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Section 2 — Analysis of program activities

Statistics Canada seeks to ensure that Canadians have access to timely, relevant and quality statistical information on Canada’s changing economy and society for informed debate, research, and decision making on social and economic issues.

The following section describes Statistics Canada’s program activities and the financial and non-financial resources available to each. Planned activities, indicators, targets, and timelines are identified for each of the four program activities:

• Economic Statistics
• Social Statistics
• Census, Demography and Aboriginal Statistics
• Internal Services.

2.1 Economic Statistics

Table 5 Program Activity 1: Economic Statistics

Human resources (FTEs) and planned spending (thousands of dollars)
2011/2012		2012/2013		2013/2014
FTEs	Planned spending	FTEs	Planned spending	FTEs	Planned spending
2,266	191,102	2,327	195,115	2,346	195,663

Program Activity expected results	Performance indicators	Targets
Statistics produced by Statistics Canada are available through a wide range of easily accessible media formats and venues.	Number of page views of electronic publications (’000)	Annual increase exceeds 5%
	Annual percentage increase in the number of page views of electronic publications
	Success in finding information on the Statistics Canada website	65% of visitors surveyed found what they were looking for
	Ease of finding information on the Statistics Canada website	70% of visitors surveyed would say they were satisfied
Canadians are aware of the availability of these statistics and of their high quality, and of the professionalism and non-partisanship of Statistics Canada.	Number of data series downloaded from the CANSIM online database (’000)	Annual increase in downloaded series exceeds 5%
	Annual percentage increase in the number of data series downloaded from the CANSIM online database
	Client satisfaction with Statistics Canada’s ability to meet their needs	Rating of 4 out of 5
	Percentage of statistical outputs that meet set levels of sampling accuracy	95% of major statistical outputs meet set levels of accuracy
Organizational efficiency	Number of business surveys using tax/administrative data (number)	Continual increase
	Percentage of business surveys using tax/administrative data
	Index of response burden hours (1991 = 100)	60 or less
Notes Please note that the planned spending figures presented above are net of respendable revenue, include applicable adjustments for the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) initiatives and are derived by taking the gross figure from the ‘Planning Summary’ table, less planned respendable revenue from the ‘Sources of Respendable and Non-Respendable Revenue’ table, plus the adjustment for Economic Statistics from the ‘Planning Summary’ table. Totals may differ between tables because of rounding. Definitions Number of page views of electronic publications: The number of web pages viewed during visitor sessions on the Statistics Canada website. Client satisfaction: These data are derived from the client satisfaction surveys conducted by the Economic Statistics program activity. The surveys use measures that are consistent with the common measurement tool in use across the federal government. Data series downloaded from the online database: This refers to data series downloaded by external users from CANSIM, Statistics Canada’s online database. Major statistical outputs whose sampling accuracy is within set objectives: Most surveys are based on statistical sampling. Sampling is an important means of achieving timely and cost-effective results. At the same time, estimates based on sampling can be expected to vary from sample to sample, and to differ from those that would result from a complete census. Sampling accuracy objectives are set on a survey-by-survey basis. Use of administrative data: The use by Statistics Canada of data from the Canada Revenue Agency and other administrative sources as an alternative to obtaining data directly from respondents. Sometimes called ‘survey data replacement’, this reduces the number of questionnaires going to respondents and the associated response burden. Response burden hours: The estimate of response burden hours is calculated annually using the frequency of each survey, the average time to complete the questionnaire and the number of surveyed respondents. Dividing by the estimated number of Canadian businesses gives average burden per establishment. The average is indexed; the year 1991 serves as the index year, or 100 mark. The calculation excludes the quinquennial Census of Agriculture. Success in finding information on the Statistics Canada website: Users are asked to indicate whether they successfully located the information they were seeking in their current visit to the Statistics Canada website. This feedback is collected in the Web Evaluation Survey, conducted annually by Statistics Canada. An invitation to participate in the survey appears as users view the site pages. Ease of finding information on the Statistics Canada website: Users are asked to rate, on a five-point scale ranging from very easy to very difficult, how easily they found the information they were seeking in their current visit to the Statistics Canada website. This feedback is collected in the Web Evaluation Survey, conducted annually by Statistics Canada. An invitation to participate in the survey appears as users view the site pages.

Program activity description

The Economic Statistics program offers Canadians a set of comprehensive, integrated measures of the structure and evolution of Canada’s economy and environment. The program comprises two main organizational components. The Business and Trade Statistics program collects and disseminates industry and commodity statistics; the System of National Accounts uses input mainly from the Business and Trade Statistics program to provide a conceptually integrated framework of statistics and analysis for studying the evolution of the Canadian economy and environment.

These two components together offer micro- and macro-economic statistics and analysis across the full spectrum of Canadian economic activity, both domestic and international. The statistics cover gross domestic product; production, costs, sales, productivity, and prices for the gamut of industrial sectors; the flows and stocks of fixed and financial capital assets; international trade and finance; foreign ownership in Canada’s economy; federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal government revenues, expenditures and employment; environmental issues related to pollution, natural assets, and activities to reduce environmental damage; consumer and industrial price changes; science and technology; and research and development.

The national accounts measure production of goods and services and the purchase or sale of goods and services in domestic and international markets. Production and consumption are measured in dollar terms. Corresponding price indexes are derived, and estimates of economic activity in ‘real’ or ‘inflation adjusted’ terms are prepared. Monetary flows are tracked in the four major sectors of the economy: households, businesses, governments and non-residents. Saving, investment, assets, liabilities and national wealth are measured. The program supports various statutory requirements. As well, its outputs are vital to the policy development and programs of the Bank of Canada, Finance Canada, Industry Canada, Foreign Affairs and International Trade and several other federal, provincial and territorial departments and agencies. National accounts outputs are also widely used in the private sector and by international agencies such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations (UN).

