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Census

Sorry, this page has moved.

The information on this page will not be updated after February 21, 2012.

Please see the Census page on our new Statistics guide:

http://libguides.kwantlen.ca/stats

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This guide provides a brief description of Statistics Canada's Census of Population and some tools for locating Census statistics. You can jump to specific sections of this page: Background Information Census Products Highlight Tables Census Profiles Topic-Based Tabulations Public-Use Microdata Files (PUMF's) Other Useful Sources

Related library guides: Census Geography NEW | Statistics | Business Statistics | Data Services | CANSIM

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Background Information

Statistics Canada ('Statcan') conducts a population Census every five years using a two-part approach:

1. a Census ("short form") which gathers basic demographic information about everyone 
2. a large survey ("long form") which gathers much more information from selected Canadian households

In 2006, every Canadian household was asked 8 basic demographic questions. Most households (80%) received a "short form" Census with only these 8 questions. A 20% sample of households received the "long form" survey which included all of the questions from the Census "short form", plus over 50 others about languages spoken, income and education level, ethnic origin, and many other factors. Participation was mandatory by law. Although the Census is only one of Statistics Canada's sources of data -- it conducts many other regular surveys and gathers data from other agencies -- it provides a rich and vital portrait of Canadians over time. This Overview of the Census document provides an excellent general introduction to its history and methodology.

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Census Products

Many businesses, government agencies, researchers and others rely heavily on Census data in their research, planning and decision making. Different groups require different types of information and varying levels of detail. Accordingly, Statistics Canada produces a wide range of Census products. Some are freely available on the Statcan website. Others are available for a fee, or through specialized services for educational uses. Some data is never publicly released. Statcan must take great care to ensure that no publicly-released Census data can be used to identify an individual person or business. This means that some data cannot be released, or must be combined (aggregated) into larger categories or geographic areas to prevent such disclosure.

Given the scale and complexity of the task, it takes time for Statistics Canada to compile and analyze the results and produce tables, analytical reports, and many other products. Census results are released in stages. Basic population and dwelling counts are followed by thematic "release components", e.g. Marital status, Common-law status, Families, Dwellings and households.

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Highlight Tables

Highlight Tables provide selected statistics to the Census Subdivision (CSD = municipality) for each topical release of Census data. Users can sort most of the statistics in each table. Some tables have a "figure": a chart or graph.

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Census Profiles

Profiles provide detailed individual variables and variable groups for a specific area. They are the main source of Census statistics for small areas such as Census Tracts. Profiles often combine (cross-tabulate) two or more variables, giving a two-dimensional description of one place. You cannot create new combinations of variables from profile tables.

Example of what you can and can't find in Census profiles: A profile can tell you how many females in Surrey work in the retail trade industry. You can also find out the number of female lone-parent families with one child in Surrey. BUT you cannot tell how many of these female single parents with one child in Surrey work in the retail trade industry.

Comparison of Census Profile Types

	Cumulative Profiles see next table for links	Community Profiles	Census Tract Profiles NEW	Census Trends NEW	Special Interest Profiles
Detail level (# characteristics)	2,175	over 200	over 200	85 "indicators"	varies
Geographic level (smallest available)	Dissemination Area (DA)	Census Subdivision (CSD) ~ city	Census Tract (CT) ~ neighbourhood	CSDs with over 5,000 people	Census Metropolitan Area (CMA)
Output formats	depends on source see table below	CSV file TAB file "figures" (bar charts) map	CSV file TAB file "figures" (bar charts) selected thematic maps	CSV file TAB file "figures" (charts showing trend line)	CSV file TAB file
Availability	several sources see table below	only on Statistics Canada's website	only on Statistics Canada's website	only on Statistics Canada's website	only on Statistics Canada's website
Notes	includes every Census variable for each geographic area also available in subsets ("release components") e.g. Ethnic Origin and Visible Minorities	can compare two geographic areas side-by-side automatically generates citation for each table, chart, etc	can compare three geographic areas side-by-side oddly, these CT Profiles include some statistics that are not available in the Cumulative Profile at the CT level [see Excel spreadsheet for details] search by Postal Code, map or Census Tract #	Summary data spanning three censuses: 2006, 2001 and 1996	5 sets of detailed profiles: Aboriginal peoples Labour Ethnic origin and visible minorities Immigration and Place of Birth Place of work

Comparison of Cumulative Profile Sources

	Statistics Canada website	E-STAT	BC STATS	Canadian Census Analyser	Equinox
Detail level (# characteristics)	2175 “stublines” (612 in print profile)	2066 “characteristics” in its version of Cum. Profile “database”	2175 [unverified]	2175 [unverified]	2175 [unverified]
Geographic level (smallest available)	CMA/CA	CT	CT	DA	DA
Ease of use	easy	easy	moderately easy	moderately challenging	challenging
Output formats	Custom view CSV Print Chart	18 options, incl. various, tables, graphs, map and downloads	30-page PDF Excel	HTML Text Spreadsheet   (comma del.) MS Excel ready SAS SPSS dBASE (max.   255 columns)	B20/20
Notes		Only tool that can map data from the cumulative profile	Excel tables are tricky to use because of groupings		provides citation

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2006 Topic-Based Tabulations

These tables combine multiple, pre-selected variables and are more complex than the Profiles (e.g. age and gender and income level). While you can highly customize the tables by selecting specific variables, you cannot add new variables.  

an example: Citizenship (5), Place of Birth (35), Sex (3) and Immigrant Status and Period of Immigration (12) for the Population of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations

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Public-Use Microdata Files

PUMFs are a 1% sample of Census data which allow you to choose which variables to cross-tabulate, but require an understanding of statistics and access to analytical software. In order to protect anonymity, some variables are suppressed or aggregated. The smallest area is the Census Metropolitan Area.

• Canadian Census Analyser
  - web access to Dissemination Area (DA) level PUMFs, with built-in statistical analysis software - before 2001, Dissemination Areas were called Enumeration Areas (EA)
• Equinox
  - download PUMFs for analysis in SPSS or other software

For more info on using these 'raw' data files, see our Data Services guide

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Other Useful Sources

• Community Information Database
  
  • Over 500 indicators taken from Census and other sources e.g. crime, GDP, etc.
    Created by the Government of Canada's Rural Secretariat.
• Your Guide to Data Sources on Census-related Topics
  Lists and describes other Statcan surveys that gather data on topics included in the Census such as income, occupations, etc., e.g. the monthly Labour force Survey also gathers information on income levels and and occupations 

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Maintained by: Chris Burns, Research Support & Data Services Librarian

Updated: 01/02/12