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Section II - Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome(s)

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.

This 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 6 Financial Resources (thousands of dollars)

2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
174,020	174,585	176,243

Notes
Totals may differ within and between tables because of rounding.
Amounts shown are net of respendable revenue.

Table 7 Human Resources (Full-Time Equivalent — FTE)

2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
2,081	2,085	2,102

Note
Totals may differ within and between tables because of rounding.

Table 8 Economic Statistics: Performance Indicators and Targets

Program Activity Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets
Decision-makers and users are informed on the structure, state and evolution of Canada's economy	Number of visits to CANSIM	242,000
	Business surveys using tax/administrative data—number and percentage change	Continual increase
	Number of administrative records used to reduce survey sample sizes	Continual increase
	Index of response burden hours	60 or less
	Percentage of users having obtained what they needed	75%
	Number of media mentions	4,000
	Number of surveys using electronic data collection	Continual increase 2012-13 benchmark year: 33 surveys
	Periodicity and timeliness (international comparability)	Meet the standards set out by the International Monetary Fund for major economic indicators.
	Percentage of major statistical outputs whose sampling accuracy is within set objectives	95%
	Percentage of major statistical outputs released as planned	100%
	Percentage of major outputs corrected after release	Less than 1.5%
	Percentage of projects completed within scope, time, and budget	Continual increase 2012-13 benchmark year: 90%
Definitions Number of visits to CANSIM: The number page views of the CANSIM module's home page. The page views data specifies the number of views for each CANSIM table; each CANSIM table is, in turn, linked to a Program Activity. 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. Percentage of users having obtained what they needed: This information is to be obtained from the National Contact Centre`s Post Contact Survey. Number of media mentions: The number of times 'Statistics Canada', 'Statistique Canada', or a variant of that term (such as Stats Can), appears within the monitored universe of media outlets. Multiple mentions of Statistics Canada within the same article are not counted. Number of surveys using electronic data collection: 'Electronic' refers to web, EDR—receipt of data from respondents using electronic means such as Excel spreadsheets sent through the efile transfer service. Computer-assisted personal interviewing and computer-assisted telephone interviewing are excluded. Periodicity and timeliness (international comparability): Continue to meet the Special Data Dissemination Standard set by the International Monetary Fund for data such as the national accounts, balance of payments, Consumer Price Index and international trade. 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. Percentage of major statistical outputs released as planned: Each year Statistics Canada publishes the planned release dates for major statistical outputs for the coming year on its website. These outputs and their release dates can be viewed at http://www.statcan.gc.ca/release-diffusion/index-eng.htm. Percentage of major outputs corrected after release: The proportion of data releases that need correction after being published. Number of projects completed within scope, time, and budget: To be tracked by the Departmental Project Management Office.

Program activity description

The Economic Statistics Program includes three fundamental components: the System of National Accounts, which provides the framework for the macroeconomic statistics, the Business and Trade Statistics program, which provides the microeconomic statistics and the Analytical Studies program which focuses on the integration and analysis of the data.

More specifically, the Economic Statistics Program's purpose is to create a trusted, relevant and comprehensive source of information on the entire spectrum of Canada's economy in order to inform public debate on economic issues; support economic policy development, implementation and evaluation; and guide business decision making. It is the primary source of information for developing the country's fiscal and monetary policies and for studying the economic evolution of Canadian industries and of regions. The information provides for informed public debate on current economic issues of concern and interest. The outputs are vital to research and to economic policy development, implementation and evaluation by a number of federal departments, such as the Bank of Canada, Finance Canada, Industry Canada, Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and Transport Canada, as well as by provincial and territorial governments; and they are extensively used by the private sector for business planning and decision making. The economic statistics' data 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 programs' data also support statutory requirements and regulatory instruments. Statistics produced range from gross domestic product, production, costs, sales, productivity and prices for industrial sectors to the flows and stocks of fixed and financial capital assets, international trade and finance, and the extent of foreign ownership in Canada's economy. For example, national accounts data are used to implement the Fiscal Arrangements Act and to allocate Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) revenue among Canada and the provinces that collect the HST.