The Analytical Studies program integrates and analyses data collected by Statistics Canada and others to describe Canada’s economy and society—information vital for a competitive and rapidly evolving economy. Analytical Studies develops new, better techniques for the statistical analysis and interpretation of socio-economic datasets. The program also produces analytical data products such as the annual estimates of multifactor productivity, longitudinal worker files, and health databases. It also publishes about 70 analytical reports per year. These activities are vital for the Bank of Canada, Finance Canada, Industry Canada, and the private sector financial community.

The activities of several programs, particularly the System of National Accounts, support statutory requirements. For example, national accounts data are used to manage the Fiscal Arrangements Act and to allocate Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) revenue among Canada and the provinces that collect the HST. The programs described below provide inputs—statistical information and advice on its use.

• The Economy-wide Statistics program covers financial and taxation statistics for enterprises, international trade, investment, capital stock, and prices.
• The Industry Statistics program covers retail and wholesale trade, manufacturing, construction, energy, and services.
• The Agriculture, Transportation and Technology program covers agriculture, science, technology, broadcasting, telecommunications, innovation, electronic commerce, small business, and transportation. The program also conducts special surveys.

To fulfill their purpose, statistics produced by these programs must be of high quality and must accurately depict the performance of Canada’s economy. They must also be promptly delivered, coherent and accessible. The programs must produce these statistical measures efficiently and with the least possible burden on the businesses, farmers and other Canadians responding to their surveys.

Statistics Canada continues to update the Economic Statistics program to reflect the changing realities of the Canadian economy. At the same time, it strives to make its processes more efficient by using more and more administrative data and modern technology for surveying and processing data. The goal is to expand data access to Canadians while maintaining or improving the data quality and timeliness they have come to expect.

A more detailed description of this program activity and planned release dates can be found at: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/about-apercu/structure/paa-aap-eng.htm and http://www.statcan.gc.ca/release-diffusion/index-eng.htm.

Priorities

Table 6 summarizes the priorities of the Economic Statistics program activity.

Table 6  Priorities and Planned Activities for Economic Statistics

Priority	Type	Link to Program Activity	Contribution to the strategic outcome and planned activities	Why is this a priority?
Operational priorities
Deliver ongoing economic and social statistics programs	Ongoing	Economic Statistics	Relevance Trust Access	Statistics Canada’s strategic outcome is to ensure that Canadians have access to a trusted source of statistics meeting their highest priority information needs. The Statistics Act directs the agency to collect, compile, analyse, abstract and publish statistical information relating to the commercial, industrial, financial, social, economic, and general activities and condition of the people. Those duties include producing gross domestic product and other topical economic data, as well as current high-quality data on key areas of social policy concern including employment, education, health, and justice. Planned activities Deliver timely and accurate economic indicators
Continue to renew statistical programs	Ongoing	Economic Statistics	Relevance Trust Efficiency	Statistics Canada is responsible for producing relevant and high-quality statistics. Canada and the world continue to evolve. To ensure trust in our statistical programs, the agency must also evolve to stay relevant and maintain their quality. It is a priority to update our programs to reflect the changing reality of Canada’s economy and society while ensuring their quality and continuity. Planned activities Renew the System of National Accounts Modernize the government finance statistics program Enhance the Consumer Price Index programs to better reflect current spending patterns Reflect changes to accounting standards in survey programs

Planned activity: Deliver timely and accurate economic indicators

Producing gross domestic product (GDP) data is one of Statistics Canada’s key activities, given the central role of these data in the management of Canada’s economy. Other key activities contribute to the calculation of the GDP, such as the Balance of International Payments; the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours; the Quarterly Survey of Financial Statements; the consumer and industrial price indexes; international trade statistics; the Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey; the Monthly Retail Trade Survey; and tax files from the Canada Revenue Agency. These GDP-related activities will continue, and will continue to be important.

Another key activity is the production of Consumer Price Index (CPI) data, which are also central to managing Canada’s economy. CPI activities will continue, and will remain key.

Planned activity: Renew the System of National Accounts

The products and industries of the Canadian and world economy continue to evolve. In particular, the services sector is growing relative to the goods-producing sector. In addition, knowledge-based industries and products are gaining importance. Statistical programs must also evolve: over the next two years, the National Accounts program will update its measures of economic activity in accordance with new standards issued by the IMF, OECD and UN.

Information on the government sector will also be revised in light of the broad adoption of new public sector accounting standards in recent years. The updated National Accounts will provide better information on the financial sector in light of recent economic events, and will prepare to make further improvements based on recommendations still being formulated by the G20 and other international bodies.

A key objective of the renewal is ensuring that Canadians have access to comparable economic data across provinces and nations.

Planned activity: Modernize the government finance statistics program

Statistics Canada publishes a comprehensive set of government finance statistics. They encompass all levels of government by converting disparate sets of financial statements into one coherent set of financial accounts. This enables comparability of government finances across jurisdictions. The revenue statistics from this program are used in the equalization program of the Fiscal Arrangements Act to calculate the representative tax bases. The accounting basis for these data has, however, become out of date relative to modern accounting practices and is being phased out. A new international standard, developed by the IMF, will be fully in place by 2014. By June 2012, data for the Fiscal Arrangements Act will move to the new standard. The remainder of the data program, used by governments for analytical and forecasting purposes and to report to international agencies like the IMF and OECD on expenditures by function of government (health, education, etc.), will be implemented by 2014.

Planned activity: Enhance the Consumer Price Index to better reflect current consumer spending patterns

Under the current four-year renewal cycle, the basket weights used in the CPI for the 2005 reference year will be replaced with weights based on 2009 consumer spending patterns. This update, planned for June 2011, will refresh the index to better reflect more current purchasing patterns and economic conditions.

