| Total actual spending for 2022–23 (dollars) | Total actual full-time equivalents for 2022–23 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total gross expenditures | 842,028,193 | 7,838 |
| Respendable revenues | - 159,349,013 | - 1,795 |
| Total net expenditures | 682,679,180 | 6,043 |
"The agency has stepped up its stewardship role in Canada's data ecosystem. It has the expertise to access and integrate data responsibly and to produce timely, relevant insights, while providing frameworks around its use of data to ensure their quality and safety. Its modernization efforts have enabled Canadians to access much richer information on the country's economy and society than in years past."
Anil Arora
Chief Statistician of Canada
In 2022‒23, Statistics Canada, in response to the increasing need for high-quality, reliable information, expanded and innovated its data collection, methods, standards and products to provide Canadians with data-driven insights. The agency continued its modernization journey built around five guiding principles, demonstrating its leadership in data stewardship. It broadened its reach with new and diverse products offering Canadians real-time information and in-depth analyses—how and when they want them—in an era of rapid social and economic changes.
Statistics Canada made significant progress with its Disaggregated Data Action Plan (DDAP), allowing the agency to be more responsive to the data needs of diverse groups. For instance, key indicators on racialized populations, Indigenous peoples and people with disabilities can now be broken down to provide insights into the quality-of-life outcomes of these groups.
Another pivotal achievement during the past year was the publication of the 2021 Census results using state-of-the-art systems to better inform research, analysis and policy making for years to come. The Communications Community Office recognized Statistics Canada's census communications campaign with the 2022 Diamond Award of Communications Excellence. Furthermore, the agency played a leading role in the Government of Canada's transition to cloud infrastructure, becoming the first organization to fully operate in the cloud environment and enabling a new generation of digital service delivery offerings for Canadians. In December 2022, the agency released its Road to Accessibility, a comprehensive action plan to ensure accessibility in services, products and facilities for employees.
In addition, the agency engaged more than ever with First Nations people, Métis and Inuit to increase their involvement and collaboration, especially for the census data release of September 2022, as well as during census data collection. Engaging them in important roles represents a significant step toward meaningful reconciliation and collaborative policy development to strengthen the agency's various initiatives.
Collectively, the projects featured in this report reveal the agency's ability to adapt to the increased need for high-quality data to pave the way for a more informed and inclusive Canada. The strides made in terms of data collection, technological upgrades, accessibility and inclusivity have set new standards to enhance the quality of the agency's services and the overall client experience.
Providing user-centric services
In line with its commitment to the user experience, Statistics Canada developed new ways to meet the increased need for high-quality data, with insights that are easier to find, share and use. Over the past year, the agency
- published seven themed major releases of 2021 Census data, some of which were covered in national news, including 30 analytical products, visualization tools and infographics covering 18 topics, with a social media campaign that reached 12.4 million impressions and 311,000 engagements
- launched new publications on emerging labour market topics and expanded questionnaires to measure diverse business ownership
- expanded the use of administrative data, increased data collection, launched new analyses and updated data hubs to increase knowledge and report to Canadians on the state and progress of gender equality and the experiences and outcomes of diverse groups, all while increasing transparency and strengthening privacy protection
- deployed innovative products such as the Eh Sayers podcast; StatsCAN Plus, one of the agency's release vehicles; the StatsCAN app to modernize data publishing; and the Virtual Data Lab, which provides remote access to detailed, anonymized social and business microdata for research
- developed the pilot physical flow account for plastic material, which estimates the flow of plastic through the Canadian economy to support the Government of Canada's zero plastic waste agenda.
Using leading-edge methods of data collection and integration
This past year, Statistics Canada focused on building knowledge, skills and data literacy across the Government of Canada. It implemented new digital initiatives with leading-edge approaches to collection, research and analysis to increase service speed and flexibility. The agency also
- modernized survey collection methods by using more administrative data and machine learning techniques with enhanced transparency and privacy protection
- improved surveys to link and integrate them with existing data holdings
- expanded data science and data modelling capabilities to position Statistics Canada for producing not only data, but also data-driven insights
- continued to lead internationally in best practices for privacy, data ethics and data governance
- strengthened capabilities in response to the evolving threat landscape, with a growing focus on cyber security
- continued to protect Statistics Canada's data and digital ecosystem and to ensure preparedness for the 2026 Census.
Building statistical capacity and fostering data literacy
In 2022–23, Statistics Canada continued to share knowledge with Canadians to further enable access to and understanding of data. The agency made progress with the indicators measuring the Sustainable Development Goals and quality of life, all while using modern tools and working in a cloud environment. The agency also
- continued to strengthen, evolve and innovate the national statistical system to better serve Canadians through ongoing collaboration and partnerships
- supported capacity building and data literacy projects, contributing to meeting the global Sustainable Development Goals
- developed definitions for 77 quality of life indicators and released the majority, along with their metadata, on the Quality of Life Hub, which provides one-stop access to quality of life measures across five domains
- expanded training resources and shared them freely with users through the Data Literacy Training Initiative, which provides videos and workshops for the various steps of the data journey, divided by data competency, level and type.
Collaborating and engaging with partners
To better respond to evolving information needs and leverage and optimize statistical programs, initiatives and activities for the benefit of Canadians, Statistics Canada collaborated with federal departments; provincial and territorial governments; international partners; and other organizations, such as businesses and non-governmental organizations. The agency also
- strengthened partnerships with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to enhance understanding of local environments and enable decisions at the municipal level
- collaborated with provinces and territories to combine databases and develop and publish tools such as releases and dashboards for the well-being of smaller regional groups
- collaborated with organizations to enhance data availability and quality in the environment and energy fields
- remained a leader in the international statistical system.
Building an agile workforce and workplace
Statistics Canada strengthened its workforce by attracting and retaining diverse talent that better represents Canada's geographical and cultural diversity, while building a culture of inclusion. The agency focused on ensuring that employees are agile and equipped to deliver greater value to Canadians and continued to support wellness and mental health. The agency also
- launched a portal to make it easier for leaders and employees to use, analyze, contribute and share the data they need to support organizational health and efficiency
- continued to prioritize equity, diversity and inclusion by completing or starting 47 of the 50 commitments in the first year of the multi-year Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan: Moving Forward Together
- developed strategies to increase the representation and advancement of women, Indigenous people, racialized people and people living with disabilities
- equipped employees with tools, training and experience to deliver greater value to Canadians.
For more information on Statistics Canada's plans, priorities and results achieved, see the "Results: what we achieved" section of this report.