Construction Contractors Survey

For Information only

This is an electronic survey example for information purposes only. This is not a working questionnaire.

Introduction

Purpose

The Construction Contractors Survey (CCS) collects residential and non-residential construction price movements and market information across 15 census metropolitan areas in Canada.

The information is used to produce various building construction price indexes which measure change over time in contractors' prices to construct a range of new commercial, institutional, industrial and residential buildings.

The contractor's price reflects the value of all materials, labour, equipment, overhead and profit to construct a new building. It excludes value added taxes and any costs for land, land assembly, building design, land development and real estate fees.

The building construction price indexes are of use to government agencies undertaking economic analyses and other users that are interested in evaluating the impact of price changes on capital expenditures. Statistics Canada, for example, uses these indexes in preparing estimates of the construction industry’s contribution to national expenditure, real output and capital stock. Other uses include the re-evaluation of expenditure, output and new order figures for construction work; making adjustments to project costs for escalation; as well as forecasting financial requirements for proposed projects and real rates of return on investment.

Your information may also be used by Statistics Canada for other statistical and research purposes.

Your participation in this survey is required under the authority of the Statistics Act.

Authorization to collect this information

Data are collected under the authority of the Statistics Act, Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, Chapter S-19.

Confidentiality

By law, Statistics Canada is prohibited from releasing any information it collects that could identify any person, business or organization, unless consent has been given by the respondent, or as permitted by the Statistics Act. Statistics Canada will use the information from this survey for statistical purposes only.

Record linkage

To enhance the data from this survey and to reduce the response burden, Statistics Canada may combine the acquired data with information from other surveys or from administrative sources.

Data-sharing agreements

To reduce respondent burden, Statistics Canada has entered into data-sharing agreements with provincial and territorial statistical agencies and other government organizations, which have agreed to keep the data confidential and use them only for statistical purposes. Statistics Canada will only share data from this survey with those organizations that have demonstrated a requirement to use the data.

Section 11 of the Statistics Act provides for the sharing of information with provincial and territorial statistical agencies that meet certain conditions. These agencies must have the legislative authority to collect the same information, on a mandatory basis, and the legislation must provide substantially the same provisions for confidentiality and penalties for disclosure of confidential information as the Statistics Act. Because these agencies have the legal authority to compel businesses to provide the same information, consent is not requested and businesses may not object to the sharing of the data.

For this survey, there are Section 11 agreements with the provincial statistical agencies of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. The shared data will be limited to information pertaining to business establishments located within the jurisdiction of the respective province.

For agreements with provincial government organizations, the shared data will be limited to information pertaining to business establishments located within the jurisdiction of the respective province.

Answering this questionnaire

Reporting instructions:

  • Statistics Canada requires information on construction market conditions and quarterly price movements for all building construction cost components and general market information. The specific building components are identified by you in the questionnaire.
  • Question numbers may appear out of order. This is due to the design of the electronic questionnaire. Please continue to report data regardless of the question number.
  • Do not press the Submit button until you have completed reporting for all building components and market conditions.

Who should complete this questionnaire?
This questionnaire should be completed by an estimator for this business.

Printing your completed questionnaire
You may print this questionnaire once you have completed and submitted it.

Business or organization and contact information

Business or organization and contact information - Question identifier: 1.

Verify or provide the business or organization’s legal and operating name, and correct information if needed.

Note: Legal name should only be modified to correct a spelling error or typo.

Note: Press the help button (?) for additional information.

  • Legal name
  • Operating name (if applicable)

Business or organization and contact information - Question identifier: 2.

Verify or provide the contact information for the designated contact person for the business or organization, and correct information if needed.

Note: The designated contact person is the person who should receive this questionnaire. Thedesignated contact person may not always be the one who actually completes the questionnaire.

  • First name
  • Last name
  • Title
  • Preferred language of communication
  • Mailing address (number and street)
  • City
  • Province, territory or state
  • Postal code or ZIP code (Example: A9A 9A9 or 12345-1234)
  • Country
  • Email address (Example: user@example.gov.ca)
  • Telephone number (including area code) (Example: 123-123-1234)
  • Extension number (if applicable)
  • Fax number (including area code) (Example: 123-123-1234)

Business or organization and contact information - Question identifier: 3.

Verify or provide the current operational status of the business or organization identified by the legal and operating name above.

  • Operational
  • Not currently operational (e.g., temporarily or permanently closed, change of ownership)

Selected city - Company information

Company information - Question identifier: 1.

Does the company offer general contracting construction services in the selected city?

  • Yes
  • No

Company information - Question identifier: 2.

Does the company offer general contracting construction services in industrial, commercial or institutional building construction?

  • Yes
  • No
    • Does the company offer general contracting construction services in single family homes, townhomes, low and high rise apartment building construction?
      • Yes
      • No

Company information - Question identifier: 3.

Does the company offer general contracting construction services in single family homes, townhomes, low and high rise apartment building construction?

  • Yes
  • No
    • Does the company offer general contracting construction services in industrial, commercial or institutional building construction?
      • Yes
      • No

Selected city - Construction component pricing information

Construction component pricing information - Question identifier: 4.

(Non-Residential) Was the company involved in or did the company bid on a construction project in the selected city between the first and last month of the previous quarter?

  • Yes
  • No
    • Can the company report price changes in construction cost components between the period of the first and last month of the previous quarter and the 15th day of the second month of the current quarter for building materials and/or labour used in a typical construction project in the selected city?
      • Yes
      • No

Construction component pricing information - Question identifier: 5.

(Non-Residential) Indicate for which Divisions below the company in the selected city can report price changes in construction cost components between the period of the first and last month of the previous quarter and the 15th day of the second month of the current quarter.

If you were not involved in or did not bid on a construction project, provide the information based on a typical building construction project your company has been involved in or bid on in the past.

Note: Press the help button (?) for additional information.

Select all that apply.

  • Division 1: General Requirements
  • Division 2: Existing Conditions
  • Division 3: Concrete
  • Division 4: Masonry
  • Division 5: Metals
  • Division 6: Wood, Plastics and Composites
  • Division 7: Thermal and Moisture Protection
  • Division 8: Openings
  • Division 9: Finishes
  • Division 10: Specialties
  • Division 11: Equipment
  • Division 14: Conveying Equipment
  • Division 21: Fire Suppression
  • Division 22: Plumbing
  • Division 23: Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
  • Division 25: Integrated Automation
  • Division 26: Electrical
  • Division 27: Communications
  • Division 28: Electronic Safety and Security
  • Division 31: Earthwork
  • Division 32: Exterior Improvements
  • Division 33: Utilities

Construction component pricing information - Question identifier: 6.

(Non-Residential) In the Divisions selected, indicate if the prices of the construction cost components remained the same, increased or decreased.

Include labour, material, machinery and equipment, overhead costs and profit margin changes when reporting price movements for each cost component.

Note:

  • For each Division, report for all construction cost components that apply
  • Select “Not applicable” for all that do not apply
  • Select “No change” if there was no price movement
  • Please report percentage without decimals
  • If you were not involved in or did not bid on a construction project this period, provide your best estimate based on a typical building construction project your company has been involved in or bid in the past.

For each Division, provide:

Change in the price of the construction components observed on the 15th day of the second month of the current quarter compared to the period between the first and last month of the previous quarter.

