Introduction to the reference documentation

In this section we provide a comprehensive list of Statistics Canada's resources. These documents are grouped into four categories: 1) Technical reports, 2) Subject-Matter Documentation, 3) Data Tables, and 4) Analytical products. In this way, we complete our guided tour by providing the necessary information and giving the reader the freedom to navigate.

Reference documentation

Technical reports

Technical reports deal with the quality of data gathered and generally include, reports on sampling, weighting, coverage, and other methodological considerations like imputation, error detection, linking, suppression, random rounding, and so forth. In this segment, we provide technical reports sorted by year.

Sampling and Weighting

html: Sampling and Weighting, 2016 Census (available Oct. 25, 2017)
pdf: Available Oct 25th, 2017.25th, 2017.

html: Sampling and Weighting, 2011 NHS
pdf: Sampling and Weighting Technical Report (NHS).pdf

html: Sampling and Weighting, 2006 Census
pdf: Sampling and Weighting Technical Report.pdf

html: Sampling and Weighting, 2001 Census
pdf:  Sampling and Weighting Technical Report.pdf

html: Sampling and Weighting, 1996 Census
pdf:  Sampling and Weighting Technical Report.pdf 

html: Sampling and Weighting, 1991 Census
pdf: Sampling and Weighting Technical Report.pdf

html: Sampling and Weighting, 1986 Census  
pdf:  Sampling and Weighting Technical Report.pdf

Census Strategy Projects : Methodology & Content Consultations

Royce (2011) Preliminary report on Methodology options for the 2016 Census.pdf.

Statistics Canada (2014) Census Program Content Consultation Report, Census Year 2016

Statistics Canada (2008) Census Content Consultation Report, Census Year 2011.

Statistics Canada (2003) Content Consultation Report, 2006 Census

Statistics Canada (1997) Census Consultation Guide, 2001 Census

Statistics Canada (1994) Census Consultation Report, 1996 Census

Statistics Canada (1990) 1991 Census Content Development Final Report.

Questionnaires

2016
Form 2A
Form 2B (2A-L)

2011
Form 2A (Census)
Form N2 (NHS)

2006
Form 2A
Form 2B

2001
Form 2A
Form 2B

1996
Form 2A
Form 2B

Subject-matter documentation

This section deals with the theoretical frameworks, dimensions, definitions, and operationalization of the many variables that are quantified at Statistics Canada. Documents in this category include the Census Dictionary, Topic Guides, Data Sourcing Guides to mention a few. In this section we include these aforementioned sorted by census year.

Dictionaries

Census Dictionary, 2016 

Census Dictionary, 2011
NHS Dictionary, 2011

Census Dictionary, 2006

Census Dictionary, 2001

Census Dictionary, 1996 

Census Dictionary, 1991

Census Dictionary, 1986

Census Dictionary, 1981

Census Dictionary, 1976

Census Dictionary, 1971

Topic Guides

2016

-Aboriginal Peoples

-Education

-Ethnic Origin

-Languages

-Mobility and migration

-Place of Birth, Generation Status, Citizenship and Immigration

-Visible Minority and Population Group

2011

-Aboriginal Peoples Reference Guide, 2011 NHS
-Education Reference Guide, 2011 NHS
-Ethnic Origin Reference Guide, 2011 NHS
-Languages Reference Guide, 2011 NHS
-Language Reference Guide, 2011 Census
-Mobility and Migration Reference Guide, 2011 NHS
-Place of Birth, Generation Status, Citizenship and Immigration, Reference Guide, 2011 NHS
-Religion Reference Guide, 2011 NHS
-Visible Minority and Population Group Reference, 2011 NHS
-Your Guide to Data Sources on Census Program Topics

2006

-Education
-Ethnic Origin
-Immigration and Citizenship
-Language
-Mobility and Migration
-Visible Minorities
-Aboriginal Peoples

2001

-Languages
-Ethnic Origin
-Visible Minority
-Mobility and Migration

Data tables

As far as the census program goes, data products for the Census of Population come in the form of a) Aggregated tables, b) Profiles, c) Highlight Tables, d) and Public Use Microdata Files (PUMF). All of these data products retain Canadians' confidentiality by either restricting their geographical scope (e.g. national, provincial, and municipal), using lower sample ratios (e.g. 2% PUMF files), or introducing various data perturbation techniques in the database (e.g. PUMF files). They nevertheless provide a wealth of cross-tabulated information suitable for many levels of geographic precision. The census of population, moreover, can be searched by variable or by topic. Likewise, the National Household Survey can be searched by variable, by topic, or geographic level .

For other surveys, the premier database available is the Canadian Socio-Economic Information Management System (CANSIM). CANSIM provides access to a range of data tables, is updated daily, and it is searchable by topic or by survey. Some examples include: The National Household Survey, The Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), the Elementary-Secondary Education Survey (ESES), the Longitudinal Immigration Database (IMDB), General Social Survey - Social Identity (GSS-SI), the Aboriginal Peoples Survey (APS), as well as a few tables from the Census Programme. In general, higher-frequency surveys find their way here.

Statistics Canada has made 2016 Census data products, analytical products, and reference materials available by topic. To see a portrait of Canada's population with regard to language, see: