investigate the participation of specific groups in the Canadian tax and benefit system, and these groups’ access to this system. More specifically, it will attempt to evaluate how many low-income earners may be missing out on the Canada workers benefit by not filing a tax return. It will also examine the filing rates for social assistance recipients to estimate whether this behaviour precludes this vulnerable population from receiving certain benefits.

The information will help improve targeted outreach efforts to increase uptake of specific benefits and encourage Canadians to file a tax return.

Outputs: Non-confidential aggregate tables will be produced to summarize filing rates for individuals with low earnings and social assistance recipients. The initial products will be two analytical papers that will compare limited sociodemographic characteristics, including age, gender, presence of children and geography. Only non-confidential aggregated data estimates that conform to the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act will be released outside Statistics Canada.

Linkage of the Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey (CCAHS) to census and immigration data (012-2023)

Linkage of the Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey (CCAHS) to census and immigration data (012-2023)

Purpose: Expansion of the Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey (CCAHS) dataset through data linkage will allow for complex investigations, descriptive and inferential, on the demographic, socioeconomic and health-related variables that contributed to the experience of Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic. The collection of biospecimens as part of CCAHS, both Dried Blood Spot (DBS) and Saliva (PCR) samples, will provide information about the virus, including how the presence of antibodies from infection and vaccination varied across time in the Canadian population. The linkage aims to extend the level of disaggregation of the survey findings across Canadian subpopulations based on immigration characteristics, known and spoken languages, and income levels. This is particularly important as the CCAHS cycle 2 collected information on chronic disease prevalence and the longer-term impacts of SARS CoV-2 infections, including which Canadians might be at a greater risk of experiencing the post-COVID-19 condition. The findings may lead to the identification of populations at risk during and following a pandemic, as well as provide evidence to enact effective policies and mitigation strategies that support greater health equity for Canadians.

Output: Only non-confidential statistical aggregates will be released outside of Statistics Canada.

The linkage will produce separate analytical files.

  1. Research file: an analytical file without identifiers will be accessible for research purposes via Statistics Canada’s secure access points following the standard approval process for access, including becoming Statistics Canada deemed employees.
  2. Linked analytical share files, without identifiers, will be accessed via Statistics Canada secure access points by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and by the Covid-19 Immunity Taskforce (CIT), who have signed data sharing agreements under the Statistics Act and where respondents have consented to share their information. Where applicable a disclosure order under the Statistics Act will be in place to disclose tax information to PHAC where respondents have consented. Access will require researchers from PHAC and CIT to become Statistics Canada deemed employees.

Exploring the socioeconomic factors associated with contact with police, courts, and correctional services (013-2023)

Exploring the socioeconomic factors associated with contact with police, courts, and correctional services (013-2023)

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to explore the extent and nature of new criminal justice system contacts among groups of people who have had a previous contact with the criminal justice system, as well as the demographic and socio-economic factors associated with criminal justice system contacts (for example, employment, education, household composition, health, and use of social services). Previous research has shown that a small group of people is responsible for a disproportionate amount of crime, and that this group is more likely to be economically marginalized, have higher mortality rates, and be hospitalized more frequently. Therefore, understanding the characteristics associated with criminal justice system contacts is important for criminal justice policy, programs, and initiatives aimed at preventing and reducing crime.

Output: Linked analytical files and anonymized linking keys will be used by Statistics Canada to produce non-confidential aggregate statistical tables and analytical reports, such as reports for Statistics Canada’s flagship justice and public safety publication, Juristat. The analytical files and linking keys, without identifiers, will be made available via Statistics Canada Secure Access Points (such as RDCs). The collection of these analytical files and linking keys will be called the Criminal Justice Relational Database and access will only be granted to Statistics Canada deemed employees following the standard approval process.

Gender-based analysis plus of federal tax expenditures using microdata linkage between Census 2021 and tax data (014-2023)

Gender-based analysis plus of federal tax expenditures using microdata linkage between Census 2021 and tax data (014-2023)

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to conduct a Gender-based plus impact analysis of federal personal income tax expenditures for racialized groups, immigrants and Indigenous peoples using information resulting from a linkage between census and tax microdata. This project aims to provide a better understanding of the income characteristics among specific identity groups.

As part of this cost-recovery project, Statistics Canada will be linking select variables from the 2021 Census to income and tax deduction data from the T1 Family File and the T1 Personal Master File. Immigration, ethnicity and gender variables from the Census will be merged with income and claims information to estimate the share of Canadians with immigration and ethnocultural characteristics who are claiming and benefiting from various available federal tax expenditures among Canadians.

Output: The final linked analytical files without personal identifiers will be made available within Statistics Canada secure access points. Access will only be granted to Statistics Canada deemed employees following the standard approval process. Research reports and presentations will be generated from the analysis files. Only non-confidential aggregate statistics and tables conforming to the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act and any applicable requirements of the Privacy Act will be released outside of Statistics Canada

Linkage of the Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth (CHSCY) to explore the neurological adverse effects of air pollution on children (016-2023)

Linkage of the Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth (CHSCY) to explore the neurological adverse effects of air pollution on children (016-2023)

Purpose: The purpose of the project is to examine the association of air pollution exposure both pre-conception and during the prenatal period (based on the mother’s address in the Canadian Vital Statistics - Births database and the T1FF tax file) with health outcomes of children (based on the Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth). Future research could also use the linked file to examine the association of perinatal outcomes with other child health outcomes. This project will enhance our understanding about associations between air pollution and child health outcomes.