For each component, provide:

  • Change status
    • Increase
    • Decrease
    • No change
    • Not applicable
  • Percentage change
  • Provide any comments explaining the price movement

Division 1: General requirements

  1. Crane and hoist rental
  2. Utility connections
  3. Temporary utilities (e.g., temporary hydro, water, lighting, sanitation, etc.)
  4. Site trailer
  5. Trucking
  6. Insurance rates
  7. Labour (e.g., temporary hydro, water, lighting, sanitation, etc.)

Division 2: Existing Conditions

  1. Demolition

Division 3: Concrete

  1. Concrete forming or formwork
  2. Reinforcement bars (e.g., 400 MPa rebar)
  3. Fabric and grid reinforcing (welded wire mesh)
  4. Concrete supply and placing (cast-in-place)

Division 4: Masonry

  1. Exterior brick veneer
  2. Stone work
  3. Concrete unit masonry or concrete block masonry

Division 5: Metals

  1. Structural steel framing  
  2. Metal fabrications (e.g., metal stairs, railings, fence)

Division 6: Wood, Plastics and Composites

  1. Rough carpentry (e.g., framing, building rough temporary structures such as concrete forms, scaffolds, tunnels, installation of doors, windows and wood trims)
  2. Plywood
  3. Lumber

Division 7: Thermal and Moisture Protection

  1. Waterproofing and dampproofing
  2. Thermal insulation
  3. Membrane roofing system (e.g., built-up bituminious roofing, asphalt flood with coat layer with gravel surfacing, asphalt base sheet, adhesive, cants and felt)
  4. Asphalt roofing
  5. Metal roofing
  6. Stucco finished walls, EIFS (exterior insulation and finish systems) with additional insulation, reinforcing
  7. Vinyl siding

Division 8: Openings

  1. Metal doors
  2. Wood doors
  3. Metal windows
  4. Wood windows
  5. Vinyl windows
  6. Glazing for windows and doors

Division 9: Finishes

  1. Gypsum board (drywall) (e.g., partition system comprised of gypsum board on both sides of metal studs of different dimensions)
  2. Ceramic tile
  3. Wood flooring (Include hardwood and laminate)
  4. Vinyl flooring
  5. Carpeting
  6. Painting

Division 10: Specialties

  1. Exterior signage (e.g., "warehouse" sign)
  2. Washroom accessories (e.g., toilet paper dispenser)

Division 11: Equipment

  1. Loading dock levelers
  2. Laboratory hoods (steel)

Division 14: Conveying equipment

  1. Elevators

Division 21: Fire Suppression

  1. Fire suppression (e.g., sprinkler system)

Division 22: Plumbing

  1. Plumbing

Division 23: Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC)

  1. Heating
  2. Ventilating
  3. Air conditioning

Division 25 – Integrated Automation:

  1. Integrated Automation (e.g., thermostat, automatic light sensors)

Division 26 - Electrical:

  1. Electrical

Division 27 - Communications:

  1. Communications (e.g., fibre optics)

Division 28 - Electronic Safety and Security:

  1. Electronic safety and security (e.g., smoke detection sensors)

Division 31 - Earthwork:

  1. Clearing site and fine grading
  2. Excavation and hauling
  3. Backfill (Include granular base, 4" thick, lowest floor)

Division 32 - Exterior Improvements:

  1. Asphalt paving
  2. Concrete sidewalk
  3. Planting (Include landscaping, seeding, sodding, ground cover, shrubs, trees and transplanting)

Division 33 - Utilities:

  1. Utilities (e.g., water utility, sanitary and storm utility piping)

Construction component pricing information - Question identifier: 7.

(Residential) Did the company participate in, or bid on, a construction project in the selected city between the first and last month of the previous quarter?

  • Yes
  • No
    • Can the company report price changes in construction cost components between the period of the first and last month of the previous quarter and the 15th day of the second month of the current quarter for building materials and/or labour used in a typical construction project in the selected city?
      • Yes
      • No

Construction component pricing information - Question identifier: 8.

(Residential) Indicate for which Divisions below the company in the selected city can report price changes in construction cost components between the period of the first and last month of the previous quarter and the 15th day of the second month of the current quarter.

If you were not involved in or did not bid on a construction project, provide the information based on a typical building construction project your company has been involved in or bid on in the past.

Note: Press the help button (?) for additional information.

Select all that apply.

  • Division 1: General Requirements
  • Division 2: Existing Conditions
  • Division 3: Concrete
  • Division 4: Masonry
  • Division 5: Metals
  • Division 6: Wood, Plastics and Composites
  • Division 7: Thermal and Moisture Protection
  • Division 8: Openings
  • Division 9: Finishes
  • Division 11: Equipment
  • Division 14: Conveying Equipment
  • Division 21: Fire Suppression
  • Division 22: Plumbing
  • Division 23: Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
  • Division 26: Electrical
  • Division 31: Earthwork
  • Division 32: Exterior Improvements
  • Division 33: Utilities

Construction component pricing information - Question identifier: 9.

(Residential) In the Divisions selected, indicate if the prices of the construction cost components remained the same, increased or decreased.

Include labour, material, machinery and equipment, overhead costs and profit margin changes when reporting price movements for each cost component.

Note:

  • For each Division, report for all construction cost components that apply
  • Select “Not applicable” for all that do not apply
  • Select “No change” if there was no price movement
  • Please report percentage without decimals
  • If you were not involved in or did not bid on a construction project this period, provide your best estimate based on a typical building construction project your company has been involved in or bid in the past.

For each Division, provide:

Change in the price of the construction components observed on the 15th day of the second month of the current quarter compared to the period between the first and last month of the previous quarter.

For each component, provide:

  • Change status
    • Increase
    • Decrease
    • No change
    • Not applicable
  • Percentage change
  • Provide any comments explaining the price movement

Division 1: General requirements

  1. Site supervision and trailer
  2. General contractors fee
  3. Building permit costs and development charges (e.g., temporary hydro, water, lighting, sanitation, etc.)
  4. Insurance rates

Division 2: Existing Conditions

  1. Demolition

Division 3: Concrete

  1. Concrete forming or formwork
  2. Reinforcement bars (e.g., 400 MPa rebar)
  3. Welded wire fabric reinforcing (welded wire mesh)
  4. Concrete supply and placing (cast-in-place)

Division 4: Masonry

  1. Exterior brick veneer
  2. Stone work
  3. Concrete unit masonry or concrete block masonry

Division 5: Metals

  1. Structural steel framing

Division 6: Wood, Plastics and Composites

  1. Rough and finish carpentry (Include framing, building rough temporary structures such as concrete forms, scaffolds, tunnels, installation of doors, windows and wood trims)
  2. Wood truss roof framing system
  3. Kitchen cabinets

Division 7: Thermal and Moisture Protection

  1. Waterproofing and dampproofing
  2. Thermal insulation
  3. Asphalt (e.g., shingles, flashing, vents, etc.)
  4. Membrane roofing system (e.g., built-up bituminious roofing, asphalt layer with gravel surfacing, asphalt base sheet, adhesive, cants and felts)
  5. Roof construction (Include allowance for ice and water shield)
  6. Stucco finished walls, EIFS (exterior insulation and finish systems) with additional insulation, reinforcing
  7. Prefinished metal roofing
  8. Vinyl siding

