1. Director General of the National Accounts
Statistics Canada consultations with users: Results and lessons learned
Art Ridgeway
Director General of the National Accounts
Statistics Canada
December 2009

2. Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada
User Consultation
Consultations with a few key policy agencies
Fiscal authority. central bank, social security authority
Consultations with advisory committees
National Accounts Advisory Committee
National Statistics Council
In December 2008 a wider consultation process began. Input was sought in three different areas:
Is the timeliness of indicators adequate?
Are there any key missing data products?
Is a different communication strategy required?
Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada
02/01/2019

3. Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada
Timeliness Issues
More timely and higher frequency financial accounts
In Canada a significant part of the data for the financial sector comes from Statistics Canada and not the Central Bank
Monthly indicators or estimates for supply - use:
personal expenditure monthly
inventory data - either monthly or earlier quarterly indicator
fixed capital formation – particularly engineering projects?
Don’t go to a Flash estimate of GDP
Monthly GDP plus quarterly accounts from production to accumulation accounts and balance sheets
Monthly cross border securities transactions and quarterly International Investment Position
Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada
02/01/2019

4. Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada
Data Gaps
Information on labour market transitions such as:
Time spent on job search after layoff
Transition to a new industry or occupation
Was a pay cut required to transition to a new job?
Was geographical relocation necessary?
Price index for the sale of existing housing assets
Leave business and consumer conditions surveys to the private sector
stick to quantitative measurement of performance
Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada
02/01/2019

5. Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada
Communication
The metadata and the structure of the financial accounts and balance sheets are out-of-date and need to be modernized.
Issues of consistency between the financial accounts data of the nation accounts and high frequency financial data published by others
Adding analytic content such as leverage and debt burden ratios
Improve geographical presentations of employment insurance claims on a monthly basis
Very difficult to find data on the Statcan Wed site
Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada
02/01/2019

6. Proposed short term data collection
Proposals to address on a temporary basis the data on labour market transitions and fixed capital were prepared
Funding was not forthcoming and most users preferred efforts to focus on maintaining and developing the core statistical infrastructure
A one time survey of capital expenditure intentions was funded from internal sources
Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada
02/01/2019

7. Statistics Canada responded in a number of ways.
Debt service ratios released, provincial ratios to follow in new year
Coordination with the central bank
MV balance sheets and financial flows expanded from 4 to 33 sectors this month – an additional 3000 financial series
Used presentations and workshops to address in the short term the lack of up-to-date documentation for financial and wealth accounts
Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada
02/01/2019

8. Statistics Canada responded in a number of ways.
Recognizing that the financial crisis has a large impact on Canadian’s pensions
Published a Pension Satellite Account
New Web site design to facilitate better access to data
Users wanted more information on the special events affecting the current estimates
E.g. US and Canadian governments’ equity position in GM
Using Frequently Asked Questions to inform users on these types of events and to draw their attention to pertinent concepts and methods documents for such events
Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada
02/01/2019

9. Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada
Looking to the future
The experience with the financial crises show that three factors are important in being prepared for future challenges
Outreach
Flexibility
Communications
Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada
02/01/2019

10. Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada
Moving forward
Outreach:
Infrastructure to regularly consult with clients and capacity to quickly consult when needed
Key factor in maintaining the relevance of products
Access to micro data
Issue before crisis but renewed efforts to provide broader access to researchers to micro business data
Constitutive processes underway with objective of improving access to the fullest extent possible under the Statistics Act
Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada
02/01/2019

11. Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada
Moving forward
Flexibility:
Comprehensive economic data program as a foundation
Capacity to quickly move resources from lower to higher priority programs
This was significant constraint in most recent cycle
Major project underway to improve this situation
Appropriate governance structure to move resources as required
Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada
02/01/2019

12. Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada
Moving forward.
Communications:
Communications strategy for releases based on evolving data needs
Importance of a regular communication program with users:
Insure they are aware of data details and developments
Maintain the metadata associated with these data
Improved coordination of communication between the central bank and financial market supervisions
Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada
02/01/2019