Output: Only aggregate statistical outputs that conform to the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act will be disseminated. All products specifically delivered to Health Canada will contain aggregate outputs (no microdata). All products from the linked data will be disseminated in accordance with Statistics Canada's policies, guidelines and standards. The analytical file will not contain any personal identifiers. Outputs from this file may include a wide range of data and analytical products

Production of demographic analyses to support the preparation of population projections using the Demosim microsimulation model (017-2023)

Production of demographic analyses to support the preparation of population projections using the Demosim microsimulation model (017-2023)

Purpose: As part of the microsimulation Population Projections Program, we aim to link data that will be used to produce various demographic analyses, which, in turn, will serve to produce projection parameters and assumptions required to update the population projections, produced with the Demosim microsimulation model, of several sub-groups of the Canadian population, such as Indigenous populations, immigrant populations, racialized groups, language groups, etc. These projections will be used by a wide variety of users inside and outside Statistics Canada, including partners from various federal and provincial departments, researchers, academics, and the general public. The project also aims at documenting the demographic analyses produced during the preparation of the projections and at publishing the results of these analyses in different formats, including scientific articles, technical reports, feasibility studies, internal or external presentations, etc.

Output: Only aggregate data that conform to the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act will be released outside Statistics Canada. The different datasets will be anonymized and will respect the restrictions specific to each dataset (e.g., vital statistics, Indian Register). The key results from the demographic analyses will be used to produce projection assumptions and parameters, and will be published as technical documents, analytical reports, scientific articles and/or presentations.

Linkage of the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability to the 2021 Census of Population (018-2023)

Linkage of the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability to the 2021 Census of Population (018-2023)

Purpose: The main objective of the microdata linkage is to create a detailed statistical portrait of persons with disabilities in Canada. The Canadian Survey on Disability (CSD) analytical file is used in part to estimate disability rates, but also to compare the characteristics of persons with and without a disability at various levels of geography.

Output: Only aggregate statistical estimates that conform to the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act will be released outside of Statistics Canada. Linked information from the 2022 CSD and the 2021 Census of Population will be used in analytical articles and other data products released from the 2022 CSD, beginning with the initial release of the data on December 1st, 2023. This coincides with the International Day for Persons with Disabilities (IDPD).

To support the first release on December 1st, 2023, and subsequent releases taking place in March 2024, researchers from Employment and Social Development Canada will sign a Microdata Service Contract to give them access, as Statistics Canada deemed employees, to a preliminary 2022 CSD file linked with 2021 Census data. This will enable them to provide expertise in data validation for certain variables, as well as conduct data development and analysis. All work undertaken by deemed employees will take place in Statistics Canada’s Federal Research Data Centre.

The final linked file is released to the Statistics Canada Research Data Centres in the winter of 2024, and used to support projects such as the SPSD-M (microsimulation model for persons with disabilities).

All products containing linked data will be disseminated in accordance with Statistics Canada’s polices, guidelines and standards.

Addition of the National Household Survey to the Linkable File Environment (LFE) of Statistics Canada (019-2023)

Addition of the National Household Survey to the Linkable File Environment (LFE) of Statistics Canada (019-2023)

Purpose: The proposed activity would link the enterprises in the Linkable File Environment (LFE) of the Centre for Special Business Projects (CSBP) to the National Household Survey.

The initial usage of the linkage of the NHS and the LFE is a part of the Business Innovation and Growth Support project between the Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada (TBS) and Statistics Canada. BIGS requires the linkage of the NHS to the LFE so that TBS can evaluate whether the federal government support programs to businesses are efficient, equitable, diversified, and inclusive for specific population groups, such as women, indigenous peoples, visible minorities, people with disabilities, single parents, and members of official language minority communities.

Output: Analytical datasets will be placed in Statistics Canada’s Research Data Centres (RDCs) and access will be granted following the standard RDC approval process. No analytical datafile will be released. Only non-confidential aggregate statistical outputs and analyses that conform to the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act will be released outside Statistics Canada. Access to the linked microdata will be restricted to Statistics Canada employees and Statistics Canada deemed employees whose assigned work duties require such access. Deemed employees may access the anonymized microdata in short-term projects following the standard approval process for access via Statistics Canada’s RDCs.

Outputs will include data tables which provide more detailed descriptive statistics regarding the types of entrepreneurs and workforce of Canadian enterprises for specific population groups benefiting from federal government support. TBS, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, and other government bodies and researchers will utilize these outputs to build and enhance policies, programs and tools that promote fairness, equity, and inclusion across the diversity of entrepreneurs and employees, with the goal of boosting Canada’s economic health, sustainability, and productivity.

Linkage of the Canadian Employer-Employee Dynamics Database to Pension Plans in Canada to conduct analysis on the labour market impacts of employer-pension plans (020-2023)

Linkage of the Canadian Employer-Employee Dynamics Database to Pension Plans in Canada to conduct analysis on the labour market impacts of employer-pension plans (020-2023)

Purpose: The first goal of this project is to determine the characteristics of firms offering pensions plans and how employer-pensions have been shaped by public policies. The second goal is to assess how these pensions affect the type and pace at which workers join and exit these firms. Finally, the project will look at how these pensions affect the earnings of workers of different ages. The findings of the study will help identify gaps in pension coverage across Canadian society and provide valuable information for the design of pension legislation.

Output: Only non-confidential aggregate statistical outputs and analyses that conform to the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act will be released outside of Statistics Canada. The release of the vetted outputs will be done by Statistics Canada staff. The information will be presented in the form of tables of regression results and summary statistics related to the project’s goal. The anonymized analytical file will be made available through Statistics Canada Secure Access Points (such as research data centres), and access will be granted to Statistics Canada deemed employees following the standard approval process. The clients will also have to become Statistics Canada deemed employee to access the data through an approved secure access point.