Division 8: Openings

  1. Metal doors
  2. Wood doors
  3. Metal windows
  4. Wood windows
  5. Vinyl windows
  6. Glazing for windows and doors

Division 9: Finishes

  1. Gypsum board (drywall)
  2. Ceramic tile
  3. Wood flooring (Include hardwood and laminate)
  4. Vinyl flooring
  5. Carpeting
  6. Painting

Division 11: Equipment

  1. Household appliances

Division 14: Conveying equipment

  1. Elevators

Division 21: Fire Suppression

  1. Fire suppression (e.g., sprinkler system)

Division 22: Plumbing

  1. Plumbing

Division 23: Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC)

  1. Heating
  2. Ventilating
  3. Air conditioning

Division 26 - Electrical:

  1. Electrical

Division 31 - Earthwork:

  1. Clearing site and fine grading
  2. Excavation and hauling
  3. Backfill (Include granular base, 4" thick, lowest floor)

Division 32 - Exterior Improvements:

  1. Asphalt paving
  2. Concrete sidewalk
  3. Planting (Include landscaping, seeding, sodding, ground cover, shrubs, trees and transplanting)

Division 33 - Utilities:

  1. Utilities (e.g., water utility, sanitary and storm utility piping)

Selected city - General market information

General market information - Question identifier: 10.

(Non-Residential) Between the 15th day of the second month of the previous quarter and the 15th day of the second month of the current quarter in the selected city, has there been a change in the number of construction projects available for bid?

  • Yes
    • Please report the percentage change status and percentage change in the number of construction projects available for bid.
      • Change status:
        • Increase
        • Decrease
      • Percentage change
      • Provide any comments regarding the change in the number of construction projects available for bid.
  • No

General market information - Question identifier: 11.

(Non-Residential) Between the 15th day of the second month of the previous quarter and the 15th day of the second month of the current quarter in the selected city, has there been a change in the number of general contractors bidding on available construction projects?

  • Yes
    • Please report the percentage change status and percentage change in the number of general contractors bidding on available construction projects.
      • Change status:
        • Increase
        • Decrease
      • Percentage change
      • Provide any comments regarding the change in the number of general contractors bidding on available construction projects.
  • No

General market information - Question identifier: 12.
(Non-Residential) Between the 15th day of the second month of the previous quarter and the 15th day of the second month of the current quarter in the selected city, has there been a change in the dollar value of construction projects available for bid?

  • Yes
    • Please report the percentage change status and percentage change in the number of construction projects available for bid.
      • Change status:
        • Increase
        • Decrease
      • Percentage change
      • Provide any comments regarding the change in the dollar value of construction projects available for bid.
  • No

General construction market information - Question identifier: 13.

Between the 15th day of the second month of the previous quarter and the 15th day of the second month of the current quarter in the selected city, what proportion of the overall cost of a typical construction project is attributed to the overhead and profit?

Note: Press the help button (?) for additional information.

  • Percentage
  • Provide any comments regarding the proportion of the overall cost of a typical construction project that is attributed to the overhead and profit.

General construction market information - Question identifier: 14.

Between the 15th day of the second month of the previous quarter and the 15th day of the second month of the current quarter in the selected city, did the company’s productivity change?

When answering this question, indicate which factors had an impact on the change in productivity.

Note: Press the help button (?) for additional information.

  • Yes
    • Please report the percentage change status and percentage change.
      • Change status:
        • Increase
        • Decrease
      • Percentage change
      • Provide any comments regarding changes to the company’s productivity.
  • No

General construction market information – Question identifier: 15.

On the 15th day of the second month of the current quarter in the selected city, how would you rate the current state of the construction market?

  • Growing
  • Stable
  • Declining
  • Unsure
  • Provide any comments regarding the current state of the construction market.

General construction market information - Question identifier: 16.

On the 15th day of the second month of the current quarter in the selected city, which factors are having an impact on the building construction market?

Select all that apply.

  • Building codes
  • Skilled labour shortages
  • Labour rates
    • Was there an increase or decrease in labour rates?
      • Increase
      • Decrease
  • Availability of materials
  • Cost of materials
    • Was there an increase or decrease in the cost of materials?
      • Increase
      • Decrease
  • Availability of land for development
  • Availability of site services
  • Land prices
    • Was there an increase or decrease in the land price?
      • Increase
      • Decrease
  • Number of projects available
    • Was there an increase or decrease in the number of projects available?
      • Increase
      • Decrease
  • Competition among sub-contractors
    • Was there an increase or decrease in the competition among sub-contractors?
      • Increase
      • Decrease
  • Competition among general contractors
    • Was there an increase or decrease in the competition among general contractors?
      • Increase
      • Decrease
  • Federal tax regime changes
    • Please explain the change to the federal tax regime
  • Provincial tax regime changes
    • Please explain the change to the provincial tax regime
  • Municipal tax regime changes
    • Please explain the change to the municipal tax regime
  • Other
    • Please specify the type of change
  • Provide any additional feedback on the building construction market.

General construction market information - Question identifier: 17.

Which of the selected choices had the largest impact on the building construction market?

Please select one and briefly explain how it impacted the building construction market.

  • Building codes
    • Please provide any comments regarding the impact of the building codes.
  • Skilled labour shortages
    • Please provide any comments regarding the impact of skilled labour shortages.
  • Labour rates
    • Please provide any comments regarding the impact of labour rates.
  • Availability of materials
    • Please provide any comments regarding the impact of availability of materials.
  • Cost of materials
    • Please provide any comments regarding the impact of the cost of materials.
  • Availability of land for development
    • Please provide any comments regarding the impact of availability of for development.
  • Availability of site services
    • Please provide any comments regarding the impact of the availability of site services.
  • Land prices
    • Please provide any comments regarding the impact of land prices.
  • Number of projects available
    • Please provide any comments regarding the impact of projects available.
  • Competition among sub-contractors
    • Please provide any comments regarding the impact of competition among sub-contractors.
  • Competition among general contractors
    • Please provide any comments regarding the impact of competition among general contractors.
  • Federal tax regime changes
    • Please provide any comments regarding the impact of federal tax regime changes.
  • Provincial tax regime changes
    • Please provide any comments regarding the impact of provincial tax regime changes.
  • Municipal tax regime changes
    • Please provide any comments regarding the impact of municipal tax regime changes.
  • Other
    • Please provide any comments regarding the impact of other changes.

General construction market information - Question identifier: 18.

Please estimate the expected level of activity in the construction market in the selected city for the next 6 months.

  • Increasing
    • Report the estimated percentage change
      • Percentage change
      • Please provide any comments regarding your estimate of an increasing activity level in the construction market in the next 6 months.
  • Flat
  • Decreasing
    • Report the estimated percentage change
      • Percentage change
      • Please provide any comments regarding your estimate of a decreasing activity level in the construction market in the next 6 months.

Contact person

Contact person - Question identifier: 19.

Statistics Canada may need to contact the person who completed this questionnaire for further information.

Is the specified person the best person to contact?

  • Yes
  • No
    • Who is the best person to contact about this questionnaire?
      • First name
      • Last name
      • Title
      • Email Address (Example: user@example.gov.ca)
      • Telephone number (including area code) (Example: 123-123-1234)
      • Extension number (if applicable)
      • Fax number (including area code) (Example: 123-123-1234)

Feedback

Feedback - Question identifier: 20.