The System of National Accounts, which provides the framework for most of the Economic Statistics Program, uses the industry and commodity data collected mainly from the Business and Trade Statistics program as well as administrative data (e.g., tax data) to provide macroeconomic statistics and analysis of Canadian economic activity, both domestic and international.

The Business and Trade Statistics program provides microeconomic statistics and analysis and comprises

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

The Economic Statistics Program also includes environmental data related to pollution, natural assets and activities to reduce environmental damage; changes in consumer and industrial prices; and statistics related to science, technology, research and development.

The Analytical Studies program integrates and analyzes data collected by Statistics Canada and others to describe Canada's economy and society—information vital for a competitive and rapidly evolving economy. The program 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 financial sector.

The statistics these programs produce must, to fulfill their purpose, be of high quality, up to date, coherent and accessible, and they must accurately depict the performance of Canada's economy. These statistics must also be based on information gathered efficiently, with the least possible burden on businesses, farmers and other Canadians.

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.

Planned activity: Deliver timely and accurate economic indicators

Producing a comprehensive program of macroeconomic statistics to support fiscal and monetary policy is one of Statistics Canada's fundamental responsibilities. This program comprises measures of Canada's gross domestic product on both an expenditure and income basis and by industry; balance of payments; national wealth; consumer, raw material and producer price movements; and more detailed measures of international trade, retail and wholesale sales, manufacturing shipments, corporate profits and corporate finance. Canada is a subscriber to the International Monetary Fund's Special Data Dissemination Standard. The Agency's macroeconomic statistics program provides data for a majority of the categories required by this standard. Macroeconomic statistics also play a key role in federal equalization payments to the provinces and in the allocation of Harmonized Sales Tax revenues between federal and provincial governments. The Consumer Price index (CPI) plays a central role in monetary policy, and in adjusting transfer payments and tax brackets for the effects of inflation.

Planned activity: Improvements to the business survey processing environment

To meet various economic data requirements, Statistics Canada conducts a wide range of business surveys targeting all sectors of the Canadian economy and on a myriad of topics. To further increase efficiency and make its survey infrastructure more robust, Statistics Canada launched an initiative, the Integrated Business Survey Program (IBSP), to streamline and consolidate the Agency's business survey processing environment. The IBSP will reduce diversity in methods and system applications among the surveys, and maximize reuse of common and integrated solutions.

The IBSP is entering its second full year of development. When completed, it will provide a common processing environment for more than 100 business surveys. The program will provide long-term savings: as well, the use of common tools, systems and processes will reduce maintenance costs, ease knowledge transfer and improve data processing timelines using a simpler, more harmonized model.

The IBSP will make electronic data collection the primary data collection method. This will generate savings, improve data quality and ease respondent burden, heeding their demands for an alternative to paper-based collection.

The IBSP will also benefit Canadians by making greater use of administrative data, easing response burden on businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises.

Planned activity: Renew the System of National Accounts

The System of National Accounts (SNA) has undertaken 'historical revisions' every 10 or 15 years, generally tied to the implementation of new international standards. It provides an opportunity to extend the SNA, leading to new insights into emerging economic issues. It also provides the opportunity to introduce changes in the data owing to new or improved data sources.

The national accounts form a fundamental part of Canada's reporting requirements to international organizations such as the OECD, IMF and UN. These reporting requirements evolve in line with the changes to international standards. All major economies are in the process of moving to the SNA 2008 and associated standards. The renewal will assure that Canadian economic data continue to be consistent with those of Canada's major trading partners.

Revisions are expected to become more frequent as international standards are revised more often. The updated national accounts will provide better information on the financial sector in light of recent and continuing economic events. Further improvements will also be made based on recommendations still being formulated by the G20 and other international bodies.

Planned activity: Enhance the Consumer Price Index to better serve the needs of the household, business and public sectors

The CPI enhancement initiative will begin its third year. It is focusing on developing, piloting and implementing new business processes, IT systems and sample changes to more efficiently produce a more representative CPI, using the best available theory and practices.

