Canadian Statistics Advisory Council (CSAC) In-Person meeting – June 2nd - 3rd

Day 1: June 2, 2025, from 8:30am to 4:00pm

Attendance

CSAC Members

Dr. Howard Ramos (Chairperson), André Loranger, Catherine Beaudry, David Chaundy, Benoit Dostie, Annette Hester, Anke Kessler, Vinamra Mathur, Stephen Tapp, Rosemary Bender, Jan Kestle

Statistics Canada

Josée Bégin, Geoff Bowlby, Kathleen Mitchell, Katy Champagne, Jennifer Withington, Eric Rancourt, Étienne Saint-Pierre

Time	Agenda	Presenter(s)
8:30 – 8:50	Members meet-and-greet	All members
8:50 – 9:00	Chairperson introductory remarks	Howard Ramos Chairperson, CSAC
9:00 – 9:55	Update/Hot files from Chief Statistician	André Loranger Chief Statistician of Canada
9:55 – 10:15	Break
10:15 – 12:15	National Statistical System and Official Statistics	Presenters : Pierre Desrochers Director/Chief Privacy Officer, Office of Privacy Management and Information Coordination Antonio Bakopoulos Assistant Director, Office of Privacy Management and Information Coordination Guest: Tom Dufour Director General, Strategic Data Management Branch
12:15 – 13:15	Working lunch – Discussion on the Terms of Reference
13:15 – 14:55	Disseminating Statistics in the Age of AI: Where do we go from here?	Presenters: 1.Natasha Maheu Chief, Dissemination Division 2. Caroline Gravel Assistant Director, Dissemination Division 3. Glen Hohlmann Director, Dissemination Division Guests: John Beler Director, Communications and Promotion Division Geneviève Jourdain Director, Official Release, Publishing and Creative Services Division
14:55 – 15:15	Break
15:15 – 15:55	Roundtable discussion In camera	All members
15:55 – 16:00	Chairperson closing remarks	Howard Ramos Chairperson, CSAC

Day 1 Summary

1. Chairperson introductory remarks - Howard Ramos

Mr. Ramos opened the meeting by welcoming members and Assistant Chief Statisticians (ACS) and provided an overview of the meeting agenda.

2. Update/Hot files from Chief Statistician – André Loranger

Chief Statistician André Loranger briefed CSAC members on Statistics Canada's key priorities and challenges, including cross-border issues like Canada–U.S., forest fires, and the need for accurate trade data. He noted impacts of affordability concerns, demographic shifts, and the change in Canadian government, emphasizing these developments present an opportunity for the Agency to play an active role in supporting policy makers. He also highlighted efforts to prioritize programs and activities and implementing a clear vision for AI and data strategies. Mr. Loranger concluded with remarks on his recent nomination as Chair of the Conference of European Statisticians (CES).

Council members asked the Chief Statistician about the upcoming Census and whether the change in government might affect timelines. Mr. Loranger confirmed timelines remain consistent with previous iterations. Members also raised questions about the future of work at Statistics Canada, maintaining data efforts amid budget pressures, data sovereignty, and the responsible use of AI. Mr. Loranger reaffirmed the Agency’s leadership, the value of its data, and efforts to improve quality while controlling costs.

3. National Statistical System and Official Statistics – Pierre Desrochers

Mr. Desrochers presented briefs on the National Statistical System and Official Statistics, highlighting the importance of a well-functioning National Statistical System, along with challenges related to coordination, costs, legislative constraints, partnerships, and the need for strong leadership.

During the discussion, Council members and presenters emphasized the growing need to remove trade and data barriers between Canadian provinces. Additional points included the importance of Statistics Canada engaging more actively with citizens and private firms to enhance data quality, foster transparency, and ensure statistical programs remain relevant and responsive to societal and economic needs. The Council also noted that building a National Statistical System will require dedicated people, thoughtful planning, and sustainable funding.

Members reflected on the importance and the feasibility of developing a framework to support the formal definition of official statistics in the context of the Canadian National Statistical System. The discussions were inspired by peer jurisdictions such as Sweden, the UK, and Australia where structured legal and institutional models for managing official statistics, including national registers, accreditation protocols, and statutory designations.

The discussion concluded with consensus that collaboration between all provinces and Statistics Canada - with data flowing in both directions - is integral to a National Statistical System. The CSAC committed to reflecting on what was presented and will recommend a framework to Statistics Canada.

4. Working Lunch – Terms of Reference

Council members discussed the CSAC Terms of Reference to account for the temporary absence of the Chair.

5. Disseminating Statistics in the Age of AI: Where do we go from here? - Natasha Maheu / Caroline Gravel / Glen Hohlmann

Social Media – Natasha Maheu

Ms. Maheu presented Statistics Canada’s user-centric social media strategy, which combines data insights with trending topics to tailor content for specific audience demographics. She also outlined the Social Media team’s future direction, including plans to enhance social monitoring to better understand how Canadians are engaging with Statistics Canada and using its data.

Statistics Canada Website – Caroline Gravel

Ms. Gravel presented the Statistics Canada website and its guiding principles, emphasizing its role as the Agency’s flagship platform for communication and service delivery. She noted the website is essential to fulfilling the Agency’s mandate and that a user-centered approach is key to building public trust. She also outlined upcoming visual enhancements and improvements to the search functionality, aimed at ensuring greater information accessibility and comparability across federal departments.

Future of Data Dissemination – Glen Hohlmann

Mr. Hohlmann delivered a presentation on data dissemination at Statistics Canada, offering insights relevant to CSAC. He shared analytics on website traffic, user preferences between tables and data products, and the most frequently accessed sections of the site. He also highlighted the evolving landscape of public data use, contrasting patterns from the 20th and 21st centuries. A key theme was the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential to enhance user access to information and data.

Council members discussed the topics raised and requested additional information on Statistics Canada’s use of AI to enhance communication with both the public and data ‘super users’. In response, the Chief Statistician outlined the objectives of the social media team, emphasizing its role in promoting the Agency’s products and generating public interest. He also highlighted the Agency's goal of creating a dissemination strategy that adapts to the changing AI landscape.

6. Chairperson closing remarks – Howard Ramos

Mr. Ramos provided closing remarks for the day.

Day 2: June 3, 2025, from 8:30am to 1:00pm

Attendance

CSAC Members

Dr. Howard Ramos (Chairperson), André Loranger, Catherine Beaudry, David Chaundy, Benoit Dostie, Annette Hester, Anke Kessler, Vinamra Mathur, Stephen Tapp, Rosemary Bender, Jan Kestle

Statistics Canada

Josée Begin, Geoff Bowlby, Kathleen Mitchell, Jennifer Withington, Eric Rancourt, Étienne Saint-Pierre, Holly Mullin

Day 2 Summary

1. Chairperson Opening Remarks – Howard Ramos

Mr. Ramos opened the meeting by welcoming members and Assistant Chief Statisticians (ACS) and provided an overview of the agenda for the day.

2. CSAC member exit session – Jan Kestle, Annette Hester, David Chaundy

The members held an in-camera session during which three departing members shared their reflections on the Council, identified data gaps, and shared their views on the overall functioning of the statistical system.

3. Council member discussion, and next steps.

Council members continued discussions from Day 1, considering how to incorporate key insights into the upcoming CSAC report. They also reflected on the departure of 3 members and its implications for the Council’s structure and diversity.

4. Chairperson closing remarks – Howard Ramos

Mr. Ramos thanked CSAC members, including the Chief Statistician, the Assistant Chief Statisticians and their teams, and the CSAC Secretariat for their support.