How long did it take to complete this questionnaire?

Include time spent gathering the necessary information.

  • Hours
  • Minutes

Feedback - Question identifier: 21.

Do you have any comments about this questionnaire?

Enter your comments

Privacy Impact Assessment – Talent Bank project

Introduction

The Talent Bank project’s goal is to compile a more comprehensive view of employee skills, learning interests and professional experiences with the view of understanding organizational strengths and weaknesses, and individual strengths and to provide opportunities to employees for professional development.

Objective

A privacy impact assessment for the Talent Bank project was conducted to determine if there were any privacy, confidentiality, or security issues with this initiative and, if so, to make recommendations for their resolution or mitigation.

Description

The Talent Bank aims to provide valuable information about Statistics Canada’s employees’ education, skills and learning interests. This information is required to make better decisions about how to manage programs and policies to meet business objectives and engage employees to perform at their highest level.

To respond to this, Statistics Canada launched the Talent Bank project. The Talent Bank project’s goal is to compile a more comprehensive view of employee skills, competencies, learning interests and professional experiences with the view of understanding organizational strengths and weaknesses, and individual strengths and opportunities for professional development. The results will contribute to a number of different human resource planning functions, such as identifying improved development, recruitment, and retention strategies, at the aggregate level, and identifying possible hiring opportunities related to employee-specific career aspirations.

In its current state, the Talent Bank has established a searchable inventory of information on employee education, skills and learning interests. Moving forward, the Talent Bank data entry form will collect all the same information, and will remain voluntary and transparent to the employee, but to better meet the needs of employees and managers, the new form will be linked with HR administrative data with employee consent, inputting administrative information without requiring the employee to do so manually. This will reduce the burden faced by the employee when completing the form.

Risk Area Identification and Categorization

The PIA identifies the level of potential risk (level 1 is the lowest level of potential risk and level 4 is the highest) associated with the following risk areas:

a) Type of program or activity Risk scale
Administration of program or activity and services 2
b) Type of personal information involved and context
Personal information, with no contextual sensitivities after the time of collection, provided by the individual with consent to also use personal information held by another source. 2
c) Program or activity partners and private sector involvement
Within the institution (among one or more programs within the same institution) 1
d) Duration of the program or activity
Long-term program or activity. 3
e) Program population
The program's use of personal information for internal administrative purposes affects all employees. 2
f) Personal information transmission
The personal information is used in a system that has connections to at least one other system. 2
g) Technology and privacy
No issues identified
h) Potential risk that in the event of a privacy breach, there will be an impact on the individual or employee.
There is a very low risk of a breach of some of the personal information being disclosed without proper authorization. The impact on the individual would be low with the possibility of minor embarrassment.
i) Potential risk that in the event of a privacy breach, there will be an impact on the institution.
There is a very low risk of a breach of some of the personal information being disclosed without proper authorization. The impact on the institution would be moderate, resulting in loss of trust and a small impact on the reputation of Statistics Canada.

Conclusion

This assessment of the Talent Bank project did not identify any privacy risks that cannot be managed using existing safeguards.

Standard Classification of Countries and Areas of Interest (SCCAI) 2022 - Introduction

The Standard Classification of Countries and Areas of Interest (SCCAI) 2022 was developed to increase coherence of the list of countries used within Statistics Canada and to be more consistent with Government of Canada norms. This list of countries and areas includes those for which statistical data are compiled. To satisfy the broadest possible range of applications, all entities in the list are mutually exclusive. For instance, China, Hong Kong and Macao are considered as separate entities for the purpose of this classification. This list of countries and areas of interest forms the base level of the classification and applies to both economic and social statistics.

There are 251 countries or areas in the SCCAI 2022, including the 249 countries or areas found in the international standard ISO 3166-1:2020Footnote 1. The two additional entries in the SCCAI that are not in the ISO list are Kosovo, which was recognized as a country by Canada in 2008, and Sark, which was recognized as an area by the United Nations in 2011. The names of countries or areas refer to their short form used and not necessarily to their full names. They are based on the short names used in the ISO standard and were modified both to reflect Canadian norms as well as to follow specific naming rules adopted for the Canadian list. The modifications to reflect Canadian norms were done based on consulting the Global Affairs Canada website as well as examining responses to the 2021 Census of Population question for the place of birth variable. The specific naming rules adopted for the Canadian list are:

  1. Use of short form of country names wherever practicable and/or to avoid confusion;
  2. Use of commas for sorting in alphabetical order; and
  3. Use of long form of country names to avoid confusion.

These changes to the names have resulted in differences between SCCAI 2022 and ISO 3166-1:2020.

The SCCAI provides a list of the names of countries or areas of interest in order of their corresponding three-digit SCCAI code. The three digits represent the United Nations numeric codes for countries or areas. Also included are internationally used two-character alpha codes and three-character alpha codes.

In addition, historical revisions of countries and areas of interest are available to users who compile longitudinal data on countries and areas of interest.

The material on current and historical countries and areas of interest  is presented here to help users who compile longitudinal data on countries and areas of interest to assign those data to the right current or formerly used country names and codes. A start and end date are provided to define the period of validity of country names and codes; there is no end date when the country names or codes are current. This list, which compiles changes to country names and codes since 1970, is based on information gathered from the following sources:

  • current and previous editions of the standard ISO 3166-1, Codes for the representation of names of countries and their subdivisions – Part 1: Country codes;
  • ISO 3166-3 Codes for the representation of names of countries and their subdivisions – Part 3: Code for formerly used names of countries;
  • newsletters related to ISO 3166-1 and ISO 3166-3; and
  • current and previous editions of the United Nations Standard Country or Area Codes for Statistical Use.

Code description

Code: Three-digit numerical code defined by the United Nations.

Alpha-2: Two-character alpha code defined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

Alpha-3: Three-character alpha code defined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

Relation to previous version

This is a revision of the previous Standard Classification of Countries and Areas of Interest (SCCAI) 2019. This standard includes two classification variants: the Variant of the Standard Classification of Countries and Areas of Interest 2022 for Social Statistics and the Variant of the Standard Classification of Countries and Areas of Interest 2022 for Travel Statistics. These variants provide standard groupings of countries and associated codes for publication purposes. Usage notes are included with the standard.

Conformity to relevant internationally recognized standards

This standard is compatible with the list of countries or areas included in the International Standard for country codes ISO 3166-1, except for the recognition of Kosovo and Sark. The coding structure follows the ISO coding structure, with countries having three-digit numeric codes, two-character alpha codes, and three-character alpha codes. New codes were assigned to Kosovo and Sark based on an ISO clause which places codes at the disposal of users who need to add further names of countries or areas of interest to their list.

The 249 countries and areas in the ISO 3166-1:2020Footnote 1 standard includes 240 of the 241 countries or areas for which statistical data are compiled by the Statistics Division of the United Nations SecretariatFootnote 2. The entity Channel Islands, which regroups Guernsey, Jersey and Sark, is an intermediate level not retained in ISO or SCCAI.

Standard Classification of Countries and Areas of Interest (SCCAI) 2022

Release date: December 7, 2023

Status

This standard was approved as a departmental standard on June 13, 2023.