Producing a better CPI that more accurately measures price changes facing consumers is important since the CPI impacts Canadians in numerous important ways. The CPI is the target measure used by the Bank of Canada to set interest rates. It is also used to adjust public- and private-sector arrangements and contracts such as pensions, collective agreements, rental agreements and tax brackets, so that price change gets factored into these payments and transfers. In addition, the CPI is used to deflate 'nominal' values relating to consumer incomes and expenditures to produce 'real' measures, where price change is eliminated—this helps reveal underlying changes in the economy or individual well-being. The CPI is also used for many ancillary analytical purposes, such as understanding the business cycle, making investment decisions, or forecasting economic trends.

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 distinct sets of financial statements into one consistent, comparable set of financial statistics. This enables comparison of government finances across jurisdictions. The revenue statistics from this program are used in the equalization program of the Federal–Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act. However, the statistical framework for these data must be revised to reflect changes to international financial and statistical accounting practices. By November 2013, data for the Fiscal Arrangements Act will move to the new standard. The remainder of the data program, which is used by governments for analytical and forecasting purposes, as well as for reporting to international agencies like the IMF and OECD, covers expenditures by function of government (e.g., health, education). Changes to this part of the program will be implemented incrementally from 2014 to 2016.

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

Canada has adopted the new International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as the standard for corporate accounting. Accounting information is the foundation of much of the economic statistics program: thus, it has been necessary to study the effects of these changes on the data that will be available from corporations, and to adapt statistical surveys and programs to accommodate the changes in the available information. These necessary modifications will be implemented to ensure that the economic data continue on a consistent basis. Specific impacts on the data will be highlighted in Statistics Canada releases to help users through this transition.

Planned activity: Develop a framework for environment statistics and expand measures of household energy use

The demand for national environmental statistics is increasing as the range of environmental issues under public debate or requiring decisions grows. Given the importance of these issues, the national statistics informing them must be sufficient to the task and of appropriate quality. Experience with economic statistics has shown that having a clear framework from the outset improves statistical quality. However, in contrast to other domains, no widely adopted framework for environment statistics exists today. Statistics Canada has therefore made it a priority to define a framework to guide the collection of environment statistics in the future.

Broad stakeholder consultations were held in 2011-12: now, a framework is under development. It will be presented as a discussion paper for comment in the spring of 2012 and, after incorporation of feedback, will be published formally by Statistics Canada by the fall of 2012.

Direct measures of household energy use are currently missing. Following the successful pilot testing of a survey to collect data on electricity and fuel consumption directly from households, the survey has been established. The first results from the new survey will be released in the spring of 2013. They will be collected every two years following that. The new statistics will improve understanding of household energy use and its relation to socioeconomic variables such as household income and family size.

Benefits for Canadians

An effective, well-developed economic and environmental statistics program is important for Canadian businesses, workers, governments and other institutions. It can be used as a baseline against which the performance of the economy, and their own and collective undertakings, can be measured. 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, proper functioning of financial markets and effective trade negotiations depend on statistical information.

Equalization payments to provinces and the 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 macroeconomic 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 9 Financial Resources (thousands of dollars)

2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
119,365	119,288	119,271

Notes
Totals may differ within and between tables because of rounding.
Amounts shown are net of respendable revenue.

Table 10 Human Resources (Full-Time Equivalent—FTE)

2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
1,407	1,406	1,405

Note
Totals may differ within and between tables because of rounding.

