Data sources, definitions and methodology

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Description

This annual sample survey collects data required to produce economic statistics for the Heritage Institutions industry in Canada.

These data are aggregated with information from other sources to produce official estimates of the national and provincial economic production of all heritage institutions in Canada. Data on this and other industries together contribute to the accurate measurement of national and provincial economies.

Survey estimates are made available to businesses, governments, investors, associations, and the public. The data are used to monitor industry growth, measure performance, and make comparisons to other data sources to better understand this industry.

Target population

The target population consists of all establishments classified as heritage institutions (NAICS 712) and archives (NAICS 519122) during the reference year according to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).

The survey covers those publicly and privately owned heritage institutions whose purpose is to preserve, interpret, and make accessible to the public, objects, specimens, documents, buildings, and land areas of educational and cultural value, including artistic, scientific, historical, technological and nature-related material. Heritage institutions include museums and non-commercial art galleries, archives, historic sites, buildings, parks or communities and nature parks and conservation areas with interpretation or educational programs. Also surveyed are exhibition centres, planetariums, observatories, aquariums, zoos, botanical gardens and arboretums.

Sampling

This is a sample survey with a cross-sectional design.

The frame is the list of establishments from which the portion eligible for sampling is determined and the sample is taken. The frame provides basic information about each firm including: address, industry classification and information from administrative data sources. The frame is maintained by Statistics Canada's Business Register and is updated using administrative data.

The target population consists of all statistical establishments (sometimes referred to as firms or units) classified to this industry according to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) during the reference year observed.

The basic objective of the survey is to produce estimates for the whole industry - incorporated and unincorporated businesses. The data come from two different sources: a sample of all businesses with revenue above or equal to a certain threshold (note: the threshold varies between surveys and sometimes between industries and provinces in the same survey) for which either survey or administrative data may be used; and administrative data only for businesses with revenue below the specified threshold.

Prior to the selection of a random sample, establishments are classified into homogeneous groups (i.e., groups with the same NAICS codes and same geography (province/territory)). Quality requirements are targeted, and then each group is divided into sub-groups called strata: take-all, must-take, and take-some.

The take-all stratum represents the largest firms in terms of performance (based on revenue) in an industry. The must-take stratum is comprised of units selected on the basis of complex structural characteristics (multi-establishment, multi-legal, multi-NAICS, or multi-province enterprises). All take-all and must-take firms are selected to the sample. Units in the take-some strata are subject to simple random sampling.

The sample size for reference year 2010 was 703 entities.

Definitions

Employment:

  1. Full-time employment includes paid employees who worked at least 30 hours per week all year.
  2. Part-time employments refers to paid employees who do not meet the full-time definition.

For-profit establishments are defined as those which operate primarily for the sale of objects exhibited or as profit-making endeavours.

Not-for-profit establishments exclude those which operate primarily for the sale of objects exhibited or as profit-making endeavours.

Operating revenue excludes investment income, capital gains, extraordinary gains and other non-recurring items.

Operating expenses excludes write-offs, capital losses, extraordinary losses, interest on borrowing, and other non-recurring items.

Operating profit margin is derived as follows: operating revenue minus operating expenses, expressed as a percentage of operating revenue. The derived figure excludes corporation income tax paid by incorporated businesses and individual income tax paid by unincorporated businesses. For unincorporated businesses, operating profit margin includes unpaid remuneration to partners and proprietors, which is not recorded as salaries, wages and benefits. Therefore the profit estimate will be higher in industries where unincorporated proprietorships and partnerships are significant contributors.

Salaries, wages and benefits include vacation pay and commissions for all employees for whom a T4 slip was completed. This category also includes the employer portion of employee benefits for items such as Canada/Québec Pension Plan or Employment Insurance premiums. Salaries and wages do not include working owners' dividends nor do they include the remuneration of owners of unincorporated business. Therefore the relative level of salaries, wages and benefits will be lower in industries where unincorporated businesses are significant contributors.

Unearned operating revenues:

  1. Other government includes municipal, regional and unallocated amounts.
  2. Institutional/private includes educational, religious, institutional or corporate budgets; corporate or foundation grants; donations.

Quality evaluation

Prior to dissemination, combined survey results are analyzed for comparability. In general, this includes a detailed review of individual responses (especially for the largest companies), general economic conditions, historic trends, and comparisons with other data sources.

Disclosure control

Statistics Canada is prohibited by law from releasing any data that would divulge information obtained under the Statistics Act that relates to any identifiable person, business or organization without the prior knowledge or the consent in writing of that person, business or organization. Various confidentiality rules are applied to all data that are released or published to prevent the publication or disclosure of any information deemed confidential. If necessary, data are suppressed to prevent direct or residual disclosure of identifiable data.

Data accuracy

Of the sampled units contributing to the estimate, the weighted response rate was 77.0%. CVs were calculated for each estimate and are available upon request.

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