2022 version of SCCAI

The Standard Classification of Countries and Areas of Interest (SCCAI) 2022 is based on the international standard for country codes ISO 3166-1:2020Footnote 1. All changes made as of December 31, 2022 are included in this version of the SCCAI. The list was also updated for consistency with Government of Canada norms.

In addition to the list of countries and areas of interest, classifications for social statistics and travel statistics data are included. The hierarchical structure of the classification shows the relationship between these geographic areas.

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CSV format

PDF format

Concordances and documentation on changes

Variants of SCCAI

Archived - Labour Market Indicators - July 2023

In July 2023, questions measuring the Labour Market Indicators were added to the Labour Force Survey as a supplement.

Questionnaire flow within the collection application is controlled dynamically based on responses provided throughout the survey. Therefore, some respondents will not receive all questions, and there is a small chance that some households will not receive any questions at all. This is based on their answers to certain LFS questions.

Labour Market Indicators

ENTRY_Q01 / EQ1 - From the following list, please select the household member that will be completing this questionnaire on behalf of the entire household.

EDU_Q01 / EQ2 – Since January 2023, [have/has] [you/Respondent name/this person] attended college or university?

JREL_Q01 / EQ3 - How closely is [your/Respondent's name's/this person's] main job or business related to [your/his/her/their] field of study?

JTRA_Q01 / EQ4 - [Was/Were] [you/Respondent name/this person] provided informal or on-the-job training from co-workers or supervisors for [your/his/her/their] main job?

JTRA_Q02 / EQ5 - Was this informal or on-the-job training useful for [your/Respondent name's/this person's] main job?

ERET_Q01 / EQ6 - [Do/Does] [you/Respondent name/this person] intend to work for [your/his/her/their] main employer after completion of [your/his/her/their] studies?

ERET_Q02 / EQ7 - What is the main reason [you/Respondent name/this person] would work for [your/his/her/their] main employer again?

ERET_Q03 / EQ8 - What is the main reason [you/Respondent name/this person] would not work for [your/his/her/their] main employer again?

Real Estate Rental and Leasing and Property Management - CVs for operating revenue - 2021

CVs for Operating Revenue - 2020
Table summary
This table displays the results of CVs for Operating Revenue. The information is grouped by geography (appearing as row headers), percent, Lessors of residential buildings and dwellings (except social housing projects), Non-residential leasing and Real estate property managers (appearing as column headers).
Geography CVs for operating revenue
percent
Lessors of residential buildings and dwellings (except social housing projects) Non-residential leasing Real estate property managers
Canada 1.33 2.35 5.90
Newfoundland and Labrador 1.94 1.89 15.53
Prince Edward Island 3.37 3.78 5.41
Nova Scotia 2.21 3.24 34.06
New Brunswick 1.68 3.70 11.21
Quebec 2.46 5.88 12.87
Ontario 3.02 4.31 11.78
Manitoba 3.44 3.14 4.32
Saskatchewan 2.34 1.86 18.90
Alberta 1.38 1.73 3.60
British Columbia 1.68 5.56 6.47
Yukon 0.99 4.83 0.00
Northwest Territories 3.09 7.30 0.00
Nunavut 0.00 0.77 0.00

Archived - Labour Market and Socio-economic Indicators – July - September 2023

In July 2023, the following questions measuring the Labour Market and Socioeconomic Indicators were added to the Labour Force Survey as a supplement.

The purpose of this survey is to identify changing dynamics within the Canadian labour market, and measure important socioeconomic indicators by gathering data on topics such as type of employment, quality of employment, support payments and unmet health care needs.

Questionnaire flow within the collection application is controlled dynamically based on responses provided throughout the survey. Therefore, some respondents will not receive all questions, and there is a small chance that some households will not receive any questions at all. This is based on their answers to certain LFS questions.

Labour Market and Socio-economic Indicators

ENTRY_Q01 / EQ 1 - From the following list, please select the household member that will be completing this questionnaire on behalf of the entire household.

LMI_Q01 / EQ 2 - What forms of payment [do/does] [you/respondent name/this person] receive in [your/his/her/their] main job or business?

LMI_Q02 / EQ 3 - What is the main form of payment in [your/his/her/their] main job or business?

LMI_Q03 / EQ 4 – You previously mentioned that [you/respondent name/this person] [are/is] self-employed in [your/his/her/their] main job.
Over the last 12 months, was at least 50% of [your/respondent name’s/this person’s] main business activity reliant on:

LMI_Q04 / EQ 5 - Which of these relationships is most important for [your/respondent name’s/this person’s] main business?

LMI_Q05 / EQ 6 - Does this [client/supplier/website or app/other company or person/agency, broker or other type of intermediary]:

LMI_Q06 / EQ 7 - What would happen if [your/respondent name’s/this person’s] relationship with this [client/supplier/website or app/other company or person/agency, broker or other type of intermediary] ended?

LMI_Q07 / EQ 8 – When did [you/respondent name/ this person] start working with this [client/supplier/website or app/other company or person/agency, broker or other type of intermediary]?

LMI_Q08 / EQ 9 - As part of [your/his/her/their] main business, could [you/respondent name/ this person] hire paid help if [you/he/she/this person] wanted to delegate some tasks?

LMI_Q09 / EQ 10 - How many clients did [you/respondent name/ this person] have over the last 12 months in [your/his/her/their] main business?

LMI_Q10 / EQ 11 - Does [your/respondent name’s/this person’s] main business operate…?

LMI_Q11 / EQ 12 - In [your/his/her/their] main job, [do/does] [you/respondent name/ this person] have a written agreement or an oral agreement with [your/his/her/their] employer?

LMI_Q12 / EQ 13 - In [your/respondent name’s/this person’s] main job, does [your/his/her/their] employer contribute to Employment Insurance [EI] on [your/respondent name’s/this person’s] behalf?

LMI_Q13 / EQ 14 - Is [your/respondent name’s/this person’s] main job permanent?

LMI_Q14 / EQ 15 - In what way is [your/respondent name’s/this person’s] main job not permanent?

LMI_Q15 / EQ 16 - In [your/his/her/their] main job [are/is] [you/he/she/they] paid by a private employment or placement agency that is different from the company [you/he/she/this person] work[s] for?

LMI_Q16 / EQ 17 - What is the total duration of [your/respondent name’s/this person’s] contract or agreement in [your/his/her/their] main job?

LMI_Q17 / EQ 18 – In [your/respondent name’s/this person’s] main job, [are/is] [you/he/she/respondent’s name] guaranteed a minimum number of work hours per pay period?

LMI_Q18 / EQ 19 – [Do/Does] [you/respondent name/ this person] want a permanent job at this time?

LMI_Q19 / EQ 20 - What is the main reason why [you/respondent name/ this person] [do/does] not want a permanent job?

SCC1_Q05 / EQ 21 - In the last 12 months, did [you/respondent’s name] receive support payments from a former spouse or partner?

SCC1_Q10 / EQ 22 - What is your best estimate of the amount of support payments [you/he/she/this person] received in the last 12 months?

SCC2_Q05 / EQ 23 - In the last 12 months, did [you/respondent’s name] make support payments to a former spouse or partner?

SCC2_Q10 / EQ 24 - What is your best estimate of the total amount [you/he/she/this person] paid in support payments in the last 12 months?