Linkage of beneficiary enterprises of R&D and innovation grants from the Ministry of the Economy, Innovation and Energy of the Government of Quebec from 2013-2014 to 2018-2019 to the Linkable File Environment (021-2023)

Linkage of beneficiary enterprises of R&D and innovation grants from the Ministry of the Economy, Innovation and Energy of the Government of Quebec from 2013-2014 to 2018-2019 to the Linkable File Environment (021-2023)

Purpose: This project aims to link beneficiary enterprises of R&D and innovation grants from the Ministry of the Economy, Innovation and Energy of the Government of Quebec from 2013-2014 to 2018-2019 to the Linkable File Environment of Statistics Canada. The linked list of enterprises will then be used to produce custom tables of non-confidential aggregated statistics and an analytical report on the impact of R&D, innovation grants and tax credits on business productivity by comparing, between the receipt of support and after support, observed outcomes between beneficiary enterprises from the treatment group and non-beneficiary enterprises from the control group.

Output: The final output will be custom tables of non-confidential aggregated statistics and an analytical report on the impact of R&D, innovation grants and tax credits on business productivity by comparing, between the receipt of support and after support, observed outcomes between beneficiary enterprises from the treatment group and non-beneficiary enterprises from the control group.

Only non-confidential aggregated statistical results and analysis in compliance with the Statistics Act will be released outside of Statistics Canada.

Linkage of the Canadian Internet Use Survey to tax, immigration and Census data for the addition of other statistical variables (023-2023)

Linkage of the Canadian Internet Use Survey to tax, immigration and Census data for the addition of other statistical variables (023-2023)

Purpose: The purpose of the linkage is to respond to the data needs of the Government of Canada to measure the digital economy, including informing the Universal Broadband Fund. As the barriers to accessing digital technologies and their impacts can vary by different socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, it is important to include this perspective when producing statistics where possible to inform relevant policies and programs. Income, language and Immigration statistics are important when looking at differences in Internet access and use to determine barriers and to address gaps specific to the different demographics which influence the digital divide. These data are not collected in the questionnaire and can only be obtained through microdata linkage. 

This linkage offers the opportunity to reduce response burden by not having to asking additional questions, and increases data quality through the use of administrative data.

Output: Only aggregate data that conform to the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act will be released outside of Statistics Canada. Findings are expected to be used to inform policy, for research papers, internal and external reporting documents, presentations at workshops and conferences, and external publications.

An anonymized analytical dataset, will be made available via Statistics Canada Secure Access Points, and access will only be granted to Statistics Canada deemed employees following the standard approval process. In addition, a public use microdata file (PUMF) will be made available through Statistics Canada’s PUMF platform.

Linkage of the Canadian Internet Use Survey to tax, immigration and Census data for the addition of other statistical variables (025-2023)

Diversity indicators for businesses participating in the Canada Digital Adoption Program (025-2023)

Purpose: The goal of this project is to fill a data gap for Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) on the number of businesses participating in the Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) that are owned by Employment Equity groups.

To undertake this project, a list of businesses participating in CDAP will be linked to Statistics Canada’s Business Register and the Canadian Employer Employee Dynamics Database. The resulting linked data will be used to produce counts of businesses by province or territory and industry for the following groups based on majority ownership: Indigenous peoples, racialized groups (and sub-groups, if possible), women, persons with disabilities, and newcomers to Canada (within the last five years).

Output: Statistics Canada will provide tables to ISED containing counts of businesses by province/territory and industry for the following groups based on majority ownership: Indigenous peoples, racialized groups (and sub-groups, if possible), women, persons with disabilities, and newcomers to Canada (within the last five years, determined using the year of landing in Canada based on the Longitudinal Immigration Database).

Only non-confidential aggregate statistical outputs that conform to the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act will be released outside of Statistics Canada.

Social Linkage of the Agriculture Population to determine the social characteristics of those employed in the agriculture sector and farm owners (027-2023)

Social Linkage of the Agriculture Population to determine the social characteristics of those employed in the agriculture sector and farm owners (027-2023)

Purpose: The Social Linkage of the Agriculture Population will provide a wealth of socio-economic data on farm operators and the people who work in agriculture, without increasing respondent burden. The linkage will enable a detailed analysis on social indicators (disability, immigration status, sex) that are present among agriculture employees and farm operators. The linkage will provide a wealth of information to develop informed policy and address diversity and inclusion priorities for the farming community.

Output: Only aggregate statistical estimates that conform to the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act will be released outside of Statistics Canada. Outputs will include Common Output Database Repository (CODR) tabulations to be released on the Statistics Canada website, ad-hoc data requests from clients on demand, as well as other analytical, research or technical articles that may be released.

Record linkage between tax data and the 2021 Census to examine the characteristics of emigrants (028-2023)

Record linkage between tax data and the 2021 Census to examine the characteristics of emigrants (028-2023)

Purpose: The goal of the linkage is to identify and establish the demographic and socioeconomic profile of emigrants for 2021. This linkage will provide high-quality information on emigrants and on their characteristics that cannot be found elsewhere while reducing costs and response burden on the Canadian population.

Product: The linked data will be used to compute estimates that will feed analytical products. Only aggregate statistics and analyzes that comply with the Statistics Act will be disseminated outside Statistics Canada.

Study on mortality and cancer diagnoses in Quebec employees of the Rio Tinto Alcan primary aluminum refinery, update of the linkage between the Rio Tinto Alcan Workers file and the Canadian Vital Statistics – Death database (CVSD) (030-2023)

Study on mortality and cancer diagnoses in Quebec employees of the Rio Tinto Alcan primary aluminum refinery, update of the linkage between the Rio Tinto Alcan Workers file and the Canadian Vital Statistics – Death database (CVSD) (030-2023)

Purpose: This study follows on a series of four epidemiological studies on mortality and new cancer diagnoses in workers at Rio Tinto Alcan’s Quebec aluminium smelters. It is an update (as at December 31, 2019) of data on mortality and cancer incidence in workers hired between January 1, 1950 and December 31, 2019.