Table 11 Social Statistics: Performance Indicators and Targets

Program Activity Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets
Decision-makers and users are informed on the economic and social conditions of individuals, families and households in Canada.	Number of visits to CANSIM	270,500
	Number of surveys using electronic data collection	Continual increase 2012-13 benchmark year: 3 surveys
	Percentage of surveys using administrative data	Continual increase 2012-13 benchmark year: 70%
	Number of media mentions	1,500
	Percentage of users having obtained what they needed	75%
	Periodicity and timeliness (international comparability)	Meet the IMF Special Data Dissemination Standard for major economic indicators.
	Percentage of major statistical outputs whose sampling accuracy is within set objectives	95%
	Percentage of major statistical outputs released as planned	100%
	Percentage of major outputs corrected after release	Less than 1.5%
	Percentage of projects completed within scope, time, and budget	Continual increase 2012-13 benchmark year: 90%
Definitions Number of visits to CANSIM: The number page views of the CANSIM module's home page. The page views data specifies the number of views for each CANSIM table; each CANSIM table is, in turn, linked to a Program Activity. Number of surveys using electronic data collection: 'Electronic' refers to web, EDR—receipt of data from respondents using electronic means such as Excel spreadsheets sent through the efile transfer service. Computer-assisted personal interviewing and computer-assisted telephone interviewing are excluded. 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. Number of media mentions: The number of times 'Statistics Canada', 'Statistique Canada', or a variant of that term (such as Stats Can), appears within the monitored universe of media outlets. Multiple mentions of Statistics Canada within the same article are not counted. Percentage of users having obtained what they needed: Information to be obtained through the National Contact Centre Post Contact Survey. Periodicity and timeliness (international comparability): Continue to meet the standards as set out by the International Monetary Fund for data such as the employment and wages 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. Percentage of major statistical outputs released as planned: Each year Statistics Canada publishes the planned release dates for major statistical outputs for the coming year on its website. These outputs and their release dates can be viewed at http://www.statcan.gc.ca/release-diffusion/index-eng.htm. Percentage of major outputs corrected after release: The proportion of data releases that need correction after being published. Number of projects completed within scope, time, and budget: To be tracked by the Departmental Project Management Office.

Program activity description

The Social Statistics Program's purpose is to provide integrated information and relevant analysis on the social and socio-economic characteristics of individuals, families and households and on the major factors that affect their well-being in order to inform public debate on socioeconomic issues; support social policy development, implementation and evaluation; and guide public and private decision making. It is the primary source for assessing the impact of changing economic circumstances on Canadians. Federal departments such as Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, Industry Canada, Justice Canada, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Canadian Heritage, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, Transport Canada and Infrastructure Canada, as well as provincial governments extensively use its information to evaluate and cost economic and social policy options and alternatives. Objective statistical information is essential in an open and democratic society and this information allows Canadians to participate knowledgeably in debates on topics of interest to them. It supports statistical requirements specified by legislation or regulations such as in areas of labour, immigration and employment equity. The program also provides information, analysis and measures on publicly funded facilities, agencies and systems designed to meet the socioeconomic and physical needs of Canadians, on the characteristics of the individual Canadians and families they serve, and on the outcomes of the services they provide, such as justice, health, and education, as well as on cultural institutions and industries.

The Social Statistics Program offers information to decision makers and 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. The program 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 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. It also measures the health of the population, the determinants of health and the scope and utilization of health care resources.

An ongoing threat to the quality of social statistics is the growing difficulty collecting the information. One significant factor is that technology advances are resulting in increased difficulty reaching respondents. 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 high response rates. Without further efforts in survey collection, relevance and quality may decline.

The widespread adoption of Internet technologies, however, 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.

Planned activity: Deliver timely and accurate ongoing 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 household 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 Agency's key activities, given the central role of the data in the management of Canada's economy. This monthly 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 decennial census, the LFS sample is redesigned to maintain its relevance and quality. A review is in progress to determine the scope of the next redesign to ensure the continued reliability of these key statistics. The LFS collection and processing systems will be in scope for this redesign. They have not been updated since the early 1990s, increasing the risk to Statistics Canada's ability to release timely employment and unemployment estimates.

Planned activity: Prepare for the 2012 Survey of Financial Security

Statistics Canada has ongoing coverage of household income and expenditure data. Measuring families' wealth by collecting information on net worth, or assets minus debts, is done less often. Wealth has been identified as an important statistical data gap to effectively discuss issues related to pension and income replacement. Several countries have implemented a wealth survey as part of their regular program.

Statistics Canada conducted the first Survey of Financial Security in 1999, providing a comprehensive picture of Canadians' net worth. 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 other forms of credit.

