Statistics Canada Statistique Canada September 2008/1 From a seed to a forest The Research Data Centre Program

September 2008/2 The Research Continuum (secondary sources) Increasing level of detail

September 2008/3 What is the RDC Network? It is a partnership that includes: More than 40 Canadian universities Major Granting Councils (SSHRC, CIHR, CFI) Provincial governments Statistics Canada

September 2008/4 What is a Research Data Centre ? Secure environment in a setting that is removed from Statistics Canada premises Houses Statistics Canada micro data files Staffed by a Statistics Canada employee at all times Operates under the provisions of the Statistics Act Access limited to researchers with approved projects andsworn-in under Statistics Act as deemed employees All researchers have direct access to the data

September 2008/5 General principle Researchers from participating institutions do not pay for access to an RDC

September 2008/6 Toronto COOL U. Sask. Moncton SFU and U. Victoria Sudbury Laval McGill Sherbrooke UQAM CIQSS Toronto Queens U. Manitoba UWO COOL Atlantic CRISP McMaster SWORDC Prairie Alberta BCIRDC CIQSS U. Windsor York U. Toronto

Statistics Canada Statistique Canada September 2008/7 Governance Structure

September 2008/8 RDC NETWORK Universities, Centres & Branches 15 Data Centres 9 Branches 26 Partners Granting Councils SSHRC, CIHR CFI RDC National Coordinating Committee (RDCNCC) RDCNCC Chair RDCNCC Office Assistant Knowledge Transfer Officer Statistics Canada Regional Supervisors and RDC Analysts in each Centre Manager of RDC Network STC RDC HQ Operations Analysis & Dissemination Unit

Statistics Canada Statistique Canada September 2008/9 How do researchers gain access to the RDCs

September 2008/10 Access to the Research Data Centres (Academic researchers) Project proposal Proposal evaluation - SSHRC Security clearance - enhanced reliability check Orientation session and oath of office Researcher agrees to provide publicly available report that falls within Statistics Canadas mandate

September 2008/11 Evaluation Criteria – academic researchers Necessity for access to detailed micro data and to the particular dataset(s) specified in proposal Clearly defined project objectives Suitability of analytical and statistical methods Scientific merit of the project Do the applicant and the team members (if applicable) have the experience, qualifications, and expertise to successfully complete the proposed project?

September 2008/12 Access to the Research Data Centres (Federal/Provincial/Territorial researchers) Project proposal, reviewed by designated official (either Director General research for federal departments, or statistical focal point for provinces and territories) The work is to be performed by an employee (or contract employee) of the federal department or the provincial/territorial government Proposal evaluation - STC Security clearance - enhanced reliability check Orientation session and oath of office

September 2008/13 Evaluation Criteria – federal, provincial, territorial researchers The work is statistical in nature. The work requires access to the specified data file(s), and cannot be accomplished using publicly available data files or published statistical information. The work can be completed using the specified data file(s) within the time frame specified. The work can not be quickly and efficiently completed by Statistics Canada employees. No data sharing agreement exists within the requesting department with respect to the dataset for which access is required.

Statistics Canada Statistique Canada September 2008/14 Current status

September 2008/15 The statistics

September 2008/16 The statistics (cumulative to March 31, 2008) 25 operating centres, and growing! Secured a five year operating grant from SSHRC and CIHR, starting in 2005 Secured two infrastructure grants from CFI totalling over $10 million Six annual thematic conferences based on research conducted in the RDCs

September 2008/17

Statistics Canada Statistique Canada September 2008/18 Data holdings

September 2008/19 A sample of the data that are in the RDCs Aboriginal Peoples Survey (APS) Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) Cycle 3.1 Cycle Nutrition Cycle 2.1 Cycle Mental Health and Well-being Cycle 1.1 Census of Population 2001 Census 1996 Census 1991 Census Ethnic Diversity Survey (EDS) General Social Survey (GSS) Access to and Use of Information Communication Technology Education, Work and Retirement Family Health Social Engagement Social Support and Aging Time Use Victimization Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (LSIC) National Graduates Survey (NGS) National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY) National Population Health Survey (NPHS) Household Component - Cross-sectional Household Component - Longitudinal North Component Health Institutions Component Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS) Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics (SLID) Workplace and Employee Survey (WES) Youth in Transition Survey (YITS) Program for International Student Assessment (PISA)

September 2008/20 Differences between public files and detailed master files in the RDCs Public filesRDC master files Level of geography = province or CMA Census Subdivision, Census Tract or below Aggregates certain countries of birth or ethnic origins All the ethno-cultural details are available Joint analysis at individual and family level is limited Master files can be used with full individual level information and characteristics of families Only cross-sectional dataPanel data tracking the same respondents over time (not for Census data) Census public file is only a sampleThe Census master file with over 6 millions records is available

Statistics Canada Statistique Canada September 2008/21 Ensuring security and confidentiality

September 2008/22 What are the security measures and how are the data protected? legal framework The legal framework for access: research contract, security clearance and oath of office Physical protection Physical protection of data: controlled access to the labs, individual computer accounts, limited network access Analytical protection Analytical protection of data: a process of disclosure avoidance control is applied for each request to release statistical output Analytical protection Analytical protection of data (part 2): minimum number of observations in each cell for descriptive (tabular) output

September 2008/23 Specific disclosure avoidance rules for Census data Special rules are necessary considering the coverage of the census, hence the higher risk of identifying respondents with rare characteristics Random rounding Random rounding of tabular and descriptive output Minimum population Minimum population thresholds for the smallest unit of geography in the analysis Release of intermediate output is discouraged Risk of residual disclosure Increased workload associated with verifying the results against disclosure

Statistics Canada Statistique Canada September 2008/24 Challenges and future directions

September 2008/25 Todays Challenges Add to the Census data holdings in the RDCs Add administrative data to the holdings in the RDCs Coordination with different modes of access Access to international data and by international researchers Continued growth of the network Publication of research Link all the RDCs by a secure wide area network

September 2008/26 Major initiatives for the future Add administrative data linked to survey data Add historical census data Fully document the data holdings using DDI compliant technology

September 2008/27 To learn more …