Output: The research team will receive de-identified files from Statistics Canada (deaths), from the Quebec Cancer Registry (cancers incidence) and from Rio Tinto Alcan (demographic data; work experience; exposure to PAHs; tobacco use), each with a unique identifier key created for this study. Only members of the Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST) research team who signed a confidentiality agreement will look at, analyze and use these microdata files. These files will be accessed through Statistics Canada’s research data centres in accordance with the required standard approval process. The source datasets will be anonymized and in compliance with the restrictions in place related to the variables for source datasets (e.g., hospitals, vital statistics and the assessed record file). The data from these files will help to produce mortality rate and cancer incidence indicators. The results of the analysis will be presented in the form of aggregated tables, in a study report and in scientific articles in accordance with the requirements of the Statistics Act.

The CHIRP (Children with IncarceRated Parents) Study: Microdata Linkage of Corrections Data with Vital Statistics, Child Tax Benefits and Hospital Discharge Data (031-2023)

The CHIRP (Children with IncarceRated Parents) Study: Microdata Linkage of Corrections Data with Vital Statistics, Child Tax Benefits and Hospital Discharge Data (031-2023)

Purpose: The main objective of the CHIRP (Children with IncarceRated Parents) Study is to identify children who experience parental incarceration, using data from the Canadian Correctional Services Survey (CCSS), the Canadian Vital Statistics database, the Discharge Abstract Database, and the Canadian Child Tax Benefits database. Through this data linkage, an estimate of the actual number of children experiencing parental incarceration can be determined, as well as he health status and outcomes of this population relative to general population. This project will address data gaps regarding the lack of population-level data on the number of children who experience parental incarceration. The findings of this project could be used to increase the visibility of this population in national and provincial policies, and ultimately to inform the design and delivery of initiatives to better support children who experience parental incarceration.

Output: Only non-confidential aggregated tables, conforming to the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act, will be released outside of Statistics Canada. The analytical file, without personal identifiers, will be made available via Statistics Canada’s Secure Access Points (such as Research Data Centres) and access will only be granted to Statistics Canada deemed employees following the standard approval process. Academic researchers involved in the CHIRP project are planning to author an article in a peer-reviewed academic journal detailing the results of their analysis using the linked data from Statistics Canada. In addition, to help facilitate wider public access, a plain language summary of the findings will be developed and posted to the Elizabeth Fry Society of Canada and the Canadian Coalition for Children with Incarcerated Parents (CCCIP) websites.

Government cleantech programs and environmental innovation (032-2023)

Government cleantech programs and environmental innovation (032-2023)

Purpose: The proposed activity would link enterprises in the Business Linkable File Environment (LFE) of the Centre for Special Business Projects (CSBP) to Canadian businesses from Environment and Climate Change Canada' Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program open database, as part of the Business Innovation and Growth Support (BIGS) project between the Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada (TBS) and Statistics Canada. BIGS requires descriptive statistics and data models to better understand determinants of intellectual property development to evaluate government programs and expenditures, with the goals of optimizing Canadian innovation, environmental footprints, patents, inventions, research and development, and employment in research and development.

Output: Only non-confidential aggregate statistical outputs and analyses that conform to the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act will be released outside Statistics Canada. Access to the linked microdata will be restricted to Statistics Canada employees and Statistics Canada deemed employees whose assigned work duties require such access. The linked microdata file will not contain identifiers. Deemed employees will access the linked microdata files in Statistics Canada’s secure password-protected server located at the head office using their Statistics Canada laptops from their secure remote work location.

Outputs will include data tables providing descriptive statistics of enterprises related to environmental innovation, and potentially data models to better understand determinants of environmental innovation. TBS will utilize these data products to tailor policies, programs and tools to help Canadian enterprises innovate and improve their environmental footprints and R&D, with the ultimate goal of boosting Canada’s economic prosperity through green innovation.

Linkage of the Canadian Agricultural Loans Act Program to the Business-Linkable File Environment (034-2023)

Linkage of the Canadian Agricultural Loans Act Program to the Business-Linkable File Environment (034-2023)

Purpose: The main objective of this project is to estimate the effect of the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) Canadian Agricultural Loans Act (CALA) program on the financial performance of the recipients. The initial phase will involve preparing profiles of program participants and comparing them to eligible non-participants using the variables in the Business-Linkable File Environment (B-LFE) and the Diversity and Skills Database (DSD). The second phase will involve the use of matching to build a control group, and the use of regression models to study the effect of the program on the financial performance of the recipients (e.g., revenues).

Output: The output will be in the form of summary tables and a fix effects model which will examine the economic performance of businesses that received AAFC financing support to non-supported businesses. The linked AAFC list of businesses will be housed at Statistics Canada’s Centre for Special Business Project (CSBP).

A research dataset will be produced and the full integrated database will be used by a deemed employee research team to produce an analysis and custom-designed table of non-confidential aggregate statistics for AAFC. The output will be analysed for confidentiality by CSBP employees. The output of this project will not be sent to the Canadian Centre for Data Development and Economic Research (CDER). 

Only non-confidential aggregate statistical outputs and analyses that conform to the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act will be released outside of Statistics Canada.

2022 Indigenous Peoples Survey to the 2021 Census of Population, and 2022 Annual Person Income Masterfile (037-2023)

Linkage of the Canadian Cancer Registry to Statistics Canada administrative data on child and mother to explore outcomes among pediatric cancer patients (036-2023)

Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between environmental pollutant exposures during pregnancy and childhood and paediatric cancer incidence using population-based data linking the Vital Statistics Birth Data (1992-2021) and the Canadian Cancer Registry (1992-2021). This project will enhance our understanding about associations between air pollution and child health outcomes.

