GGR 391: Research design

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GGR 391 Research design

• Class presentation 30/01/2003
• by L. Ruus, Data Library Service
• ltlaine.ruus_at_utoronto.cagt

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Outline

• Introduction
• who collects data
• data quality considerations
• data access
• Outline of census geography
• Census and other geo-coded data
• Spatial information resources

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Who collects data about us?

• Corporate sector
• Marketing and public opinion companies
• Banks and credit companies
• Magazine and other subscription services
• Retailers, including Internet shopping services
• Government
• Federal government
• Provincial government
• Municipal government
• Academic sector

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Government data collection federal

• Health Canada
• Environment Canada
• Human Resources Development Canada
• Statistics Canada
• own data collection
• data collection for other government institutions
  under contract (e.g. NLSCY)

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Statistics Canada

• Process-produced data (eg. births, deaths,
  marriages, imports, exports, etc.)
• Sample surveys (eg. monthly labour force survey,
  etc.)
• Census of population (100 20 samples)
• first conducted in 1666
• every 10 years 1871-1951
• every 5 years 1961-2001 (latest)

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Data source considerations (quality)

• Data/statistics
• Source attribution of all data and statistics
• Transparency of derived data
• Collector
• Protection/guarantee of privacy and
  confidentiality
• Changes and corrections
• Obligation to publish/inform
• Preservation policies

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Data dissemination

• Statistics Canada - , selected statistics free
• But most data/statistics available free via
  UT/DLS.
• Toronto RDC - very restricted
• UT/DLS - free, relatively unrestricted
• only source for small area data

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Data Library Service homepage

• lthttp//www.chass.utoronto.ca/datalib/gt
• Map/GIS Collection homepage
• lthttp//prod.library.utoronto.ca/datalib/maplib/in
  dex.htmlgt

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Outline of Canadian census geography
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Census and other geocoded data from Statistics
Canada
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Sources of geo-coded Canadian data

• Canadian census of population
• census subdivision level data 1986-2001
• census tract data 1981-2001
• enumeration/dissemination area data 1981-2001
• Canadian census of agriculture
• census agricultural regions, 1981-2001
• Canadian business patterns
• census subdivision level data, 2001

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Attributes in the population census

• Demographic characteristics age, sex, marital
  status
• Ethno-cultural and language characteristics
• Schooling
• Household activities
• Labour market activities
• Journey to work
• Income

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Attributes in the population census (contd)

• Family and household tenure, shelter costs
• Dwelling type, period of construction, value
• More information
• Availability of aggregate statistics from the
  Canadian population census (1666-2001)
• lthttp//www.chass.utoronto.ca/datalib/major/census
  ag.htmgt

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Outline of Canadian census products

• Nation series/Canadian overview tables
• ethnicity (188) x sex (3) x prov/CMA
• Dimensions/Special interest series
• ethnicity (92) x eg income x prov/CMA
• Profile series
• ethnicity (100) x CT/EA
• Basic cross/summary tabulations
• ethnicity (31) x age x CT/EA

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Attributes in the Census of agriculture

• Farm type
• Land use, tenure, land management
• Crops
• Livestock poultry
• Farm businesses (eg computer applications)

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Attributes in Canadian business patterns

• Number of business establishments
• Number of employees (categorical)
• Industrial classifications
• NAICS 2-6 digit classification
• SIC 1-4 digit classification)
• Geography
• province
• census metropolitan areas (cities)
• census subdivisions (municipalities)

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Spatial information resources
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Three main types of spatial information resources

• print maps/atlases
• aerial photographs (raster images)
• digital map files (vector files)

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Print maps/atlases

• Listed in UT Libraries catalogue
• Available in Map Collection, 5th Floor, Robarts
  Library
• Also listed in individual census web pages at
• Data Library Service homepage
• Major research data collections
• Canadian data

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Aerial photographs

• Paper in Map Collection, 5th Floor, Robarts
  Library
• On-line at
• Map/GIS Collection
• lthttp//prod.library.utoronto.ca/datalib/maplib/gt
• Digital air photos

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Digital map files

• Require GIS software to use (e.g. ArcGIS)
• Available via UT/DLS census web pages
• Aggregate statistics from Canadian population
  census (1665-2001)
• lthttp//www.chass.utoronto.ca/datalib/major/census
  ag.htmgt

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In conclusion

• Dont assume data sources always check to make
  sure they do exist!
• More Statistics Canada data is available to you
  free via UT/DLS web pages than via Statistics
  Canadas web pages.
• Never buy data (numeric or spatial) from
  Statistics Canada without checking with the Data
  Library Service first.