1. Administrative and Survey Files for Research Purposes
Q2008
Annie Giguère
Madeleine Filion
Institut de la statistique du Québec

2. Presentation outline Background General description
Submission of researcher’s request
Processing of researcher’s request
Remote access to research file
Environment and Development
Added values
Status of current project

3. Background
In recent years, the Institut de la statistique du Québec (ISQ), the official statistical agency of the province of Québec (Canada) has been faced with :
An increase in demand for statistical information and a growing diversity of users
Users, particularly researchers, who are increasingly seeking access to microdata files they can process themselves

4. Background (cont.)
In 2004, a partnership project with a network of researchers and other government agencies was launched
Access by researchers to confidential information taken from administrative files is a complex process when the information is requested from different holder agencies
The ISQ was chosen to host the service platform

5. General description The service platform is not a data warehouse
The service is accessible by means of an Internet portal, through which researchers can submit their requests, follow up on them, and make remote use of the research files

6. Submission of researcher’s request
To help the researcher formulate his request, there is a search engine on the Internet portal that can consult the dictionary in order to obtain information on a specific data source or a holder of information
It is also possible to search by keyword, year of data source, categories or data source owner

7. Processing of researcher’s request
Create the research file resulting from linkages
Control the risk of disclosing confidential information

8. Remote access to research file
High-level security measures for authentication of the researcher are required
It is not possible for the researcher to download or print the data or results of his analyses
The user’s work session is recorded and can be studied at any time (in real or delayed time)

9. Environment & Development
Products used :
Oracle Fusion Middleware 10G (AS and BPEL, Collaboration Suite, DB)
Suze Linux
APIs used :
Oracle ADF, Oracle BPEL, Jasper Reports, JAAS, XML, PL/SQL
Development tools used :
Oracle Jdeveloper, Tortoise, DMS Loading Tool

10. Added values The new service :
Facilitates research
Gives new means to the researchers
Accelerates the current access process
Generates economies of scale
Provides networking of knowledge and expertise
Facilitates standardization
The location of the service platform at the ISQ provides guarantees that the confidentiality and security of the data will be ensured, given our legal oversight (statistical secrecy) and normative framework in that regard

11. Status of current project
The service platform has been in operation since July 2007
Researcher’s requests currently in process
Intensification of the project’s promotion
Negociation of agreements with our partness
Business plan :
Pricing policy
Action plan for the next five years

12. For further information contact :
For further information contact :
Institut de la statistique du Québec, Canada