Output: Only aggregate statistical outputs that conform to the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act will be disseminated. Access to the linked microdata will be restricted to Statistics Canada employees and Statistics Canada deemed employees whose assigned work duties require such access. All products specifically delivered to Health Canada will contain aggregate outputs (no identifiable microdata). All products from the linked data will be disseminated in accordance with Statistics Canada's policies, guidelines and standards. The analytical file will not contain any personal identifiers. Outputs from this file may include a wide range of data and analytical products. A file will be prepared for use in Statistics Canada Research Data Centres, with appropriate vetting rules.

Linkage of the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability to Tax Data to Generate Enhanced Statistics on People with Disabilities (039-2023)

2022 Indigenous Peoples Survey to the 2021 Census of Population, and 2022 Annual Person Income Masterfile (037-2023)

Purpose: This project is part of Stream 5 of Indigenous Services Canada’s Transformational Approach to Indigenous Data (TAID) which relates to leveraging Statistics Canada’s expertise to support the Indigenous Delivery Partners (IDPs) in building Indigenous data capacity and to improve the visibility of Indigenous People in Canada’s national statistics. The objective of the TAID is to support First Nations, Inuit, and the Métis Nations to build the sustainable data capacity they will need to deliver effective services to their citizens, and to participate meaningfully with other levels of government. 

By integrating data pertaining to income, market rents and shelter costs with the 2022 IPS content, indicators for low-income, housing affordability and core housing need will be produced. Outputs from this linkage will support IDPs in building Indigenous data capacity and to improve the visibility of Indigenous People in Canada’s national statistics. This project will meet the objective of improving the visibility of Indigenous People in Canada’s national statistics as the outputs include research products related to key Indigenous priorities. 

Output: The analytical file, without identifiers, will be made available via Statistics Canada Secure Access Points, such as Research Data Centres (RDCs) where access will only be granted following the standard approval process. Only non-confidential aggregated data and analytical products that conform to the confidentiality provision of the Statistics Act and any applicable requirements of the Privacy Act will be released outside of Statistics Canada. 

Outputs for this project will be centred on Core Housing Need and will be disseminated via CODR tables, new variables on the Indigenous Peoples Survey Masterfile and an infographic

Linkage of the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability to Tax Data to Generate Enhanced Statistics on People with Disabilities (039-2023)

Linkage of the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability to Tax Data to Generate Enhanced Statistics on People with Disabilities (039-2023)

Purpose: The Canadian Survey on Disability (CSD) analytical file will be used in part to estimate disability rates for various geographies but also to compare characteristics of persons with and without disabilities, which includes analyses of the financial situation and income support gaps faced by persons with disabilities in Canada. The main objective of the proposed record linkage is therefore to enhance Statistics Canada’s capacity to provide these statistics, through a linkage between the 2022 CSD and tax data.

Output: Results from this data linkage will inform around the current economic context for persons with disabilities in Canada and be used in the development of the Government of Canada’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan. The analytical file, with no personal identifiers, will be made available to deemed employees (researchers) within the Research Data Centers (RDC) and the Federal Research Data Centre (FRDC) that have a valid research topic for the production of statistical materials. Only non-confidential aggregated data and analytical products that conform to the confidentiality provision of the Statistics Act and any applicable requirements of the Privacy Act will be released outside of Statistics Canada.

Linking the Home Care Reporting System to Tax Data to provide Insights into Publicly Funded Home Care for Seniors (040-2023)

Linking the Home Care Reporting System to Tax Data to provide Insights into Publicly Funded Home Care for Seniors (040-2023)

Purpose: The objective of the project is to estimate the prevalence of publicly funded formal long-term home care use among Canadian seniors, examine the main demographic and income characteristics of senior home care clients, document the ability of senior home care clients to perform basic daily selfcare activities, assess the availability of informal care to these clients and present several important metrics related to their access to formal home care services. The study will also examine the financial well-being of long-term senior home care client and provide aggregate statistics related to income and income sources. For this purpose, data from the Home Care Reporting System (HCRS) will be linked to the T1 Family File (T1FF).

Output: Non-confidential aggregate data will be used for possible dissemination products such as research article(s), presentation decks, and/ or reports to stakeholders. The main output of the study will be in the form of a comprehensive technical report summarizing the methodology and key findings. Only non-confidential aggregate statistical outputs and analyses that conform to the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act will be released outside Statistics Canada.

Access to the linked microdata will be restricted to Statistics Canada employees. The linkage will be performed at Statistics Canada by Statistics Canada staff, and the linked files will be kept on a secure, password-protected server. The linked microdata file will not contain identifiers.

Supplement to Statistics Canada's Generic Privacy Impact Assessment related to the Canadian Correctional Services Survey (CCSS)

Date: March 2023

Program manager: Director, Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics
Director General, Health, Justice, Diversity, and Population

Reference to Personal Information Bank (PIB)

The Canadian Correctional Services Survey was originally considered covered by the Justice Research bank (StatCan PPU 028), however given the expanded nature of the survey and sensitivity of the personal information being collected, a new bank is being requested.

In accordance with the Privacy Act, Statistics Canada is submitting a new institutional personal information bank (PIB) to describe any personal information obtained from the Canadian Correctional Services Survey, for the purposes of the Statistics Act. The following PIB is proposed for review and registration.

Canadian Correctional Services Survey (CCSS)

Description: This bank describes information that is obtained from federal and provincial/territorial correctional services programs in Canada on adults and youth being supervised by correctional services. Personal information may include name, date of birth, sex, Indigenous identity, visible minority group, municipality, postal code, social insurance number, fingerprint section identification number, provincial/territorial health insurance number and provincial/territorial driver's license number.

Class of Individuals: Adults and youth being supervised by provincial/territorial or federal correctional services programs in Canada.

Purpose: The personal information is used to produce statistical data and analyses at a disaggregated level on the federal, provincial/territorial populations supervised under correctional services in Canada. Personal information is collected pursuant to the Statistics Act (Sections 3, 7, 13, 22 (d)).

