Provincial methodologies

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For health regions in Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia, the administrative files used for adjusting the 2001-based population estimates for non-census years differ from those used by Statistics Canada in the description above. For these provinces, the health region population estimates were supplied by Alberta Health and Wellness, and BC Stats.

• Alberta

Statistics Canada used population estimates by health regions prepared by the Alberta Health and Wellness department. These estimates are derived from the Alberta Stakeholder Register File containing information on individuals who are entitled to basic medical services under the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP). Population growth as derived from this file for each of Alberta's health regions was then applied to Demography Division's estimates for 2001 to account for annual changes in the population. The estimates were further adjusted to correspond to the provincial estimates produced annually by Demography Division.
For more information on Alberta's estimates, refer to Calculating Demographic and Epidemiological Quantities in Alberta by Geo-Political Areas, Health Surveillance, Alberta Health and Wellness, March 2001 or contact Donald Schopflocher of the Health Strategies Division, Health Surveillance in Alberta at (780)422-4630 or e-mail at donald.schopflocher@health.gov.ab.ca.

• British Columbia

The methodology used by British Columbia to derive small area populations by gender and age group is divided into two parts.
A Regression Approach, specifically the Difference-Correlation Method (DCM), is the primary method underlying the sub-provincial population estimates. A secondary method, known as Proportional Allocation (PA), is also used to estimate the population for certain classes of areas. Both these methods use information derived from a set of indicators obtained from administrative files that are symptomatic of regional population changes.
In essence, the British Columbia small area population estimation model works as follows. Beginning with the most recent federal census (in this case the 2001 Census of Canada), each region's share of provincial population is adjusted up or down according to the current share of the provincial total of a weighted combination of residential hydro connections and/or Old Age Security recipients. Estimates of the population living in municipalities along with that portion of the population living outside the municipality but within the regional district (for example, unorganized area), are controlled at the provincial level by a British Columbia population estimate prepared by Statistics Canada. Regional district population estimates are derived by summing the municipal and unorganized area population estimates. Local health areas are also controlled at the provincial level, and in order to ensure consistency, the local health area population estimates within each regional district are then tied to the regional district population estimates.