Since these data were last collected in 2005, significant changes in the economy, investment options and strategies as well as the tax system have likely had an impact on households' net worth positions. Statistics Canada has received strong representations from major policy departments and its advisory committees, including the National Statistics Council, that an update to this data is urgently required. To provide up-to-date information on the net worth of Canadian households, Statistics Canada will conduct the next Survey of Financial Security in the spring of 2012.

Planned activity: Pilot online data reporting for household surveys

Interest is growing in the Internet as a survey response option: witness Statistics Canada's experience with the 2006 and 2011 Censuses of Population (54% of respondents filled out their census form online in 2011). Given this interest, and the potential savings in data-collection costs, the Internet option is being explored for a larger proportion of household survey respondents.

The LFS will be the first major household survey to introduce an Internet option. In 2012-13, a prototype Internet application will be used to offer approximately 6,000 households the option to complete the LFS online in a pilot test. A high take-up rate for the LFS, and for other household surveys in the future, could produce collection efficiencies and data quality improvements in coming years.

An Internet option for the General Social Survey (GSS) is also in development. It will be offered to respondents as a test in the summer of 2012 as part of the cycle on care-giving and -receiving, and fully integrated in the 2013-14 cycle on social identity.

Planned activity: Expand administrative data use for statistical purposes

Recent technological advances have facilitated and reduced the cost of manipulating large administrative files. Tightening budgets have spurred renewed interest in administrative records as an alternative to the relatively expensive collection costs of statistical surveys and censuses. The use of administrative files in lieu of surveys should curb respondent burden, though the privacy implications are also in the forefront of this debate. Finally, rising demand for small area data, which cannot usually be obtained from sample surveys, points to administrative records as a potential alternate source of such data, wherever possible.

Administrative data files are now being used in several social statistical programs, including provincial and territorial vital statistics registries, education, health, justice, employment insurance 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 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. Analyzing 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 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 Canadians' socioeconomic and physical needs, 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 regular dialogue with stakeholders to identify emerging information needs and adapt existing programs to meet them. Adapting to new technologies, such those made possible by the Internet, is also important for data collection and dissemination. The upcoming redesign of the Labour Force Survey touches all of these elements.

2.3 Census, Demography and Aboriginal Statistics

Table 12 Financial Resources (thousands of dollars)

2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
66,796	21,858	14,094

Notes
Totals may differ within and between tables because of rounding.
Amounts shown are net of respendable revenue.

Table 13 Human Resources (Full-Time Equivalent—FTE)

2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
932	572	492

Notes
Totals may differ within and between tables because of rounding.

Table 14 Census, Demography and Aboriginal Statistics: Performance Indicators and Targets

Program Activity Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets
Decision makers and users are informed on population counts and characteristics, and on agriculture.	Net undercoverage for 2011 Census of Population	Less than 3%
	Number of visits to CANSIM (excluding census)	37,520
	Number of media mentions	1,500
	Percentage of users having obtained what they needed	75%
	Percentage of statistical outputs that meet set levels of accuracy	95% of major statistical outputs meet set levels of accuracy
	Percentage of major statistical outputs released as planned	100%
	Percentage of major outputs corrected after release	Less than 1.5%
	Percentage of projects completed within scope, time and budget	Continual increase 2012-13 benchmark year: 90%
Definitions 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. In the census of agriculture, net census undercoverage—number of farms is the number of farms missed by the census less the number of farms counted more than once. As well, net census undercoverage—total farm area is the total farm area missed by the census less the total farm area counted more than once. Number of visits to CANSIM: The number page views of the CANSIM module's home page. The page views data specifies the number of views for each CANSIM table; each CANSIM table is, in turn, linked to a Program Activity. Number of media mentions: The number of times 'Statistics Canada', 'Statistique Canada', or a variant of that term (such as Stats Can), appears within the monitored universe of media outlets. Multiple mentions of Statistics Canada within the same article are not counted. Percentage of users having obtained what they needed: Information to be obtained through the National Contact Centre Post Contact Survey. 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. Percentage of major statistical outputs released as planned: Each year Statistics Canada publishes the planned release dates for major statistical outputs for the coming year on its website. These outputs and their release dates can be viewed at http://www.statcan.gc.ca/release-diffusion/index-eng.htm. Percentage of major outputs corrected after release: The proportion of data releases that need correction after being published. Number of projects completed within scope, time, and budget: To be tracked by the Departmental Project Management Office.