SCC3_Q05 / EQ 25 - In the last 12 months, did [you/respondent’s name] pay for child care, so that [you/he/she/they] could work at a paid job?

SCC3_Q10 / EQ 26 - What is your best estimate, of the total amount [you/he/she/this person] paid for child care in the last 12 months?

DSQ_Q01 / EQ 27 - [Do/Does] [you/respondent’s name] have any difficulty seeing?

DSQ_Q02 / EQ 28 - [Do/Does] [you/he/she/this person] wear glasses or contact lenses to improve [your/respondent name’s/this person’s] vision?

DSQ_Q03 / EQ 29 - [Which/With [your/respondent name’s/this person’s] glasses or contact lenses, which] of the following best describes [your/respondent’s name] ability to see?

DSQ_Q04 / EQ 30 - How often does this [difficulty seeing/seeing condition] limit [your/his/her/their] daily activities?

DSQ_Q05 / EQ 31 - [Do/Does] [you/respondent’s name] have any difficulty hearing?

DSQ_Q06 / EQ 32 - [Do/Does] [you/he/she/this person] use a hearing aid or cochlear implant?

DSQ_Q07 / EQ 33 - With [your/respondent name’s/this person’s] hearing aid or cochlear implant which] of the following best describes [your/respondent’s name] ability to hear?

DSQ_Q08 / EQ 34 - How often does this [difficulty hearing/hearing condition] limit [your/his/her/their] daily activities?

DSQ_Q09 / EQ 35 - [Do/Does] [you/respondent’s name] have any difficulty walking, using stairs, using [your/his/her/their] hands or fingers or doing other physical activities?

DSQ_Q10 / EQ 36 - How much difficulty [do/does] [you/he/she/this person] have walking on a flat surface for 15 minutes without resting?

DSQ_Q11 / EQ 37 - How much difficulty [do/does] [you/he/she/this person] have walking up or down a flight of stairs, about 12 steps without resting?

DSQ_Q12 / EQ 38 - How often [does this difficulty walking/does this difficulty using stairs/do these difficulties] limit [your/his/her/their] daily activities?

DSQ_Q13 / EQ 39 - How much difficulty [do/does] [you/respondent’s name] have bending down and picking up an object from the floor?

DSQ_Q14 / EQ 40 - How much difficulty [do/does] [you/he/she/this person] have reaching in any direction, for example, above [your/his/her/their] head?

DSQ_Q15 / EQ 41 - How often [does this difficulty bending down and picking up an object/does this difficulty reaching/do these difficulties] limit [your/his/her/their] daily activities?

DSQ_Q16 / EQ 42 - How much difficulty [do/does] [you/respondent’s name] have using [your/his/her/their] fingers to grasp small objects like a pencil or scissors?

DSQ_Q17 / EQ 43 - How often does this difficulty using [your/his/her/their] fingers limit [your/his/her/their] daily activities?

DSQ_Q18 / EQ 44 - [Do/Does] [you/respondent’s name] have pain that is always present?

DSQ_Q19 / EQ 45 - [Do/Does] [you/he/she/this person] [also] have periods of pain that reoccur from time to time?

DSQ_Q20 / EQ 46 - How often does this pain limit [your/his/her/their] daily activities?

DSQ_Q21 / EQ 47 - When [you/respondent’s name] [are/is] experiencing this pain, how much difficulty [do/does] [you/he/she/they] have with [your/his/her/their] daily activities?

DSQ_Q22 / EQ 48 - [Do/Does] [you/respondent’s name] have any difficulty learning, remembering or concentrating?

DSQ_Q23 / EQ 49 - Do you think [you/respondent’s name] [have/has] a condition that makes it difficult in general for [you/him/her/them] to learn? This may include learning disabilities such as dyslexia, hyperactivity, attention problems, etc.

DSQ_Q24 / EQ 50 - Has a teacher, doctor or other health care professional ever said that [you/respondent’s name] had a learning disability?

DSQ_Q25 / EQ 51 - How often are [your/his/her/their] daily activities limited by this condition?

DSQ_Q26 / EQ 52 - How much difficulty [do/does] [you/respondent’s name] have with [your/his/her/their] daily activities because of this condition?

DSQ_Q27 / EQ 53 - Has a doctor, psychologist or other health care professional ever said that [you/respondent’s name] had a developmental disability or disorder? This may include Down syndrome, autism, Asperger syndrome, mental impairment due to lack of oxygen at birth, etc.

DSQ_Q28 / EQ 54 - How often are [your/respondent’s name] daily activities limited by this condition?

DSQ_Q29 / EQ 55 - How much difficulty [do/does] [you/respondent’s name] have with [your/his/her/their] daily activities because of this condition?

DSQ_Q30 / EQ 56 - [Do/Does] [you/he/she/this person] have any ongoing memory problems or periods of confusion?

DSQ_Q31 / EQ 57 - How often are [your/his/her/their] daily activities limited by this problem?

DSQ_Q32 / EQ 58 - How much difficulty [do/does] [you/respondent’s name] have with [your/his/her/their] daily activities because of this problem?

DSQ_Q33 / EQ 59 - [Do/Does] [you/respondent’s name] have any emotional, psychological or mental health conditions?

DSQ_Q34 / EQ 60 - How often are [your/his/her/their] daily activities limited by this condition?

DSQ_Q35 / EQ 61 - When [you/respondent’s name] [are/is] experiencing this condition, how much difficulty [do/does] [you/he/she/they] have with [your/his/her/their] daily activities?

DSQ_Q36 / EQ 62 - [Do/Does] [you/respondent’s name] have any other health problem or long-term condition that has lasted or is expected to last for six months or more?

DSQ_Q37 / EQ 63 - How often does this health problem or long-term condition limit [your/his/her/their] daily activities?

DSQ_Q38 / EQ 64 - [Do/Does] [you/respondent’s name] have pain that is always present?

DSQ_Q39 / EQ 65 - [Do/Does] [you/he/she/this person] [also] have periods of pain that reoccur from time to time?

DSQ_Q40 / EQ 66 - How often does this pain limit [your/his/her/their] daily activities?

DSQ_Q41 / EQ 67 - When [you/respondent’s name] [are/is] experiencing this pain, how much difficulty [do/does] [you/he/she/they] have with [your/his/her/their] daily activities?

UNC_Q005 / EQ 68 - During the past 12 months, was there ever a time when [you/respondent’s name] felt that [you/he/she/they] needed health care, other than homecare services, but [you/he/she/they] did not receive it?

UNC_Q010 / EQ 69 - Thinking of the most recent time [you/respondent’s name] felt this way, why didn’t [you/he/she/they] get care?

UNC_Q015 / EQ 70 - Again, thinking of the most recent time, what was the type of care that was needed?

UNC_Q020 / EQ 71 - Did [you/he/she/this person] actively try to obtain the health care that was needed?

UNC_Q025 / EQ 72 - Where did [you/he/she/this person] try to get the service [you/he/she/they] [were/was] seeking?

Legacy Content

Environmental, Social and Governance Project and Indigenous Peoples Engagement Report

PDF Version (PDF, 457.16 KB)

Statistics Canada
Industrial Organization and Finance Division

This report is funded under the Disaggregated Data Action Plan (DDAP). Through the DDAP, announced in Budget 2021, Statistics Canada will work with Canadians to produce better data for better decision making. The DDAP will produce detailed statistical information to highlight the lived experiences of specific population groups, such as women, Indigenous people, racialized groups and people living with disabilities. It will also shed light on diverse populations and their intersections at various levels of geography across Canada.