Planned activity: Reflect changes to Canadian accounting standards in survey programs

On January 1, 2011, Canada officially replaced Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), the accounting standard that had been authorized by the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Transitioning companies are required to produce parallel financial statements using GAAP and IFRS standards in the year preceding their formal transition to IFRS. Planned initiatives will use this information to explain the impact of the transition on enterprise-level financial statements, economy-level aggregates and the quarterly enterprise financial data series. This work may also identify requirements to modify the Quarterly Survey of Financial Statements questionnaires and systems, and may yield recommendations to change the Chart of Accounts.

Benefits for Canadians

An effective, well-developed economic and environmental statistics program is important for Canadian businesses, workers, governments, and other institutions. They can use it as a baseline against which they can measure the performance of the economy and of their own and collective undertakings. This program is central to Canada’s participation in international institutions such as the IMF, OECD, World Trade Organization and UN. International co-ordination of economic policy and effective trade negotiations depend on statistical information.

Beginning with the Constitution Act of 1867, much Canadian legislation at the federal and provincial levels has relied on statistical information to operate. Equalization payments to provinces and indexation of social benefits and tax brackets are important examples of legislated uses of economic statistics. In the private sector, many contracts and collective agreements are similarly dependent on economic statistics.

The current economic climate illustrates well the dependence of macro-economic fiscal and monetary policy on economic statistics. Equally important and similarly dependent on economic statistics are industrial and labour market policies, regional economic policy, productivity and innovation policies, and policies designed to attract and retain foreign investment in Canada. Environmental statistics provide data on the impacts on the environment of human activity, and shed light on the interaction of policy initiatives and environmental issues.

Private businesses, like governments, depend on economic statistics for their decisions on such things as investments, market analysis, opening and closing locations, and mergers and acquisitions. Timely and reliable statistics reduce uncertainty about the economy and environment, and make private decision-making more efficient.

2.2 Social Statistics

Table 7  Program Activity 2: Social Statistics

Human resources (FTEs) and planned spending (thousands of dollars)
2011/2012		2012/2013		2013/2014
FTEs	Planned spending	FTEs	Planned spending	FTEs	Planned spending
1,565	138,951	1,579	138,794	1,590	138,794

Program Activity expected results	Performance indicators	Targets
Statistics produced by Statistics Canada are available through a wide range of easily accessible media formats and venues.	Number of page views of electronic publications (’000)	Annual increase exceeds 5%
	Annual percentage increase in the number of page views of electronic publications
	Success in finding information on the Statistics Canada website	65% of visitors surveyed found what they were looking for
	Ease of finding information on the Statistics Canada website	70% of visitors surveyed would say they were satisfied
Canadians are aware of the availability of these statistics and of their high quality, and of the professionalism and non-partisanship of Statistics Canada.	Number of data series downloaded from the CANSIM online database (’000)	Annual increase in downloaded series exceeds 5%
	Annual percentage increase in the number of data series downloaded from the CANSIM online database (%)
	Client satisfaction with Statistics Canada’s ability to meet their needs	Rating of 4 out of 5
	Percentage of statistical outputs that meet set levels of accuracy	95% of major statistical outputs meet set levels of accuracy
Notes Please note that the planned spending figures presented above are net of respendable revenue and are derived by taking the gross figure from the ‘Planning Summary’ table, less planned respendable revenue from the ‘Sources of Respendable and Non-Respendable Revenue’ table. Totals may differ between tables because of rounding. Definitions Number of page views of electronic publications: The number of web pages viewed during visitor sessions on the Statistics Canada website. Client satisfaction: These data are derived from the client satisfaction surveys conducted by the Social Statistics program activity. The surveys use measures that are consistent with the common measurement tool in use across the federal government. Data series downloaded from the online database: Data series downloaded by external users from CANSIM, Statistics Canada’s online database. Major statistical outputs whose sampling accuracy is within set objectives: Most surveys are based on statistical sampling. Sampling is an important means of achieving timely and cost-effective results. At the same time, estimates based on sampling can be expected to vary from sample to sample, and to differ from those that would result from a complete census. Sampling accuracy objectives are set on a survey-by-survey basis. Success in finding information on the Statistics Canada website: Users are asked to indicate whether they successfully located the information they were seeking in their current visit to the Statistics Canada website. This feedback is collected in the Web Evaluation Survey conducted annually by Statistics Canada. An invitation to participate in the survey appears as users view the site pages. Ease of finding information on the Statistics Canada website: Users are asked to rate, on a five-point scale ranging from very easy to very difficult, how easily they found the information they were seeking in their current visit to the Statistics Canada website. This feedback is collected in the Web Evaluation Survey conducted annually by Statistics Canada. An invitation to participate in the survey appears as users view the site pages.

Program activity description

The Social Statistics program offers information to decision makers and to all Canadians on the economic and social characteristics of individuals, families, and households in Canada, and on the major factors that contribute to their well-being. Social Statistics measures household income and expenditure; employment, unemployment, and their associated costs and benefits; labour income and factors affecting labour supply; and ethnocultural diversity as well as general social conditions and well-being. The Social Statistics program also offers information on topics of specific social policy concern. It covers the justice, health care, and education systems as well as cultural institutions and industries—the nature and extent of their services and operations, the outcomes of the services they provide, and the characteristics of the individual Canadians and families whom they serve.

Relevant information is information that responds to Canada’s evolving and highest priority needs. Without renewal, the relevance of official statistics runs the risk of diminishing over time as the needs of government and its citizens change. To ensure relevance, continuous dialogue with stakeholders is needed to identify emerging information needs and to adapt existing programs to meet them.

