How does Statistics Canada use phone numbers and email addresses?
Statistics Canada acquires and uses Canadians’ phone numbers and email addresses under the authority of the Statistics Act to ensure that all Canadian households, including those that use cellphones or other communication services exclusively in lieu of landlines, are contacted and represented so that our surveys produce an accurate picture that reflects all the people of Canada.
Information collected by Statistics Canada supports a number of statistical programs that benefit all Canadians as well as our country's businesses. These important programs include the Labour Force Survey, which produces the monthly unemployment rate. The data from other statistical programs, such as the Census of Population as well as health and social surveys, provide information that affects the funding of essential services that all Canadians depend on, such as public transit, hospitals and schools.
How does Statistics Canada acquire phone numbers and email addresses?
The Statistics Act provides the authority for Statistics Canada to collect dwelling and contact information. Phone numbers, including those for cellphones, and email addresses are provided to Statistics Canada by survey respondents, other government departments and communication service providers on the condition that they are only used for statistical or research purposes.
Why does Statistics Canada obtain phone numbers and email addresses?
The prevalence of cellphones and corresponding decline in landline use has increased the likelihood that an interviewer will contact Canadians on their cellphones. Email addresses are considered another modern way of contacting respondents in a digital age, similar to cellphones and landlines, each being added as technology evolved.
Statistics Canada needs to represent all dwellings in its samples in order to produce high-quality data from its surveys. An increasing number of households have replaced landline telephone service with a wireless service exclusively. The Survey of Household Spending, 2019, determined that nearly half of Canadian households (45.1%) had only a cellphone and no landline.
Statistics Canada strives for a contact-free approach to its surveys, including the Census of the Population, to protect the health and safety of respondents and staff. For the census, Statistics Canada uses phone numbers and email addresses to reduce the need for personal contact, which protects the health and safety of Canadians. Statistics Canada is striving for a contact-free approach to conducting the census and all other household surveys – including the monthly Labour Force Survey. This is best accomplished through increased use of phone and email follow-ups with Canadians, before census employees are sent door to door. Updated lists of household addresses and associated phone numbers and email addresses are essential for comprehensive census collection.
The success of our surveys will depend on partnerships with communication service providers as well as the ongoing cooperation of Canadians.
Can Statistics Canada obtain my unlisted phone number?
Unlisted phone numbers can be made available to Statistics Canada by survey respondents, other government departments and communication service providers on the condition that they are only used for statistical or research purposes.
What other sources of information can be used to obtain my contact information?
Statistics Canada selects survey participants from a list of individuals or organizations compiled from various sources. When we need up-to-date contact information, we look for additional information through various publicly-accessible and internal-to-government sources. This extra research is limited to contact information only, and replaces the outdated methods of searching through telephone books and printed business directories that we have historically used. For example, extra research might be required in the case of telephone surveys when some of the telephone numbers of the people or organizations selected to be survey participants are found to be out-of-date.
The objective of verifying contact information is to:
- be sure we know how to reach the selected survey participant
- update the basic identification information in the survey collection process (e.g., name, address, phone number, email, contact name; or for an area collection, pinpointing the geographic location of a farm on a map, etc.)
- determine whether the selected participant is still in-scope for the survey (e.g., Has the establishment ceased to exist? Has the respondent moved out of the geographic scope of the survey?)
The most commonly used tools for verifying contact information include:
- up-to-date directories, business directories, and directory assistance
- information from more recent survey collections
- files from other government agencies (e.g., lists of business licenses in a particular municipality, lists of licensed drivers in a province, etc.)
- for repeated surveys, contact information provided by participants on a previous occasion (e.g., addresses or telephone number of relatives who can be used to reach the respondent)
- information available on-line using search engines or publicly available sources such as Canada 411 or white pages
Statistics Canada is committed to respecting the privacy of individuals and businesses—whether they are responding to one of our surveys, providing personal information, purchasing a product or service or using our website. To fulfill this commitment, Statistics Canada has created a Privacy Framework that describes the approved practices, procedures and governance related to privacy.
All personal information collected, used, disclosed or retained by Statistics Canada is protected by the Privacy Act and by the Statistics Act whether it was provided by a respondent or received from a third party. This means that you will be advised of the authority for such collection.
- privacy of individuals: Information for survey participants—Frequently asked questions: How is my privacy and personal information protected?
- privacy of businesses: Information for survey participants—Frequently asked questions: Statistics Canada exempt from Do Not Call List
- Privacy Framework: Statistics Canada's Privacy Framework: Preface
- Privacy Act
- Statistics Act
If you have any concerns about your privacy, please contact:
Pierre Desrochers
Chief Privacy Officer
Office of Privacy Management and Information Coordination
Statistics Canada
R.H. Coats Building, 2nd floor
100 Tunney's Pasture Driveway
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0T6
Pierre.Desrochers@statcan.gc.ca
613-894-4086
Can I ask Statistics Canada not to call, text or email me?
Statistics Canada fully understands that some Canadians may be concerned if they are contacted on their phone or emailed by parties unknown to them personally. All phone numbers and email addresses acquired under the authority of the Statistics Act are treated as confidential, which means they are not shared with anyone else.
Information collected under the Act is used only to support mandated statistical programs of Statistics Canada. It is not used for any other purpose and is not distributed to other parties, including those within the Government of Canada.
Individuals whose phone numbers are registered with the National Do Not Call List will continue to receive calls, texts and/or emails from Statistics Canada. As a government agency that is required by law to conduct surveys, Statistics Canada is not subject to the national Do Not Call List. Statistics Canada is mandated by the Statistics Act to conduct surveys and censuses to provide Canadians with accurate information on our society, economy and people.
What is the law regarding the use of phone numbers and email addresses by Statistics Canada?
Under the Statistics Act, Statistics Canada has the legal authority to access Canadians’ information for statistical and research purposes only. By law, the agency must keep the information it acquires secure and protected. Statistics Canada has formal agreements with data providers to ensure that necessary protocols are in place to protect the confidential information of all Canadians.
In 2014, Statistics Canada reported its intention to update the content of its Residential Telephone Number Register more frequently due to the growing number of Canadians using cellphones. A Privacy Impact Assessment for this register was provided to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, who is kept informed of any issues related to Statistics Canada's use of cellphone numbers.
The collection and use of contact information for contacting households for statistical activities operating under the authority of the Statistics Act has been addressed by the Generic Privacy Impact Assessment.
What are the limits on the collection of phone numbers and email addresses?
Statistics Canada fully understands that some Canadians may be concerned if they are contacted by parties unknown to them personally.
Statistics Canada treats as confidential all phone numbers and email addresses it acquires under the authority of the Statistics Act.
Information collected under the Act is used only to support mandated statistical programs of Statistics Canada. The information is not used for any other purpose, nor distributed to other parties, even within the Government of Canada.
How does Statistics Canada ensure the confidentiality of Canadians' phone numbers and email addresses?
At Statistics Canada, the confidentiality of data is governed by the Statistics Act, the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act, as well as the agency's policies, directives and supporting systems and tools on the collection, protection and use of administrative data.
Statistics Canada employees and deemed employees are sworn to secrecy and subject to fines and/or imprisonment, should they reveal confidential information.
The address, phone and email information of Canadians acquired by Statistics Canada is never provided to any other agency or person, even those within the Government of Canada.