Canada: Statistics Canada

Statistics Canada

Statistics Canada catalogues and publications

• Search Statistics Canada's current publications and research papers in print and electronic formats.
• Search Statistics Canada Library's online catalogue for current and discontinued publications.
• The Daily: official release of Statistics Canada data. Includes the latest Indicators on Canada’s economy, land, people and the State.

Census of Population

• Latest Census: 2016 Census
• Previous censuses (2011, 2006, 2001, 1996)
• Community Profiles. 2016 / 2011 / 2006 / 2001 / 1996
  Contains free tabular data for all communities in Canada (cities, town, villages, Indian Reserves and Indian Settlements, etc.) on population, education, income, families and dwellings, births and deaths. A map of the area is available.
• Historical Statistics of Canada: from Confederation in 1867 to the mid 1970s. See also: the first and second editions (in print)
• Census of Canada - Digitized Historical Census files (Library and Archives Canada): from 1825 - 1900's
• Censuses of Canada, 1665-1871 (Queen's University Library)

Data tables and databases

• Search Statistics Canada's Data Tables
• Canadian Census Analyser (via CHASS): a search and retrieval system for the Census of Canada back to 1971.
• Odesi: Odesi is a portal giving access to a wide range of statistical data including public microdata files from Statistics Canada.
• Other statistical databases, from the Databases by subject page.
• See also: Government Information

Governmental sites for cities, provinces & territories

• Montreal: Montréal en statistiques
• Quebec: Institut de la statistique du Quebec
• Links from Stats Can to Provinces and territories

United States

• ICPSR: a large data repository for the social sciences. Focuses on U.S. topics, but international and Canadian datasets are also included.
• U.S. Census Bureau: including QuickFacts
• Fedstats: access to a broad range of statistics from more than 100 federal agencies.
• National Historical Geographic Information System (NHGIS) provides easy access to summary tables and time series of population, housing, agriculture, and economic data, along with GIS-compatible boundary files, for years from 1790 through the present and for all levels of U.S. census geography, including states, counties, tracts, and blocks.
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: including Economy at a Glance | Consumer Expenditure Surveys.
• StateMaster: searchable compilation of statistics on U.S. states produced by various U.S. government departments and agencies.
• Historical Statistics of the United States: comprehensive statistical portrait of the U.S. from colonial times to the present.

World

International comparative statistics

• UNData: official statistics produced by countries and compiled by the UN data system; indicators, estimates, projections.
• World Bank: World Development Indicators (WDI) | Global Financial Development | DataBank (The World Bank).
• EuroStat: European Union.
• Nationmaster.com: An independent website which compiles statistics from such sources as the CIA World Factbook, United Nations, World Health Organization, and the World Bank.
• International statistical organizations: compiled by Statistics Canada.
• United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD)
• International Programs: U.S. Census Bureau.
• Development Data & Statistics: World Bank.

Individual governments

• International Statistical Agencies on the Web: University of Wisconsin.

More sources of world statistics

• Population Reference Bureau: population and health data.

Beyond 20/20

• Beyond 20/20: This browser is available on public workstations at the Library. This browser is needed to view some statistical data, including much of what is included in Odesi. Concordia users can download it for free from:
  • BCI

What is the Data Liberation Initiative (DLI)?

The Data Liberation Initiative is a Statistics Canada program established in cooperation with various academic organizations, through which students, faculty and staff of Canadian universities get enhanced access to specialized electronic data, especially microdata. For more information on the DLI program and a list of available products, see the DLI official website.

What kind of data is available through the DLI?

There are two forms of numeric data: aggregate data and microdata (raw data). For a definition of these terms, see the DLI Survival Guide. Although some versions of the data may already have been published in print publications and/or on Statistics Canada's Web site, sometimes with analysis, the DLI sources provide microdata so that researchers can perform their own tabulations or analysis.

Aggregate data is provided in formats such as Beyond 20/20, Excel, and other formats which allow the display and manipulation of data into new tables.

Microdata is provided in SPSS, SAS or other database-compatible formats for original statistical analysis. Knowledge of statistical techniques is necessary to access and manipulate the data.

The DLI also provides geographic data files in GIS format such as ArcReader and MapInfo.

DLI products complement the standard statistics available through Statistics Canada's regular channels.

How do I access DLI data?

Through the web

Special consortium agreements with other institutions have made it possible for Concordia faculty, students and staff to access much of the DLI data through the Web, remotely, through common Web interfaces.

Aggregate data:

• Search Statistics Canada's Data Tables
• Canadian Census Analyser (also includes Census microdata files, and includes census back to 1971)
• BCI's Statistical and Geographic Data page: (Detailed tables usually not available from Statistics Canada's data page)

Microdata

• <odesi> - includes Public Use Microdata Files (PUMF) for the Census and some Statistics Canada's surveys as well as aggregate data from multiple sources).
• Statistics Canada's Nesstar Server.. Access to Public use Microdata Files (PUMFs) data as well as to the documentation (codebooks) for the Master Files available at QICSS.

Geospatial data

• Canadian Census Geographic Files
• Note: More geospatial files are available from this page

On request (DLI website: FTP and Web collection)

Some data can only be obtained on request, by the DLI Librarian.

For more information, see the DLI web site

List of upcoming product releases

DLI contact person

To request DLI products, or for more information, send an email to GIS and Data Services Librarian Alex Guindon at: alex.guindon@concordia.ca