Consistent Uses: Subject to Statistics Canada's Directive on Microdata Linkage, information on adults and youth being supervised by correctional services may be combined with the Census of Population and the National Household Survey for disaggregated data evaluation, with data on the military veteran population, as well as with key health datasets to better understand the prevalence of mental health issues in the correctional population. Furthermore, CCSS data will be used to produce counts of residents in correctional facilities for the Census of Population collective dwelling counts.

Retention and Disposal Standards: Information is retained until it is no longer required for statistical purposes and then it is destroyed.

RDA Number: 2018/001

Related Record Number: StatCan CCJ 135

TBS Registration: To be assigned by TBS

Bank Number: StatCan PPU 023

Description of statistical activity

Under the authority of the Statistics ActFootnote 1, Statistics Canada's Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics (CCJCSS) conducts the Canadian Correctional Services Survey (CCSS), an administrative dataFootnote 2 survey that collects microdata on adults and youth electronically from correctional services programs in Canada. The objective of the survey is to be a source of national information on corrections, which is directly related to the mandate of the CCJCSS of providing information to the justice community and the public on the nature and extent of crime and victimization and the administration of criminal and civil justice in Canada.

The CCJCSS is the focal point of a federal-provincial-territorial partnership for the collection of justice information in Canada. This partnership, known as the National Justice Statistics Initiative (NJSI), is composed of representatives of the federal, provincial and territorial governments responsible for the administration of justice in Canada, and Statistics Canada. Development of the CCSS was guided by the NJSI to fill data needs and inform federal and provincial policy makers in the field of justice and public safety, managers of correctional services programs, researchers, academics and the public, on key indicators related to the correctional population.

One of the most important needs is information related to repeated involvement with the criminal justice system, a key justice priority identified by Deputy Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety, as well as other policy makers and justice administrators. To respond to this need, Public Safety Canada and the CCJCSS developed an ongoing pan-Canadian program of repeated contact – or "re-contact" – with the criminal justice system. The CCSS contributes the correctional services information needed for this program. In addition, recent consultation through the Engagement on Corrections Representation Data and Analysis Strategy involved respondents from a wide and diverse range of perspectives, including: Indigenous and racialized groups and organizations; corrections agencies; academics; and other interested parties at the national and provincial/teritorial government levels. The Engagement identified the need for Statistics Canada to develop population-based indicators and re-contact indicators using disaggregated data to measure representation of sub-populations in correctional systems, as well as the need to further analyze relationships between socio-economic and mental health issues and over-representation. The CCSS is the only high-quality source of information on individuals under supervision within the correctional system that can be combined with information on the general population to provide these indicators and allow analysis of these critical justice issues to meet data needs.

Statistics Canada began development of the CCSS in 2014 and began collection in 2016. The survey is currently implemented in six jurisdictions: Newfoundland and Labrador (youth corrections only), Nova Scotia, Ontario (adult corrections only), Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. The CCJCSS is now expanding the coverage of the survey to include the remaining provincial and territorial correctional services, as well as federal correctional services. These stakeholders are:

  • Newfoundland and Labrador Justice and Public Safety
  • Prince Edward Island Community and Correctional Services
  • New-Brunswick Public Safety
  • Ministère de la sécurité publique du Québec
  • Ministère de la santé et des services sociaux du Québec
  • Ontario Children Community and Social Services- youth division
  • Manitoba Justice - Corrections
  • Yukon Correctional Services
  • Yukon Health and Social Services
  • Northwest Territories Department of Justice, Corrections Service
  • Nunavut Justice - Corrections
  • Correctional Service Canada

To achieve the survey's objective, Statistics Canada collects personal information on individuals under correctional supervision across the country including:

  • direct identifiers of persons supervised by corrections (where available and agreed to by the correctional program):
    • name
    • aliases
    • address (postal code)
    • date of birth
    • Social Insurance Number
    • FPS-CPIC number
    • Driver's Licence Number
    • Health Insurance Number
  • demographic information of persons being supervised (e.g., sex, Indigenous identity, racialized group)
  • their legal hold status while in correctional services
  • offences and conditions related to various court orders
  • events related to the person that occur during the period of supervision
  • results of any needs assessments done on persons while in correctional services.

The CCSS provides information to the public, media, academics and researchers on trends in correctional services, as well as demographic information on the population under correctional supervision in Canada. Survey results, including information on admissions to correctional services as well as the number of persons supervised by correctional services and their characteristics, are published annually in a series of data tables on the Statistics Canada website. In addition, special topic analyses in JuristatFootnote 3 publications as well as record linkage studies using CCSS data explore key issues facing the criminal justice system. Expanding coverage of the CCSS means that these measures and analyses can be produced at the national level, meeting the data needs and gaps currently identified by provincial/territorial and federal justice stakeholders.

To-date, linkage of the CCSS to internal statistical databases, more specifically linkage of the CCSS to the Census of Population and the National Household Survey for disaggregated data evaluation, as well as linkage to the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR2) Survey and the Integrated Criminal Court Survey (ICCS) to study re-contact with the criminal justice system, have been undertaken. Statistics Canada's microdata linkage and related statistical activities were assessed in Statistics Canada's Generic Privacy Impact Assessment.Footnote 4 All data linkage activities are subject to established governanceFootnote 5, and are assessed against the privacy principles as well as necessity and proportionalityFootnote 6. All approved linkages are published on Statistics Canada's websiteFootnote 7.

Analytical files will be used by Statistics Canada to produce non-confidential aggregate statistical tables and analytical reports, such as reports for Juristat. Anonymized CCSS analytical files, as well as integrated corrections and criminal court data will also be placed in Statistics Canada's Research Data Centres (RDCs)Footnote 8 to facilitate research on key justice issues such as re-contact, within a secure research environment. Confidentiality vetting guidelines specific to the CCSS will be developed to prevent the release of potentially sensitive information that pertains to the characteristics of a particular individual. Researchers must become deemed employees of Statistics Canada to access the files in the RDCs. Additionally, access will only be granted once a research proposal has been approved.