Table of contents

Executive summary

Several phases of engagement were conducted for Statistics Canada's environmental, social and governance (ESG) project. Engagement activities were carried out with various participants with diverse interests. The most recent engagement activities provided some insight into the limitations of current ESG frameworks with respect to the needs of Indigenous peoples. The objectives of the engagement were to better understand the data needs and gaps with respect to ESG and Indigenous peoples and how to incorporate Indigenous perspectives into ESG.

Engagement participants unanimously agreed that ESG information and data are valuable in assessing and understanding non-financial risks. Throughout the engagement discussions, more than half of the participants pointed to a lack of representation and inclusion of Indigenous interests and values. The majority of participants saw several data gaps that impact their work around ESG, and ESG and Indigenous peoples. All participants welcomed and needed disaggregated data to reflect Canada's ESG interests and the interests of Indigenous peoples.

Finding 1

ESG frameworks should be standardized and include Indigenous peoples' values and interests.

Finding 2

Data should reflect direct, indirect and cumulative impacts.

Finding 3

Data should reflect the interconnectedness of ESG issues.

Finding 4

Engagement should be done early, often and on a continuous basis throughout the life cycle of a project and should encompass consent and capacity building.

Finding 5

Data users should have access to a range of data products to suit their different needs.

Finding 6

The development of ESG indicators related to Indigenous peoples should be Indigenous-led.

Finding 7

Data should be presented in a way that reflects positively on Indigenous peoples and does not perpetuate colonial stereotypes.

Project background

The landscape in which businesses operate is evolving because of increased awareness of environmental degradation and the importance of diversity and inclusion, and this is changing the expectations for corporate behaviour. Now more than ever, when making investment decisions, shareholders are looking beyond financial performance to areas such as transitioning to a low-carbon economy or developing a more diverse workforce. It is within this context that Statistics Canada released its experimental environmental, social and governance (ESG) dashboard. The dashboard presents a series of ESG indicators that demonstrate the non-financial performance of a selection of industries.

ESG are three non-financial themes that can be used to inform the long-term risk or return of an investment. The rationale is that industries that are adequately managing their ESG risks will be less vulnerable to changes in regulations or societal expectations and will therefore perform better in the long run. Statistics Canada leveraged existing data sources for a limited number of industries to produce an experimental dashboard. The goal of the dashboard was to provide a sample of ESG indicators to assess users' interest in the data to determine the future direction of the project.

In 2021, Statistics Canada launched a pilot ESG project to provide ESG information based on readily available data. The data were disaggregated as much as possible to reflect the Indigenous population. However, there were still gaps with respect to ESG indicators and Indigenous peoples. These data are necessary to guide decision makers in developing appropriate policies and programs and to address the needs of Indigenous communities and organizations.

To better understand needs around ESG, Statistics Canada engaged with Indigenous organizations; federal, territorial and provincial partners; private sector organizations; regional and national industry regulatory bodies; and sustainability and ESG experts and academics. This report covers the third phase of engagement specifically centred around ESG and Indigenous peoples. Results from the previous engagements are available on the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Program consultative engagement page.

Engagement objectives

The objectives of the engagement were to better understand the data needs of rights-holders and stakeholders in relation to ESG and Indigenous peoples and the role Statistics Canada could play in meeting these needs. The engagement was focused on understanding data gaps and analytical needs with respect to ESG and Indigenous peoples.

Engagement methods

Participant selection

The majority of organizations that were contacted about engagement were identified based on their interest in ESG and how ESG aligns with the scope of their work (e.g., sustainable finance and ESG, resource development, Indigenous reconciliation, and economic reconciliation). Other participants were drawn from earlier phases of engagement on the project, and some were referrals from current partners working with Statistics Canada. Contacts covered various interests, including federal, provincial and territorial governments; finance, resource and industry organizations working with Indigenous communities; and national and regional Indigenous organizations.

Some participants received introductory presentations upon request to familiarize themselves with ESG and the objectives of the engagement process. Others moved directly to the official engagement activities. Close to 100 participants attended 25 two-hour moderated discussion group sessions.

General knowledge of environmental, social and governance information

Overall, participants were familiar with ESG and use some ESG information in various capacities in their day-to-day work. Environmental data were frequently mentioned and were considered to inform decision making related to projects and programs. Many participants considered social and governance information to be important and requested more information and data to support social and governance topics related to ESG.

The majority of participants thought that ESG data could be used in a variety of ways, including to inform decision making. More than half of the participants responded that ESG data support decision making in social, financial and economic development programs and policies; policy development; and the need for investment or divestment by providing information on who is impacted and who is benefiting. The data also integrate notions and actionable efforts toward reconciliation. More than half of the participants expect an increase in environmental projects that, according to participants, will likely result in the need for more ESG information to enable appropriate decision making that best fits the needs and interests of various Indigenous rights-holders or communities and other stakeholders while providing methods to measure and understand associated ESG risks.

Key findings

Finding 1: Environmental, social and governance frameworks should be standardized and include Indigenous peoples' values and interests

All participants were awaiting ESG standardization or guidelines in Canada. More than half of the participants consider existing ESG frameworks in their reporting, and some participants report using specific ESG frameworks. Of the ESG frameworks considered, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals were mentioned the most. Some participants mentioned using International Financial Reporting Standards, while others developed their own reporting criteria.

More than half of the participants from Indigenous organizations reported being aware of various ESG frameworks and indicators, but none reported using them, with most participants expressing their disappointment in the exclusion of Indigenous peoples' interests and values from the frameworks. Some participants highlighted that there is research by Indigenous organizations that relates to ESG and that the ESG dashboard project should be informed by this body of work. Some Indigenous organizations and other participants recommended materials or reports and research for consideration in the future development of the ESG dashboard project (see Appendix A for a list of these resources).

Indigenous organizations raised concerns about how international ESG frameworks align with Western scientific knowledge paradigms that prioritize their methods and concepts over Indigenous knowledge. These frameworks perpetuate Indigenous people as stakeholders in stakeholder obligation relationships. However, these organizations explained that, in Canada, the legal landscape outlines that Indigenous peoples are rights-holders in any development partnership and are therefore in rights-holder relationships.

Finding 2: Data should reflect direct, indirect and cumulative impacts

Indirect impacts

Some participants from Indigenous organizations expressed that ESG should go beyond measuring direct impacts to include measures of indirect impacts, as information in any part of ESG has a ripple effect. For instance, when Indigenous women have access to equitable opportunities in education and equitable pay in employment, this feeds into their local economy and community, and social and health outcomes will likely improve. It is therefore important to measure the indirect impacts of a project (e.g., health outcomes) on individuals and communities, in addition to the direct impacts (e.g., employment).

Cumulative impacts

The impacts of a project should not be considered in isolation. For example, cumulative environmental impacts from previous resource projects and changes in climate conditions over time directly impact the resources available for community sustenance, cultural and spiritual connections or relations, health outcomes, and future opportunities for resource development. These examples highlight the need to understand not only the direct impact of a project but the cumulative impacts as well.