An ongoing threat to the quality of social statistics is the increasing difficulty of collecting that information. One significant factor is that technology advances are making respondents harder to reach. Call display and call screening hinder the agency’s ability to get a respondent to answer the telephone. As well, more households have only cellphones or use Internet phones. All of this makes it more challenging to maintain representative samples and response rates. Without further efforts in survey collection, relevance and quality will decline.

The widespread adoption of Internet technologies creates an opportunity to reach Canadians in new ways. To maintain quality, manage survey costs, and satisfy demands for greater access to data, Statistics Canada is modernizing the infrastructure it uses to collect and disseminate data.

A more detailed description of this program activity and planned release dates can be found at: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/about-apercu/structure/paa-aap-eng.htm and http://www.statcan.gc.ca/release-diffusion/index-eng.htm.

Priorities

Table 8 provides a summary of the priorities of the Social Statistics program activity.

Table 8  Priorities and Planned Activities for Social Statistics

Priority	Type	Link to Program Activity	Contribution to the strategic outcome and planned activities	Why is this a priority?
Operational priorities
Deliver ongoing economic and social statistics programs	Ongoing	Social Statistics	Relevance Trust Access	Statistics Canada’s strategic outcome is to ensure that Canadians have access to a trusted source of statistics meeting their highest priority information needs. The Statistics Act directs the agency to collect, compile, analyse, abstract and publish statistical information relating to the commercial, industrial, financial, social, economic and general activities and condition of the people. Those duties include producing gross domestic product and other topical economic data, as well as current high-quality data on key areas of social policy concern including employment, education, health and justice. Planned activities Deliver ongoing key social statistics programs Increase support of key policy needs and initiatives
Continue to renew statistical programs	Ongoing	Social Statistics	Relevance Trust Efficiency	Statistics Canada is responsible for producing relevant and high-quality statistics. Canada and the world continue to evolve. To ensure trust in our statistical programs, the agency must also evolve to stay relevant and maintain their quality. It is a priority to update our programs to reflect the changing reality of Canada’s economy and society while ensuring their quality and continuity. Planned activities Begin the Labour Force Survey redesign Initiate the 2012 cycle of the Survey of Financial Security Pilot online data reporting for household surveys Expand the use of administrative data for statistical purposes

Planned activity: Deliver ongoing key social statistics programs

The Social Statistics program strives to ensure relevant, quality outputs through program renewal, including the activities described below. The program also delivers a broad, comprehensive set of survey and administrative data development activities.

Planned activity: Increase support of key policy needs and initiatives

Statistics Canada is developing, in collaboration with stakeholders, information roadmaps to respond to emerging data needs in key areas of social policy such as justice, the labour market, and wealth. These roadmaps show what is needed to address areas where data are incomplete or fragmented, and where investments are needed to support future policy needs and initiatives.

Planned activity: Begin the Labour Force Survey redesign

The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is one of the key activities at Statistics Canada, given the central role of the data in the management of Canada's economy. This survey is the source of widely-used statistics such as the official unemployment rate. LFS data, the first of Statistics Canada’s socioeconomic statistics to be published each month, are highly relevant for determining the direction of the economy and the effect of changing economic conditions on Canadians. In particular, the Employment Insurance Act has designated the LFS as the source of monthly unemployment rates used in the administration of the Employment Insurance Program. Approximately $8 billion per year are transferred to individuals on the basis of these rates.

Every 10 years following a census, a redesign of the LFS is essential in order to maintain its relevance and quality. A review is currently underway to determine the scope of the next redesign to ensure the continued reliability of these key statistics. The LFS systems will be in scope for this redesign as they have not been updated since the early 1990s. Aging of these systems introduces an increasing risk that Statistics Canada’s ability to release employment and unemployment estimates in its current timely fashion may be compromised.

Planned activity: Prepare for the 2012 Survey of Financial Security

Statistics Canada provides continuous excellent coverage of income and expenditure data. The measurement of a family’s wealth through the collection of information on net worth, or assets minus debts is less frequent. Wealth has been identified as an important statistical data gap to effectively discuss issues related to pension and income replacement, with a number of countries implementing a wealth survey as part of their regular program.

Statistics Canada conducted the first Survey of Financial Security (SFS) in 1999, providing a comprehensive picture of the net worth of Canadians. Information was collected on the value of all major financial and non-financial assets as well as debt held on mortgages, vehicles, credit cards, student loans and others.

Since these data were last collected in 2005, there have been significant changes in the economy, investment options and strategies and the tax system that are likely to have had an impact on the net worth positions of households. To provide up-to-date information on the net worth of Canadian households, Statistics Canada will be conducting the next Survey of Financial Security in the spring of 2012.

Planned activity: Pilot online data reporting for household surveys

Experience with the 2006 Census of Population and other surveys has shown a growing interest in the use of an Internet survey response option. This interest, along with the potential for cost savings efficiencies in data collection, has led to exploring the Internet as an option for household survey respondents.

The Labour Force Survey (LFS) will be the first major household survey to introduce an Internet option. A prototype Internet application will be used to provide approximately 6,000 households with the option to complete the LFS online in a pilot test in 2011. A high take-up rate of respondents entering their information directly online for the LFS, and for other household surveys in the future, could produce collection efficiencies and data quality improvements in coming years.

Planned activity: Expand the use of administrative data for statistical purposes

Technological advances have facilitated and reduced the cost of manipulating large administrative files in recent years. The renewed interest in administrative records stems largely from tightening budgets which have led to a search for alternatives to the relatively expensive collection costs of statistical surveys and censuses. There is also recognition of the resulting reduction in respondent burden should administrative files be used in lieu of surveys, though the privacy implications are also in the forefront of this debate. Finally, the increasing demand for small area data which cannot usually be obtained from sample surveys encourages the examination of administrative records as an alternate source of such data.

