D-Day, as in Data Day has arrived in Canada.

Statistics Canada has always charged to access much of its data but starting today – February 1st, 2012 – self-serve standard products available on the Statistics Canada website, which includes CANSIM and census data products, are now free of charge under the Statistics Canada Open Licence Agreement.

For those of you who are not familiar with these resources, CANSIM (CANadian Socio Economic Information Management System) is a collection of time series data on a variety of different aspects of the Canadian economy and population. It covers over 10 million data series and is organized into tables. These tables used to cost $3 per time series table, which could prove costly if you were looking at a bunch of data over any length of time.

In terms of Census data, much of it will be free, most often down to the Census Tract level. Census Tracts are small, relatively stable geographic areas that usually have a population of 2,500 to 8,000. Data at the Dissemination Area level (small area composed of one or more neighbouring dissemination blocks, with a population of 400 to 700 persons) will still require payment.

Next week (February 8, 2012) is the first release of data from the 2011 Census and it will be interesting to see how this access to free data will shape local conversations.

It is a fantastic boon for all data geeks! Nonprofit organizations and students will really appreciate this new pricing.

Get ready Canada. The free data stream has started to flow!

2011 Census geographic products

Available today are four geographic products from the 2011 Census: Boundary Files, Road Network File, Correspondence Files and the Interim List of Changes to Municipal Boundaries, Status, and Names. These products represent the first suite of geographic products released from the 2011 Census.

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What will be available free on Statistics Canada’s website?

Statistics Canada’s standard products — including CANSIM data, census data and geography products—will become available free of charge on our website as of February 2012 under a new Open Licence Agreement.

As a first step, on November 29, 2011, the majority of standard geography data products from the 2011 and 2006 censuses will be offered free of charge under the new agreement.

In February 2012, the 2011 Census standard products available on our website will be offered free of charge at all geography levels. Most of the standard geography data products from the 2001 Census will also become available for free on that date.

The new Open Licence Agreement will be posted on the Statistics Canada website on November 29, 2011.

Why is Geography data being released first?

Geography data are the first product line being prepared. The products being released November 29 (with no data) are establishing a framework for the future release of data products from the 2011 Census.

What is being released November 29?

The products being released are all described in the Preview of Geography Products that was released on our website a few months ago. The link to Geography preview is attached. It will explain what Geography products are coming out tomorrow and those that will follow.

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/bsolc/olc-cel/olc-cel?catno=92-144-x&lang=eng

When will 2011 Census data be released, and at what level of geography?

The actual data from the 2011 Census starts to come out on February 8, 2012 with the first release of the Population and Dwelling (P&D) counts. All P&D data down to the ‘Block’ level of data will be released (as FREE). Descriptions of data products being released for P&D and the remaining releases (including down to what levels of geo) are noted in the Census Preview of products and services that was released on September 21, 2011. The link is attached below.

http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/ref/preview-avantgout/index-eng.cfm

Embassy Magazine has broken the story that all of Statistics Canada’s online data will not only be made free, but released under the Government of Canada’s Open Data License Agreement that allows for commercial re-use.

The scope of this seems to cover all the Statistics Canada products we’ve wanted to use in the past, which is fantastic, but the devil is in the details. The issues of exactly what data will be free, what level of geography will they be available at and in what formats will they be disseminated are all still to be answered. Also, for those of us doing mapping work, does this include all the geography products? Nice to have free data, but if it is a pain to get at and really be useful, it becomes a bit of frustrating exercise. Waiting to see what Statistics Canada’s response will be to this.

David Eaves has a good article on providing some analysis on the Background, Winners and Next Steps on this announcement.

via my colleague Tracey over at datalibre.ca

Happy Valentine’s day all!

Why not send you MP or MPP or City Councilor A Valentine Card!  Be sure to attach a little note in your email along with the card.  You can find your MP here http://citizenfactory.com

Sebastien Pierre at ffunction created these (http://ffctn.com/)

Abstract:

Ms. Tracey P. Lauriault discusses neighbourhood scale research using Census data.  She introduces the The Cybercartographic Pilot Atlas of the Risk of Homelessness created at the Geomatics and Cartographic Research and will feature community based research used to inform public policy as part of the Canadian Social Data Strategy (CSDS) .  She features maps and data about social issues in Canadian cities & metropolitan areas (e.g. Calgary, Toronto, Halton, Sault Ste. Marie, Hamilton, Ottawa, Montreal, & others) and focuses on the importance of local analysis and what the loss of the Long-Form Census could mean to evidence based decision making to communities in Canada’s.

This is something new from Statistics Canada today.

The Atlas of Canada, produced by Natural Resources Canada in partnership with Statistics Canada, presents a series of maps and accompanying analysis of national and regional data results from the 2006 Census. The first releases focus on Canadian population, age, marital status, immigration, visible minorities and mode of transportation. The maps are available on the Atlas of Canada website (http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/featureditems/index.html).

Future releases will cover topics such as educational attainment, the labour force, languages, housing and income.

Visible Minority Population 2006

The Handbook on Geospatial Infrastructure in Support of Census Activities takes into account the recent technological developments in the geographic information area, which have been reflected in the recently adopted United Nations Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses, Revision 2, and puts into the hands of census planners and related personnel a technical guide on the contemporary methods, tools, and best practices that would support their census mapping operations more efficiently. An official copy of the Handbook is now available on-line and set to be published in print form soon.

http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/sources/census/2010_PHC/Publications/Series_F103_more.htm

Well, here it is. The last major release of 2006 Census Data. Today (May 1, 2008) marks the release of Income and earnings and housing and shelter costs. I am providing some links to some of these ways of seeing the latest Census release. Check out the new Census Trends pages, which provides some interesting time series comparisons. Enjoy.

Article in The Daily (Statistics Canada newsletter)

2006 Census: Income and Earnings – Main Page

• Income and earnings and shelter costs Highlight Tables, 2006 Census
• Topic-based tabulations: Income and earnings
• Analysis Series: Earnings and Incomes of Canadians Over the Past Quarter Century
• Census questions on income: New features and important changes

2006 Census: Housing and Shelter Costs – Main Page

• Topic-based tabulations: Housing and shelter costs

Complete cumulative profile, including Income and earnings, and shelter costs

2006 Community Profiles

Census Tract (CT) Profiles, 2006 Census
Option 1 – Find census tract data using a postal code
Option 2 – Find census tract data using GeoSearch2006
Option 3 – Find census tract data using a census tract name

GeoSearch 2006
Includes ability to do some basic thematic mapping by Census Tract and link to CT profiles.

2006 Census Thematic Maps

A thematic map shows the spatial distribution of one or more specific data themes for standard geographic areas. The map may be qualitative in nature (e.g., predominant farm types) or quantitative (e.g., percentage population change).

The maps can be viewed on the Internet (www.statcan.ca) and downloaded for free (as PDF or EXE files).

They are in colour and the map dimensions are 21.6 cm by 27.9 cm (8.5 inches x 11 inches).

Census trends NEW
This new product presents a series of summary data trends spanning three censuses: 2006, 2001 and 1996. The product is designed to facilitate the analysis and comparison of the changing demographic and socio-economic composition of selected geographic areas across Canada. The product will include approximately 85 key data indicators, released in two phases.

Option 1 – Selected data indicators for a geography
Option 2 – Compare a level of geography for a selected data indicator
Option 3 – Compare data indicators for two geographies

Here is the next release of 2006 Census Data. Today (April 2, 2008) marks the release of ethnic origin, visible minorities, place of work and mode of transportation data. I am providing some links to some of these ways of seeing the latest Census release. Check out the new Census Trends pages, which provides some interesting time series comparisons. Enjoy.

Article in The Daily (Statistics Canada newsletter)

2006 Census Ethnic Origin and Visible Minorities – Main Page

• Ethnocultural Portrait of Canada Highlight Tables, 2006 Census
• Topic-based tabulations: Ethnic origin and visible minorities
• Cumulative profile and release components: Ethnic origin and visible minorities
• Analysis Series: Canada’s Ethnocultural Mosaic

2006 Census Place of work and commuting to work (including mode of transportation) – Main Page

• Place of Work Highlight Tables, 2006 Census
• Topic-based tabulations: Place of work and commuting to work
• Cumulative profile and release components: Labour market activity, Industry, Occupation, Education, Language of work, Place of work and mode of transportation
• Analysis Series: Commuting Patterns and Places of Work of Canadians

Cumulative profile and release components: Labour market activity, Industry, Occupation, Education, Language of work, Place of work and mode of transportation2006 Community ProfilesCensus Tract (CT) Profiles, 2006 Census
Option 1 – Find census tract data using a postal code
Option 2 – Find census tract data using GeoSearch2006
Option 3 – Find census tract data using a census tract name

GeoSearch 2006
Includes ability to do some basic thematic mapping by Census Tract and link to CT profiles.

2006 Census Thematic Maps

A thematic map shows the spatial distribution of one or more specific data themes for standard geographic areas. The map may be qualitative in nature (e.g., predominant farm types) or quantitative (e.g., percentage population change).

The maps can be viewed on the Internet (www.statcan.ca) and downloaded for free (as PDF or EXE files).

They are in colour and the map dimensions are 21.6 cm by 27.9 cm (8.5 inches x 11 inches).

Census trends NEW
This new product presents a series of summary data trends spanning three censuses: 2006, 2001 and 1996. The product is designed to facilitate the analysis and comparison of the changing demographic and socio-economic composition of selected geographic areas across Canada. The product will include approximately 85 key data indicators, released in two phases.

Option 1 – Selected data indicators for a geography
Option 2 – Compare a level of geography for a selected data indicator
Option 3 – Compare data indicators for two geographies

The 2010 census was supposed to be the first truly high-tech headcount, with workers going door-to-door with handheld computers to collect and transmit data and to verify every address. Now, despite billions of dollars earmarked for what would also be the most expensive census to date, technology problems have officials considering a return to pencil and paper counting, according to the Associated Press.

Read the AP story on CNN: “Fancy computers spell trouble for 2010 census“