Future plans under consideration also include linkage with data on the military veteran population, as well as linkage with other datasets via the Social Data Linkage Environment (SDLE)Footnote 9 to explore issues relevant to the justice community (for example, the prevalence of mental health issues in the correctional population). Furthermore, CCSS data will be used to produce counts of residents in correctional facilities for the Census of Population collective dwelling countsFootnote 10.

Reason for supplement

While the Generic Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) addresses most of the privacy and security risks related to statistical activities conducted by Statistics Canada, this supplement was developed due to the breadth (both in terms of the number of variables being collected as well as the expanded jurisdictional coverage) and overall sensitivity of the personal information being requested with relation to the affected individuals. Further, personal information collection includes youth, which further raises the sensitivity level of the collection of personal information. As is the case with all PIAs, Statistics Canada's privacy framework ensures that elements of privacy protection and privacy controls are documented and applied.

Necessity and Proportionality

The use of personal information for the activity can be justified against Statistics Canada's Necessity and Proportionality Framework:

  1. Necessity: Information from the CCSS informs correctional services programs on the need for and development of programming to address specific needs (i.e., physical and mental health of persons under correctional supervision, rehabilitation and treatment programs,) as well as manage facility capacity and case flow – resulting in many potential and direct benefits to the covered populations.

    Statistics Canada requires the personal information to produce accurate information on the correctional population in Canada to fulfill the agency's statistical mandate, and specifically to produce valuable demographic information at a disaggregated level on the federal, provincial and territorial populations supervised under correctional services. The CCSS national data requirements (i.e., survey variables) were developed in consultation with the National Justice Statistics Initiative (NJSI), the federal-provincial-territorial partnership for the collection of information on the nature and extent of crime and the administration of civil and criminal justice in Canada.

    In 2021, Statistics Canada also engaged numerous partners of interest, including Indigenous and racialized community groups and organizations, and sought input through the Engagement on Corrections Representation Data and Analysis Strategy, on the development of its statistical program, including the CCSS. The engagement identified several data needs, notably including the need for Statistics Canada to develop population-based indicators and re-contact indicators using disaggregated data to measure representation of sub-populations in correctional systems, as well as the need to further analyze relationships between socio-economic and mental health issues and over-representation.

    The CCSS allows for the development of these indicators, as well as record linkage opportunities to meet these research needs. For example, information on offender characteristics collected by the CCSS, such as sex, Indigenous identity and racialized group, allows the integration of corrections and population statistics to create population-based metrics needed to address issues such as the overrepresentation of certain groups (e.g., Indigenous peoples and the Black population) within correctional services programs across the country.

    Furthermore, concerns related to the overrepresentation of Indigenous and racialized individuals in the Canadian criminal justice system reveal important gaps in the availability of disaggregated dataFootnote 11. Full CCSS coverage allows the disaggregation of data and the ability to study socio-economic factors impacting overrepresentation, such as mental health, substance use, homelessness, income, and education, not only within correctional services, but within the broader social and justice systems. CCSS data can help inform correctional services programs on the need for and development of programming to address specific needs of those involved under correctional supervision, for example mental health needs, rehabilitation and treatment programming, as well as programs aimed at successful community integration.

    The personal identifiers collected by the CCSS enable record linkage of CCSS data with key health administrative datasets (such as Vital Statistics, National Ambulatory Care Reporting System and the Discharge Abstract Database) to better understand, for example, re-contact, overrepresentation, and the prevalence of mental health issues in the correctional population. This information is needed to meet the data gaps and needs identified by Deputy Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety, as well as other policy makers and justice stakeholders including all provincial, territorial and federal correctional services programs in Canada. Insight from the CCSS provides the social and economic context of the correctional population and allows evidence-based decision making. The full national picture of the correctional system, needed for comprehensive re-contact analysis for example, is only possible with the participation of all jurisdictions in the CCSS. Full coverage allows for analysis of all provincial, territorial and federal jurisdictions which is most relevant to all Canadians.

  2. Effectiveness - Working assumptions:This iteration to expand coverage of the CCSS allows more consistent and accurate data across all jurisdictions. Given that the CCSS was previously in collection, Statistics Canada has validated the effectiveness of collecting this information directly from institutions to generate statistics on the correctional services population. The current iteration is now expanding the collection to increase the coverage of the dataset, and thus the effectiveness of the insights being derived from it.

    The personal information being collected and linked from existing databases will be used to enhance the analytical capacity to examine the total federal and provincial/territorial correctional populations at a national level once full coverage is achieved. In addition, as more jurisdictions implement the CCSS, more correctional populations across regions can be studied in a more comprehensive manner and be better understood, raising the quality of the analysis of the CCSS as a whole.

    New insights derived from the inclusion of the entire federal and provincial/territorial correctional population in the CCSS will improve traditional indicators to report on disaggregated data, such as producing incarceration rates by Indigenous identity and racialized group. It will also provide more relevant indicators, like re-contact of sentenced individuals after release, to meet the needs of justice stakeholders.

  3. Proportionality: The CCSS collects direct identifiers such as name, address and date of birth of individuals under correctional supervision, as well as demographic characteristics and information relating to their periods of supervision (e.g., their legal hold status, offence and event information). The direct identifiers captured by the CCSS are critical to the proposed record linkage studies. These direct identifiers will be sent to the linkage team to establish linkages with other Statistics Canada datasets.

    Only the variables required to achieve the statistical goals of the survey will be requested in order to mitigate potential impacts to the privacy of the affected individuals under correctional supervision. All data collected by the CCSS are considered the minimum data required to address the data needs and gaps identified by Deputy Ministers, the NJSI, and other partners and stakeholders through the Engagement on Corrections Representation Data and Analysis Strategy.