Administrative data files are now being used in several social statistical programs, including provincial and territorial vital statistics registries, education, health and justice administrative files, and federal administrative data on immigration and income tax.

Benefits for Canadians

Relevant, timely and accurate information on a broad range of social issues provides decision makers at all levels of government, and in non-government organizations, as well as academics with essential information for developing policies, managing programs, conducting research, and making decisions that affect individuals, families and households in Canada. The Social Statistics program provides objective statistical information on topics that respond to Canada’s evolving and highest priority data needs.

Social policy and program development are supported through the statistical analysis of social and socio-economic characteristics of individuals, families and households in Canada, and on the major factors that can contribute to their well-being.

This includes measures of Canada’s ethnocultural diversity, through the lens of first- and second-generation Canadians as well as those whose ancestors have been in this country for three generations or more. Subgroups of the population such as recent immigrants, visible minorities, Aboriginal peoples and minority-language groups also contribute to Canada’s ethnocultural diversity. Analysing the socio-economic status of these groups includes measuring their household income and expenditure, their employment and unemployment, and factors affecting the labour supply. The Survey of Financial Security is being repeated to address a need for more comprehensive data on their income and wealth. Data on labour and income contribute to the System of National Accounts, including labour income, monthly GDP, and productivity.

The Social Statistics program also provides information and analysis on the facilities, agencies and systems that are publicly funded to meet the socio-economic and physical needs of Canadians, and on the outcomes of the services that they provide. It covers the justice, health care, and education systems as well as cultural institutions and industries. The program measures the nature and extent of their services and operations, and the characteristics of the individual Canadians and families whom they serve.

To ensure continuing relevance, the program has a continuing dialogue with stakeholders to identify emerging information needs and to adapt existing programs to meet them. Adapting to new technologies, such those being made possible by the Internet, is also important for both data collection and access to outputs. The upcoming redesign of the Labour Force Survey touches on all of these elements.

2.3 Census, Demography and Aboriginal Statistics

Table 9  Program Activity 3: Census, Demography and Aboriginal Statistics

Human resources (FTEs) and planned spending (thousands of dollars)
2011/2012		2012/2013		2013/2014
FTEs	Planned spending	FTEs	Planned spending	FTEs	Planned spending
1,722	334,905	992	66,229	535	28,966

Program Activity expected results	Performance indicators	Targets
Statistics produced by Statistics Canada are available through a wide range of easily accessible media formats and venues.	Number of page views of electronic publications (’000)	Annual increase exceeds 5%
	Annual percentage increase in the number of page views of electronic publications (%)
	Success in finding information on the Statistics Canada website	65% of visitors surveyed found what they were looking for
	Ease of finding information on the Statistics Canada website	70% of visitors surveyed would say they were satisfied
Canadians are aware of the availability of these statistics and of their high quality, and of the professionalism and non-partisanship of Statistics Canada.	Number of data series downloaded from the CANSIM online database (’000)	Annual increase in downloaded series exceeds 5%
	Annual percentage increase in the number of data series downloaded from the CANSIM online database (%)
	Client satisfaction with Statistics Canada’s ability to meet their needs	Rating of 4 out of 5
	Net undercoverage for 2011 Census of Population	Less than 3%
	Response rate for 2011 Census of Population	98% or more
	Response rate for National Household Survey	At least 50%
Organizational efficiency	Cost per dwelling for 2011 Census of Population	Less than $42
Notes The planned spending figures presented above are net of respendable revenue and are derived by taking the gross figure from the ‘Planning Summary’ table, less planned respendable revenue from the ‘Sources of Respendable and Non-respendable Revenue’ table. Definitions Number of page views of electronic publications: The number of web pages viewed during visitor sessions on the Statistics Canada website. Data series downloaded from the online database: Data series downloaded by external users from CANSIM, Statistics Canada’s online database. Net census undercoverage: The number of people missed less the number of people counted more than once. Following each census since the 1961 Census, the reverse record check (RRC) has been carried out to measure census population undercoverage. The RRC estimates the number of people missed in the census. This estimate is combined with the estimate from the census overcoverage study of the number of people enumerated more than once to calculate net undercoverage. Response rate: The accuracy of the data disseminated by Statistics Canada is directly related to the accuracy of the data provided by the respondents to its surveys or censuses. It follows that an important indication of accuracy is the percentage of respondents asked to provide data who actually do so. Generally, the higher the response rate, the greater the accuracy of the census results. Cost per dwelling:  This refers to the total number of dwellings projected in Canada for the census divided by the total cost estimate. Success in finding information on the Statistics Canada website: Users are asked to indicate whether they successfully located the information they were seeking in their current visit to the Statistics Canada website. This feedback is collected in the Web Evaluation Survey conducted annually by Statistics Canada. An invitation to participate in the survey appears as users view the site pages. Ease of finding information on the Statistics Canada website: Users are asked to rate, on a five-point scale ranging from very easy to very difficult, how easily they found the information they were seeking in their current visit to the Statistics Canada website. This feedback is collected in the Web Evaluation Survey conducted annually by Statistics Canada. An invitation to participate in the survey appears as users view the site pages.

Program activity description

The Census, Demography and Aboriginal Statistics program produces statistical information on Canada’s population, its demographic characteristics and conditions, and how these change over time. The program also conducts the Census of Agriculture, and provides information on the socioeconomic conditions and well-being of Aboriginal peoples.

Census: The key activities are the quinquennial Census of Population and Census of Agriculture and the new voluntary National Household Survey (NHS). The Census of Population produces population counts and estimates, which are needed to determine electoral boundaries, the distribution of federal transfer payments, and the transfer and allocation of funds among regional and municipal governments, school boards, and other local agencies within provinces and territories. The voluntary NHS will replace the mandatory long-form census: it will be conducted using the census infrastructure.