Program activity description

The program's purpose is to provide statistical information, analyses and services that measure changes in the Canadian population, its demographic characteristics and its conditions, and its agricultural sector, as well as the well-being of Aboriginal peoples, in order to serve as a basis for public and private decision making, research and analysis in areas of concern to the people of Canada. The program includes the censuses of population and agriculture. The Census of Population Program provides detailed information on population sub-groups and for small geographical levels required to assess the effects of specifically targeted policy initiatives and serves as a foundation for other statistical surveys. It also provides population estimates, projections and in-depth information on special populations, such as operators of agriculture holdings and Aboriginal peoples. Population counts and estimates are used in determining electoral boundaries, distribution of federal transfer payments, and the transfer and allocation of funds among regional and municipal governments, school boards and other locally based agencies within provinces. It meets statistical requirements specified constitutionally, and supports those in statutory requirements and regulatory instruments. All per capita measures in fiscal policies and arrangements and other economic analysis, and in program and service planning, come from this program's statistical information. Statistics produced range from demographic, social and economic conditions of the population, annual and quarterly estimates of the population, households and families and their projections to number and types of farms and farm operators, and the socio-economic conditions and well-being of Aboriginal peoples.

The key activities are dissemination of results for the quinquennial census of population and agriculture, and data quality studies for the census and the new voluntary National Household Survey (NHS): results of these studies will be published starting in 2013-14. The census of population, along with the population estimates program, 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 in provinces and territories. During the 2011-12 fiscal year, new legislation made the allocation of seats between provinces dependent on Statistics Canada's population estimates program rather than the traditional unadjusted decennial census population counts.

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 of Population Program is the sole source of detailed information on the social and economic situation of population subgroups (such as lone-parent families, ethnic groups, industrial and occupational categories and immigrants) and for low-level geographic areas such as city neighbourhoods.

Collection operations for the 2011 Census of Population and the NHS were successfully completed in the fall of 2011: 54% of Canadian households completed their census questionnaire online. The remaining activities for the 2011 Census of Population Program are analyzing respondent data, conducting data quality studies for both the census and the NHS, and publishing the 2011 Census of Population data beginning in February 2012 and continuing to October 2012.

The census of agriculture produces and publishes economic series on the agriculture sector. These series serve as a benchmark for the annual estimates required by the System of National Accounts to form the agriculture component of GDP required by the Fiscal Arrangements Act. The census of agriculture provides a comprehensive picture of the agriculture sector at the national, provincial, territorial and subprovincial levels, and is mandated by the Statistics Act.

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 the amounts payable to the provinces and territories as per the Federal–Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act and the Territorial Formula Financing. Population estimates are used to administerthe Canada Pension Plan Act, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Act, the Canada Student Loans Act and the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act. Population estimates are produced at many levels of geographic detail including Canada, the provinces and territories, as well as subprovincial levels such as census divisions, census metropolitan areas, and economic regions. In addition, population projections are prepared after each census based on various assumptions about fertility, mortality and migration. Population projections are used, for example, to assist the planning of programs and policies related to population aging and components of population growth, such as international migration. Estimates and demographic projections are used by all levels of government, the private sector, researchers, and non-governmental organizations.

The Aboriginal statistics component of the program activity provides subject matter expertise, coordination 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 to Aboriginal governments and organizations.

The data available for Aboriginal peoples are neither as timely nor as complete as data for the general population. While the census of population paints a broad picture of the Canadian people, more in-depth data from Aboriginal-specific surveys are needed to understand determinants and consequences of changes in areas such as education, employability, health and housing.

In an attempt to fill some of the substantial data gaps regarding the Aboriginal population, including Registered Indians, Statistics Canada will explore the potential of administrative data sources, such as the Indian Register, for use in quality assessments of surveys and for other statistical purposes.