    Standard best practices with respect to administrative data collection and publication will be followed. Personal identifiers will be removed from the analytical file as soon as operationally feasible and in keeping with Statistics Canada's practices, as outlined in the agency's Generic PIAFootnote 12. The public benefits of the research findings are expected to inform policies and lead to positive changes within correctional services and programs in Canada.

    The CCSS data help fill the need to inform evidence-driven approaches to crime prevention and programs aimed at reducing recidivism, as well as programs designed for rehabilitation, community integration, and public safety. In addition, population-based measures and overrepresentation indicators derived from the CCSS are beneficial to design culturally appropriate programs, address inequities, and engage with communities in a meaningful way. These measures and analyses, as well as the capacity for data disaggregation, are only possible with the use of the personal information collected by the CCSS. The potential benefits and positive changes to social and justice-related programs and services are believed to be proportional to the overall risks to privacy.

  4. Alternatives: Asking for information that has already been captured in administrative data from the jurisdictions and then subsequently through linkage to other administrative data sources would be extremely burdensome and likely of much lower quality, especially in accuracy due to recall errors. Overall, survey collection from individuals is not recommended over administrative data collection and subsequent microdata linkage, as it is the only method to identify the profile of individuals in terms of understanding social, economic, health, and demographic trends related to the correctional population.

    Administrative data from the federal, provincial and territorial correctional services programs in Canada represent the only practical and accurate source of information to collect and meet the national data requirements of the CCSS approved by the National Justice Statistics Initiative in 2014.

    The foundation for the CCSS is an older legacy survey, the Integrated Correctional Services Survey (ICSS), which also collects correctional services microdata for select jurisdictions. However, several socio-demographic variables in the ICSS (e.g., Indigenous status, employment status and educational attainment) do not meet current statistical standards and the personal identifiers collected are insufficient to undertake record linkage with other administrative data sources. Several jurisdictions no longer report to the ICSS and have transitioned to CCSS reporting.

    The intent of the CCSS is to fully replace the ICSS, as well as most components of the other correctional surveys which collect aggregate data only and don't allow data disaggregation or record linkage (i.e., the Adult Correctional Services Survey, the Youth Custody and Community Services Survey and the Corrections Key Indicator Report). As such, administration of the CCSS streamlines data collection and production, reduces respondent burden, improves quality of the data, and increases timeliness of data dissemination.

    The CCSS is the only source of information collected according to standard national requirements that allows disaggregated dataFootnote 13 analysis by categories such as sex, Indigenous identity, and racialized group for the correctional populations in Canada.

Mitigation factors

The overall risk of harm to the survey respondents has been deemed manageable with existing Statistics Canada safeguards that are described in Statistics Canada's Generic Privacy Impact Assessment, with particular emphasis on the following measures:

  • The CCSS uses a separate data processing system for personal identifiers which maintains strict separation between personal identifiers and other data elements collected by the survey. This system has implemented enhanced security measures:
    • (a two-tier system of permissions) for the personal identifier files
    • the data are stored and processed separately
    • the data are accessible to only three employees responsible for processing the data and creating analytical files,
    • the data are never disclosed.
  • Statistics Canada applies strict confidentiality practices and rigorous data quality processes during all production and dissemination activities.
  • Experts at Statistics Canada have been consulted to ensure that the collection of data for the CCSS will be done ethically. The risks for residual disclosure are as low as possible, as access to personal information data is limited to a small number of persons (at any given point in time fewer than 10 persons can view these data).
  • Analytical data files will contain only anonymized identification numbers and will not include any information that would directly identify an individual.
  • For record linkage purposes, at no point during or after the record linkage process are personal identifiers brought together with analytical data in one dataset.
  • CCSS products are vetted by subject matter analysts and methodologists to ensure the identity of persons under correctional supervision is never disclosed directly or indirectly.

Conclusion

This assessment concludes that, with the existing Statistics Canada safeguards, any remaining risks are such that Statistics Canada is prepared to accept and manage the risk.

Missing Persons Data Standards Consultative Engagement

Opened: June 2023

Closed: December 2024

Consultative engagement activities – Phase 3

This consultative engagement initiative deals with topics which may negatively impact the reader due to its subject matter. If you are affected by the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people and need immediate emotional assistance, please call 1-844-413-6649.

Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada has partnered with Statistics Canada to initiate a consultative engagement process in response to Call for Justice 9.5.v, one of the 231 Calls for Justice outlined in the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls: Reclaiming Power and Place The input received as part of this consultative process will form the basis of recommendations leading to the development of national data standards for police services. The objective of this work is to improve the information police gather on missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, 2SLGBTQQIA+ persons, vulnerable, marginalized, and racialized persons. Reliable and consistent information can play a role in helping to find missing persons and build prevention strategies. Data will allow for regular, continuous, and consistent statistical reporting and monitoring at national, provincial, and sub-provincial levels.

In the first two phases of this initiative, the Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics and Engagement and Data Services Division have heard from several National Indigenous Organizations and other Indigenous organizations and governments, federal, provincial, and territorial government departments, and non-governmental organizations representing marginalized populations.

How to get involved

This consultative engagement initiative is now closed.

Statistics Canada will continue to engage with organizations and governments until the end of 2024 through various formats including virtual group discussions, written submissions, and online forms. Disclosure of personal experiences are not within the scope of this engagement.

If you would like to obtain more information on this engagement initiative or are interested in participating, please contact us by email at consultativeengagement-mobilisationconsultative@statcan.gc.ca.

Statistics Canada is committed to respecting the privacy of participants. All personal information created, held, or collected by the agency is protected by the Privacy Act. For more information on Statistics Canada's privacy policies, please consult the privacy notice.

Results

Summary results of the engagement initiatives will be published online when available.