Most countries regularly carry out a census to collect key information about the social and economic situation of the people living within its boundaries. In Canada, the census/NHS program does that, and is also the only source of detailed data for small groups (such as lone-parent families, ethnic groups, industrial and occupational categories, and immigrants) and for areas as small as a city neighbourhood.

Statistics Canada extensively reviewed census processes following the 2006 Census. These reviews identified opportunities for streamlining operations for the 2011 Census and beyond. The Internet response option, introduced in 2006, was extremely successful: Statistics Canada is taking measures to encourage Canadians to use it, to an even greater extent, for the Census and the NHS in 2011.

In addition to those measures, systems and processes are being developed to address operational issues encountered in 2006. Changes are being made to improve data processing and system maintenance. The goal is to streamline future operations by integrating with the ongoing collection infrastructure and by ensuring that the NHS leverages the census infrastructure as much as possible.

The Census of Agriculture produces and publishes economic series on the agriculture sector. These series serve as a benchmark for the annual estimates that flow to the System of National Accounts to form the agriculture component of the gross domestic product, satisfying the requirements of the Fiscal Arrangements Act. The Census of Agriculture provides a comprehensive picture of the agriculture sector at the national, provincial, territorial, and sub-provincial levels, and is mandated by the Statistics Act.

Demography: The demography program enables Statistics Canada to meet its legal obligation to provide annual population estimates, certified by Canada’s chief statistician. The estimates are used to determine what amounts are payable according to the Federal–Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act and in Territorial Formula Financing. Population estimates are necessary for the Canada Pension Plan Act, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Act, the Canada Student Loans Act and the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act. The estimates are produced at many levels of geographic detail—Canada, the provinces and territories, and sub-provincial—that include census divisions, census metropolitan areas, and economic regions. Additionally, demographic projections are prepared after each census to help, for example, develop programs and policies on aging and to plan and predict pensions and the labour market. Estimates and demographic projections are used by all levels of government, the private sector, researchers, and non-governmental organizations.

Aboriginal statistics: The Aboriginal statistics component of the program activity provides subject matter expertise, co-ordination and integration in the collection, analysis and dissemination of data about Aboriginal people on topics such as education, use of Aboriginal languages, labour activity, income, health, communication technology, mobility, and housing conditions. In this capacity, it provides information, support, and advice to federal departments as well as Aboriginal governments and organizations. The program also includes a statistical training program to build statistical skills and knowledge among Aboriginal organizations and communities, as mandated by the federal government in 1999 through its Aboriginal action plan, Gathering Strength.

The data available for Aboriginal peoples are not timely and are incomplete compared with the data for the general population. The Census of Population and National Household Survey paint a broad picture: however, more in-depth data from on-reserve Aboriginal-specific surveys are needed to understand determinants and consequences of changes in areas such as early childhood development, work, education, health, and housing.

To fill the substantial data gaps regarding the on-reserve First Nations population, Statistics Canada will to continue to work with other federal government departments and with Aboriginal communities and organizations.

A more detailed description of the Census, Demography and Aboriginal Statistics program, as well as planned release dates can be found at: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/about-apercu/structure/paa-aap-eng.htm and http://www.statcan.gc.ca/release-diffusion/index-eng.htm.

Priorities

Table 10 summarizes the priorities of the Census, Demography and Aboriginal Statistics program activity.

Table 10  Priorities and Planned Activities for Census, Demography and Aboriginal Statistics

Priority	Type	Link to Program Activity	Contribution to the strategic outcome and planned activities	Why is this a priority?
Operational priorities
Conduct the Census of Population, the Census of Agriculture, and the National Household Survey	Ongoing	Census, Demography and Aboriginal Statistics	Relevance Trust Access	Statistics Canada is mandated by legislation to perform a census every five years: 2011 is the year of data collection for the Censuses of Population and Agriculture. These data, along with the data being collected in the new National Household Survey, will produce a statistical portrait of both the Canadian population and of Canada’s farms and their operators. The data are widely used by all levels of government for policy planning and program development and delivery. Planned activities Conduct the 2011 Census of Population and the National Household Survey Conduct the 2011 Census of Agriculture
Continue to renew statistical programs	Ongoing	Census, Demography and Aboriginal Statistics	Relevance Trust Efficiency	Statistics Canada is responsible for producing relevant and high-quality statistics. Canada and the world continue to evolve. To ensure trust in our statistical programs, the agency must also evolve to stay relevant and maintain their quality. It is a priority to update our programs to reflect the changing reality of Canada’s economy and society while ensuring their quality and continuity. Planned activities Evaluate new methodological approaches for the 2016 Census Study the feasibility of using income tax data for future censuses of agriculture

Planned activity: Conduct the 2011 Census of Population and the National Household Survey

The Constitution Act of 1867, as well as the Statistics Act, requires that a Census of Population be held in Canada in 2011. The census collects population and dwelling counts as well as population information such as age, sex, common-law and marital status, first language learned in childhood, home language and knowledge of official languages. The NHS collects information on mobility, ethnocultural identity (including Aboriginal peoples and languages), labour, education, income, citizenship, immigration, transportation and housing.

The Census and the NHS produce a demographic snapshot of the population, and are the only source of coherent and detailed information for small geographic areas. In addition, census counts are critical to the production of inter-censal population estimates, which are updated after each census.

The data are used by all levels of government for policy planning and program development and delivery. The federal government distributes billions of dollars annually in federal transfers to provinces and territories using population estimates—more than $65 billion has been planned for 2010/2011. The key components of these distributions are the Canada health and social transfers, territorial formula financing, and equalization payments. Decennial census data are also used to determine the number and boundaries of federal electoral ridings for representation in the House of Commons.

