The Research Data Centre Program Microdata Access Division Heather Hobson April 23, 2009

20/10/2015 Statistics Canada Statistique Canada 2 Presentation outline  Origin of the RDC Program  Mission  What is the RDC network?  What is an RDC?  How is access to data obtained?  Data holdings  The range of available datasets  Protecting confidentiality  Future plans

20/10/2015 Statistics Canada Statistique Canada 3 Origin of the RDC Program  Report from the Canadian Initiative on Social Statistics (1998)  Important gaps: Lack of researchers mastering the data analysis techniques in social sciences Limited use of Statistics Canada’s surveys – absence of PUMF for longitudinal data Examples: SLID, NPHS, NLSCY Research findings are not communicated enough  Development of the RDC network started in

20/10/2015 Statistics Canada Statistique Canada 4 Mission of the RDC Program  Promote and facilitate social science research  Provide secure access to Statistics Canada’s confidential micro-data survey files  Protect confidentiality of respondents  Disseminate findings of research to the policy community and the public

20/10/2015 Statistics Canada Statistique Canada 5 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

20/10/2015 Statistics Canada Statistique Canada 6 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 and “sworn-in” under Statistics Act as “deemed employees”  All researchers have direct access to the data

20/10/2015 Statistics Canada Statistique Canada 7 General principle Researchers from participating institutions do not pay for access to an RDC

20/10/2015 Statistics Canada Statistique Canada 8 Toronto COOL U. Sask. Moncton SFU and U. Victoria Sudbury Laval McGill Sherbrooke UQAM CIQSS Toronto Queen’s U. Manitoba UWO COOL Atlantic CRISP McMaster SWORDC Prairies Alberta BCIRDC QICSS U. Windsor York U. Toronto

20/10/2015 Statistics Canada Statistique Canada 9 How do researchers gain access to the RDCs

20/10/2015 Statistics Canada Statistique Canada 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 Canada’s mandate

20/10/2015 Statistics Canada Statistique Canada 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 have the experience, qualifications, and expertise to successfully complete the proposed project?

20/10/2015 Statistics Canada Statistique Canada 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”

20/10/2015 Statistics Canada Statistique Canada 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.

20/10/2015 Statistics Canada Statistique Canada 14 Data holdings

20/10/2015 Statistics Canada Statistique Canada 15 Sample of data available in the RDCs Aboriginal Peoples Survey (APS) Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) 2007 Cycle 3.1 Cycle 2.1 Cycle Nutrition Cycle 1.1Cycle Mental Health and Well-being Census of Population 2001, 1996, 1991 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 National Survey on the Work and Health of Nurses (NSWHN) Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS) Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics (SLID) Survey on the Vitality of Official Language Minorities (SVOLM) Workplace and Employee Survey (WES) Youth in Transition Survey (YITS) Program for International Student Assessment (PISA)

20/10/2015 Statistics Canada Statistique Canada

20/10/2015 Statistics Canada Statistique Canada 17 Developments specific to the ARDC  User group  Brown bag lunch presentations  Beginner-level workshops in analyzing data using SPSS, SAS and Stata in the fall  Graduate-level course STAT5640  Website under development

20/10/2015 Statistics Canada Statistique Canada 18 Challenges and future directions

20/10/2015 Statistics Canada Statistique Canada 19 Today’s 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

20/10/2015 Statistics Canada Statistique Canada 20 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

20/10/2015 Statistics Canada Statistique Canada 21 To learn more … Heather Hobson Analyst, Atlantic Research Data Centre Microdata Access Division Statistics Canada Telephone: Fax: