Issues in the use of administrative records for statistical purposes - ARCHIVED

Demands for statistics on all aspects of our lives, our society and our economy continue to grow. At the same time statistical agencies share with many respondents a growing concern over the mounting burden of response to surveys. One result of the search for alternative methods of satisfying statistical demands has been an increased emphasis on the use of administrative records for statistical purposes. This paper reviews recent experience at Statistics Canada in this area and discusses obstacles to the greater use of administrative records. Approaches to rendering administrative systems more useful for statistical purposes are reviewed, together with some important concerns related to information protection and record linkage.