Statistics Canada painstakingly assesses, modifies, and tests statistical and operational procedures for the NHS to minimize non-response bias and to achieve the best quality results possible. Only when data collection is complete will data quality assessment begin. A number of measures will be used, including comparing NHS data to 2006 Census long form and 2011 Census short form data. The immediate priority is scaling up systems and operations in preparation for data collection activities for both the 2011 Census and NHS.

Planned activity: Conduct the 2011 Census of Agriculture

The Census of Agriculture is conducted to develop a statistical portrait of Canada's farms and their operators. The data offer a full picture of the major commodities of the agriculture industry, farm finances, use of technology, and new or less common crops and livestock. The next Census of Agriculture will be conducted in May 2011, concurrent with the Census of Population. Significant savings can be realized by sharing common processes and systems, such as printing, communications, collection, questionnaire scanning and capture. A full mail-out/mail-back collection methodology will be implemented for the Census of Agriculture in 2011: follow-ups will be conducted by a centralized telephone operation. Along with data collection, data processing and data validation will be conducted in 2011/2012. Data will be released on May 10, 2012.

The immediate priorities are the 2011 Census collection and processing operations.

Planned activity: Evaluate new methodologies for the 2016 censuses

Censuses of population are conducted in various forms around the world. While many countries continue to use the traditional approach of collecting information from every household, some trace a portrait of their population by assembling data from various administrative files. France uses a rolling census approach; others use combinations of these models. In Canada, a detailed review of the methodological approaches for the next census is always conducted as part of the post-census process. The next review will take into account the move from a long-form census to a voluntary National Household Survey. In doing so, Statistics Canada will review methodological approaches used abroad and their applicability to the Canadian context. The approach used in the Census of Agriculture will also be reviewed. As part of the exercise, the agency will examine the legal requirements to conduct a census and the criteria used to determine census content. This work will be the basis for developing the proposal that will be presented to the government on the methodology to be used for the 2016 Census and beyond.

Planned activity: Study the feasibility of using income tax data for future censuses of agriculture

When Treasury Board approved funding for the full cycle of the 2011 Census of Agriculture in April, 2008, included was a strategic investment project to assess the feasibility of using tax data to replace the financial data currently being collected from respondents. The assessment will link respondent-provided 2011 Census of Agriculture financial data with the data on their agricultural operations filed with the Canada Revenue Agency. The project’s results will serve as a basis for determining the financial content and methodology for the 2016 Census of Agriculture.

Benefits for Canadians

Census and NHS programs

Decennial census data are constitutionally required for determining the number and boundaries of federal electoral districts.

Further, the demographic, social and economic data that the Census and NHS programs collects on the Canadian population are needed to meet the priority information needs of government and the private sector. The Census and NHS programs provide unique and essential data to support

• learning about populations that are key targets of government policy (e.g., recent immigrants; visible minorities; people with disabilities; Aboriginal peoples, including First Nations communities; ethnic, religious and language minorities; seniors and youth)
• provincial/territorial and local government planning and program delivery, which provides detailed small-area information to monitor progress on issues such as rural population decline, infrastructure investments by all levels of government and the changing makeup of neighbourhoods
• designing surveys that provide estimates of monthly employment, family incomes and expenditures, as well as other topics of concern to government, industry, labour and the general public
• analysing social and economic issues, such as the skills shortage and integrating immigrants
• reviewing the effectiveness of current legislation.

Demography statistics

During the intercensal period, population estimates are required to meet various legislative requirements, such as the Canada Health Transfer, the Canada Social Transfer, the Wait Times Reduction Transfer, the Equalization Formula and Territorial Formula Financing. These transfers together amounted to more than $65 billion in 2010/2011. Population estimates are produced annually and quarterly by province and territory. Demographic projections are derived every five years, following the census. Various assumptions on population fertility, mortality and migration are used to define multiple potential growth scenarios.

Aboriginal statistics

Results from Aboriginal Peoples surveys will complement Census and NHS data, providing a snapshot of the socioeconomic, cultural and health conditions of Métis, Inuit, and First Nations people living off-reserve and in the North.

Significant data gaps exist, however, for the First Nations population living on-reserve. Statistics Canada is working with key stakeholders to develop strategies to address these gaps.

Census of Agriculture

Direct federal and provincial payments to the agriculture sector have totalled approximately $4 billion annually in recent years. The Census of Agriculture is critical for developing and evaluating programs and policies related to food supply and safety, the environment, renewal, science and innovation, and business risk management. It contributes, both directly with data and indirectly by supporting the annual agricultural statistics program. The Census of Agriculture provides a comprehensive source of data that is the foundation for the analysis of the agriculture and agri-food industry done by federal and provincial departments.

Beyond those federal and provincial departments, Census of Agriculture data are used by provincial, territorial and municipal governments, local-level organizations and agencies (e.g., conservation authorities), farmers’ associations (e.g., the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and the National Farmers Union), academics (e.g., sociologists, economists and agronomists), specialized agriculture media, and the general media.