A more detailed description of the Census, Demography and Aboriginal Statistics Program can be found at http://www.statcan.gc.ca/about-apercu/structure/paa-aap-eng.htm. The release dates for the 2011 Census of population can be found at http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/index-eng.cfm.

Planned activity: Disseminate the results of the 2011 Census of Population Program

The Constitution Act of 1867 and the Statistics Act require 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, family status, first language learned in childhood, home language and knowledge of official languages.

The census produces a demographic snapshot of the population. Together with the new NHS, it offers a significant 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 transfers billions of dollars annually to provinces and territories on the basis of population estimates. 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 boundaries of federal electoral ridings the House of Commons.

Planned activity: Disseminate the results of 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. Data will be released on May 10, 2012.

Planned activity: Continue evaluation of 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. In doing so, Statistics Canada will review methodological approaches used abroad and their applicability to the Canadian context. The approach used for the census of agriculture will also be reviewed. This work will be the basis for developing a proposal to be presented to the Government on the methodological options for the 2016 censuses.

Planned activity: Prepare recommendations on the use of 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.

Planned activity: Deliver the Aboriginal Liaison Program

The Aboriginal Liaison Program serves as a bridge between Statistics Canada and the country's First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities and Aboriginal organizations.  The mandate of the Program is to strengthen the lines of communication among the First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and other stakeholders at the national, regional, provincial, and community level.

Benefits for Canadians

Decennial census of population data has been constitutionally required for determining the number and boundaries of federal electoral districts. Determining electoral boundaries is still dependent on the decennial census of population data: however, recent changes to the Constitution Act and the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act mean that determining the number of electoral seats among the provinces is now dependant on the population estimates program. The population estimates, in turn, depend in turn, on a quinquennial census program.

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

• analysis of populations that are key targets of government policy (e.g., recent immigrants; visible minorities; Aboriginal peoples, including First Nations communities; ethnic, religious and language minorities; seniors and youth)
• provincial/territorial and local government planning and program delivery, by providing 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
• Statistics Canada's ongoing household survey program
• analysis of social and economic issues, such as the skills shortage and the integration and settlement of recent immigrants
• federal legislation.

In term of demographic statistics, population estimates are required on an annual basis to determine the amounts payable under the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act, including the equalization program, the Canada Health and Social Transfer and the Wait Times Reduction Transfer. Territorial estimates are also used in the Territorial Financing Formula. In addition, population estimates are now being used to allocate federal seats to provinces following the passing of Bill C-20, the Fair Representation Act.

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.

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. Direct federal and provincial payments to the agriculture sector have totalled approximately $4 billion annually in recent years.

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 15 Financial Resources (thousands of dollars)

2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
94,500	94,460	94,452

Notes
Totals may differ within and between tables because of rounding.
Amounts shown are net of respendable revenue.

Table 16 Human Resources (Full-Time Equivalent—FTE)

2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
1,032	1,031	1,031

Note
Totals may differ within and between tables because of rounding.

Program activity descriptions

Internal Services comprises 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; informatics services; methodology services; real property services; materiel services; acquisition services; and travel and other administrative services.

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

Statistics Canada's integrated strategic planning process focuses on the development of a 10-year Continuity and Quality Maintenance Investment Plan (CQMIP). This plan guides the Agency's management of human, informatics and other resources, and provides managers with a framework and tools to improve project planning, implementation, reporting, and evaluation.

The first five years of the CQMIP constitute the Departmental Investment Plan. That plan documents 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.

To sustain Statistics Canada's programs and to innovate, operating at the highest level of efficiency is an ongoing priority. Therefore, the Corporate Business Architecture (CBA) is at the heart of the planning process, enabling continuous identification of cross-cutting projects that make the Agency's operations more robust, responsive and efficient.