2.4 Internal Services

Table 11  Program Activity 4: Internal Services

Human resources (FTEs) and planned spending (thousands of dollars)
2011/2012		2012/2013		2013/2014
FTEs	Planned spending	FTEs	Planned spending	FTEs	Planned spending
908	82,637	914	82,626	919	82,626

Program Activity expected results	Performance indicators	Targets
Organizational efficiency	Rating on 21 areas of management, as defined in the Management Accountability Framework	Obtain rating of ‘strong’ or ‘acceptable’ in 90% of areas of management
	Financial reports to Policy Committee provided as planned	Monthly
	Departmental Staffing Accountability Report	Rank in the top quartile of agencies and departments (response rates and overall results)
Notes Please note that the planned spending figures presented above are net of respendable revenue and are derived by taking the gross figure from the ‘Planning Summary’ table, less planned respendable revenue from the ‘Sources of Respendable and Non-Respendable Revenue’ table. Totals may differ between tables because of rounding. Definitions Management Accountability Framework (MAF): This annual evaluation of departments conducted by the Treasury Board Secretariat measures 21 areas of management. This independent evaluation is an indicator of the efficiency of an organization’s modern management practices. Financial reports to Policy Committee provided as planned: Reporting by the agency’s financial management services to the agency’s executive committee. This is scheduled to occur monthly . Departmental Staffing Accountability Report (DSAR):  An annual report provided by organizations to the Public Service Commission concerning the management and results of departmental/agency staffing.

Program activity description

Internal Services is made up of activities and resources that support programs and other corporate obligations: management and oversight services; communications services; legal services; human resource management services; financial management services; information management services; real property services; materiel services; acquisition services; and travel and other administrative services.

Priorities

Table 12 provides a summary of the priorities of the Internal Services program activity.

Table 12  Priorities and Planned Activities for Internal Services

Priority	Type	Link to Program Activity	Contribution to the strategic outcome and planned activities	Why is this a priority?
Management priorities
Improve the agency’s business processes and further integrate its results-based corporate infrastructure	Ongoing	Internal Services	Relevance Trust Access Efficiency	Improve the effectiveness and efficiency of corporate business processes, and further integrate human resource planning, informatics technology, and program and project planning: these are required to ensure the agency remains relevant and accountable over the long term. Planned activities Further integrate risk management, planning and evaluation activities Develop and fund a multi-year capital plan to ensure the efficiency, continuity, and quality of all statistical and support programs Align human resources capacity with the long-term investment strategy Strengthen the corporate statistical information management framework Consolidate the procurement, management and evergreening of the agency’s desktop equipment Launch a comprehensive review of the dissemination model

Planned activity: Further integrate risk management, planning and evaluation activities

Risk management has become increasingly important at Statistics Canada as the agency strives to provide Canadians with access to a trusted source of statistics that meets their highest priority information needs. A senior management committee has been formed to help integrate risk management into departmental management practices and decision-making. Statistics Canada is identifying and articulating both operational and strategic risks in order to achieve the strategic objectives articulated in this 2011/2012 Report on Plans and Priorities. Each cycle of the long-term planning process begins by considering proposals that deal with areas of high risk to programs and operations.

The agency has a long history of strong project management at the program level. Through the implementation of a Departmental Project Management Office, these practices will be strengthened organization-wide. Governance structures for decision-making will begin at the project steering committee level and escalate as required to the corporate level. This will enhance accountability, as required by the Policy on the Management of Projects.

In line with the Government’s commitment to demonstrate results for taxpayers’ dollars spent, Statistics Canada is continuing to improve the agency’s performance measurement framework. Statistics Canada’s program evaluation process requires programs to self-evaluate against a set of expected performance measurements. Refinements will be made to this process to align it with the requirements of the Policy on Evaluation that comes into effect in April 2013.

Planned activity: Develop and fund a multi-year capital plan to ensure the efficiency, continuity and quality of all statistical and support programs

Statistics Canada is developing its first Departmental Investment Plan, as required by the Policy on Investment Planning. This plan will document the strategic investments that will be made over a five-year planning horizon to address risks and to maintain the quality of statistical information, the agency’s assets and acquired services.

Planned activity: Align human resources capacity with the new long-term investment strategy

Statistics Canada’s Integrated Business and Human Resources Plan for 2010 to 2013 identifies the evolving needs of the new business priorities, including the 2011 Census, the new National Household Survey, and the Consumer Price Index enhancement initiative. In introducing the new Departmental Investment Plan, Statistics Canada will realign its integrated planning activities to take into consideration the longer-term horizon.

Planned activity: Strengthen the corporate statistical IM framework

Information is Statistics Canada’s business. Information management (IM) is integral to the strategic outcome of the national statistical office—to provide Canadians with access to a trusted source of information.

A new IM policy and IM strategy respond to Statistics Canada’s business needs, as described in the Corporate Business Plan. The IM action plan outlines how the IM strategy will be implemented from 2010/2011 to 2012/2013.

The objective of the IM action plan is to address the highest priority information management challenges that the agency faces as it pursues the corporate objectives of relevance, access, quality, and efficiency. Initiatives are aligned with the priority components of the Enterprise Government of Canada IM Framework http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/im-gi/ims-sgi/ims-sgi-eng.asp.

Planned activity: Consolidate the procurement, management and evergreening of the agency’s desktop equipment

Statistics Canada’s evergreening strategy for most of its IT infrastructure components is based on a seven-year capital plan. At present, all IT components are managed through this capital plan except for the PCs, laptops, monitors, and printers that are managed at the program level.

In 2011/2012, Statistics Canada will introduce a centralized service to procure PCs, laptops, monitors, and printers for the whole agency. This service will manage this equipment’s life cycle, including regularly replacing it. The objective is to make better use of the agency’s existing bulk-buying approach, reduce equipment diversity, ensure that appropriate funding and evergreening practices are in place, and implement a more predictable long-term investment strategy. All this should reduce risks and costs, and improve efficiency. This new initiative will be completed by the end of 2011/2012.

Planned activity: Launch a comprehensive review of the dissemination model

To better meet the evolving needs of data users, Statistics Canada will review its dissemination model in 2011/2012. A complete review of products and services will be carried out, including an evaluation of how they are distributed on the website. The agency will consider increasing the availability of free data and removing barriers to redistribution. This would offer greater access to data, generating both social benefit and economic activity.

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