Planned activity: Implement the Departmental Project Management Framework agency-wide

In 2009-10, Statistics Canada implemented a Departmental Project Management Framework (DPMF) to strengthen project management practices and enhance accountability, as required by the Policy on the Management of Projects. DPMF common tools and processes were first developed for CBA projects and then piloted agency-wide in 2011-12. In 2012-13, these tools will be implemented across the Agency, with a special focus on continuous monitoring at the both the portfolio and agency level.

Planned activity: Align the program evaluation process with Treasury Board policies and directives

In line with the Government's commitment to demonstrate results for taxpayers' dollars spent, Statistics Canada is committed to implementing the Policy on Evaluation and strengthening the Agency's performance measurement strategies. The neutral evaluation function at Statistics Canada now reports directly to the Chief Statistician. During fiscal year 2011-12, a new evaluation charter and the Agency's risk-based evaluation plan were approved. Improving the evaluation function requires attracting skilled professional evaluators and delivering the 2012-13-to-2016-17 evaluation plan.

Planned activity: Strengthen the corporate IM framework

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.

Statistics Canada's IM Action Plan addresses the highest priority information management challenges that the Agency faces as it pursues the corporate objectives of relevance, trust, access, and stewardship. 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.

IM continues to be a key principle of the Agency's CBA initiative. The integration of good IM practices into business processes is a key part of several strategic projects. The goal is to facilitate identifying and managing information resources of business value.

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

Statistics Canada's Corporate Business Plan (2011-2014) identifies the evolving needs of business priorities in the context of the Departmental Investment Plan. The Agency is preparing to align human resource goals and objectives with the priorities of Statistics Canada, the Government of Canada, and Public Service Renewal.

Planned activity: Transfer Statistics Canada IT and internal support resources to Shared Services Canada

On August 4, 2011, the Government announced measures to streamline and identify savings in information technology (IT) by creating Shared Services Canada. Thus, the Government plans to move to a single email system, reduce the number of data centres and streamline electronic networks within and between government departments. All resources associated with the delivery of email, data centre and network services are being transferred from 44 of the more IT-intensive departments and agencies, including Statistics Canada, to Shared Services Canada.

Statistics Canada's participation in this government-wide initiative must be done in conformity with the Statistics Act. Many of the services to be provided by Shared Services Canada to Statistics Canada will involve IT infrastructure around the confidential data holdings. The Agency is working with Shared Services Canada to ensure the ongoing protection of confidential statistical information.

In 2012-13, Statistics Canada will continue to work with Shared Services Canada to ensure that the transfer and ongoing services conform to the Statistics Act. The Agency will determine with Shared Services Canada the level of service required including support of its cost-recovery activities. It will also incorporate into the organization a governance mechanism for bilateral collaboration and partnership with Shared Services Canada to achieve respective and common objectives.

Planned activity: Engage with other departments and Treasury Board Secretariat to examine migration to common tools and processes

Statistics Canada continues to streamline its business processes in a holistic way, with the objective of delivering its programs in the most efficient and effective manner possible. This includes provision of administrative services. The Agency is analyzing business processes and requirements to develop a roadmap for Statistics Canada to move towards the adoption of common systems and processes.

Planned activity: Develop a detailed blueprint for implementation of the new dissemination model

The new dissemination model will affect various modules across Statistics Canada's website. Elements will include a single-output database driving dynamically generated data tables, a radical simplification of the product line, the establishment of an output metadata framework, and the provision of self-serve data that would be free of cost, free of licensing restrictions, easily findable and downloadable, in compliance with Open Data principles. The model responds to long-standing concerns of data users and respondents, including the National Statistics Council, regarding Statistics Canada past practices of data pricing and licensing.

The time frame for this project is three years. In the first year (2012-13), a detailed blueprint for the new model will be prepared, based on wide consultation with Statistics Canada's user community and input from various stakeholders within Statistics Canada. The related project plan will contain projected salary and non-salary costsand the application of sound project management principles. This includes the identification of key milestone dates and deliverables and a roadmap with a detailed approach to achieve the desired final outcome.

In the second (2013-14) and third (2014-15) years, the project will focus on developing, testing and implementing the new dissemination model as outlined in the blueprint, which will be developed in the first year.

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