Transitory and enduring benefits

Another guideline that emerged around the development of ESG indicators related to Indigenous peoples was the consideration of whether a benefit was transitory or enduring. For example, a development project that brings jobs to a community could be providing a transitory benefit because those jobs may disappear when the project ends. However, if, as part of that project, a road were constructed that connects a remote community with resources or necessities, such as hospitals, nearby towns or jobs, it could be considered an enduring benefit. Short-term and long-term benefits should be considered when developing ESG indicators.

Finding 3: Data should reflect the interconnectedness of environmental, social and governance issues

Broad range of data needs

More than half of the participants from Indigenous organizations responded that all ESG indicators are equally important and interconnected. Some added that informed decision making requires an understanding of these interconnections and how they impact Indigenous peoples in the short and the long term. A broad range of data is therefore required to fully understand the impact of a project given the interconnectedness of the issues.

More than half of the participants expressed the need for more social and governance data in relation to ESG, such as data that outline what opportunities exist for Indigenous people; the level of training and skills development available to and needed by communities; and the funding, investment and ownership opportunities available to communities.

Most often, Indigenous organizations identified needing data on the following topics:

  • the environment and the cumulative effects on water, land and air
  • Indigenous stewardship
  • population
  • employment by age and gender, including for Indigenous people living off reserve and in urban areas
  • Indigenous procurement and Indigenous-owned businesses
  • Indigenous representation in decision making (e.g., participation on executive boards or in leadership positions of projects)
  • the incorporation of Indigenous knowledge in project processes and solutions (e.g., environmental assessments or traditional land use, co-management, and risk mitigation)
  • small and medium Indigenous enterprises
  • capacity-building opportunities for Indigenous businesses and communities
  • consultation and engagement
  • the incorporation of Indigenous value systems, co-management practices, equal participation in decision making and community-led solutions.

Most often, non-Indigenous participants identified data on climate risk, greenhouse gas emissions, employment, education or training, income, and representation on boards and in management positions as being useful for their organizations.

Frequently mentioned themes

Throughout the engagement, common themes began to emerge through ideas and questions. These themes were compiled into the list below and discussed with participants to determine whether they could be used as broad themes for developing indicators related to ESG and Indigenous peoples.

All participants agreed that common themes need to be considered when developing indicators related to ESG and Indigenous peoples. Some participants expressed that the themes are best approached from qualitative spaces led by Indigenous communities. Some participants recommended further engagement with Indigenous communities and businesses to develop methods of measuring associated risks. Some participants expressed that it is difficult to measure the risks associated with the themes as data are unavailable or inaccessible (e.g., agreements between communities and the resource sector are private).

List of common themes

  1. Indigenous sovereignty on land and water rights (historical or modern treaties or land claims agreements)
  2. Policy frameworks that support the implementation of or adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's recommendations
  3. Respect of Indigenous peoples' knowledge and their relationship with the land (e.g., water, land, wildlife) and their spiritual practices
  4. Integration of traditional knowledge in community-led solutions within a project and the employment of community members with existing skills (e.g., habitat knowledge [caribou, bison, moose, fish, geese, bears], mitigation strategies, conservation and reporting)
  5. Respect of traditional and cultural practices (e.g., gatherings; powwows; hunting, trapping and fishing seasons) during engagement and relationship building
  6. Awareness of current and historical community issues (e.g., health concerns [access to nutritious food; diabetes; COVID-19; teen suicide; addiction prevention; wellness and mental health; post-traumatic stress disorder and intergenerational trauma from missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, etc.]) that lead to other impacts (e.g., limited capacity within community governance and engagement or socioeconomic inequities)
  7. Recognition and upholding of traditional land use surveys (e.g., respect of traditional burial grounds and traditional camps)
  8. Language considerations (e.g., use of translation in all engagement activities)
  9. Community-specific trust- and relationship-building plans
  10. Meaningful engagement within the duty to consult or community consultation (e.g., engage early and often, share results and next steps, and always go back to engage again)
  11. Free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) framework
  12. Investment in community-led proactive solutions (e.g., support the self-determination of communities that are looking for funding for traditional land and youth camps, schools or training, clinics, healing lodges and mental health, housing and water infrastructure, and recreation [What investment will be used? Where and how?])
  13. Revenue and benefit sharing
  14. Indigenous investment and ownership opportunities in projects

Finding 4: Engagement should be done early, often and on a continuous basis throughout the life cycle of a project and should encompass consent and capacity building

Engagement

More than half of the participants and all the Indigenous organizations recommended that Indigenous engagement be done early, often and continuously, with evolving efforts to establish and sustain long-term and enduring community benefits through the mutual understanding of the parties involved. More than half of the participants recommended that engagement be collaborative, cohesive and meaningful. More than half of the participants agreed that ethical and transparent follow-up processes, ownership and decision-making opportunities, and the keeping of promises are critical to developing mutually beneficial relationships with Indigenous communities.

Consent and capacity building

All participants recommended that ESG and Indigenous peoples topics be approached from a relationship-building perspective through the lens of FPIC that is determined by each community's interests, goals and priorities. All Indigenous organizations highlighted that each community should outline and determine the definition of consent, with constant and reaffirmed engagement throughout any project. Beyond consent, the majority of participants also recommended that Indigenous community involvement be planned and outlined for every step of a project—development, building, owning, operating and maintenance.

All Indigenous organizations highlighted that FPIC includes support, such as financial support for community legal and administrative needs for informed decision making and the co-development of legal documents, to facilitate consent. Additionally, more than half of the participants recommended supports for capacity development and reporting to better equip Indigenous partners, communities and governments with the tools and resources to advocate for themselves. The majority of participants noted the current capacity challenges Indigenous communities face from survey and engagement burden.

Finding 5: Data users should have access to a range of data products to suit their different needs

Granularity and varying levels of analysis

Given the breadth of needs when it comes to ESG data, all participants would prefer to have more granular and disaggregated data, including more ESG data at the regional, territorial or provincial, northern, and community levels.

Participants were also interested in a variety of methods to present data and varying degrees of analysis to meet the needs of more sophisticated users who conduct their own analysis and users who would like to use ESG information but lack the capacity to analyze data. Therefore, all participants were interested in microdata files they can use and analyze themselves and found value in the various methods of data presentation, the data visualization tools, and the descriptive analysis reports that compare data and show trends over time. In other words, there would be a data product to suit the needs of every user, regardless of their capacity constraints.

Participants recommended that various data and products be housed in one location to facilitate ease of access.

Qualitative versus quantitative data

All participants expressed the need for qualitative and quantitative data to support their work. More than half of the participants highlighted the need for qualitative data to support building relationships with Indigenous peoples by clarifying and contextualizing quantitative data. Some participants expressed that qualitative data should include and factor in Indigenous ways of knowing. Some participants cautioned that comparing Indigenous data with non-Indigenous data could contribute to negative or generalized narratives.

Industry breakdowns

More than half of the participants recommended that indicators focus only on specific industries. The following industries or sectors were mentioned: natural resources, mining, oil and gas, green energy, manufacturing, telecommunications, forestry, fisheries, tourism, procurement, shipping, transportation, agriculture, banking, finance and capital flow.

Finding 6: The development of environmental, social and governance indicators related to Indigenous peoples should be Indigenous-led

Statistics Canada sought feedback from all engagement participants on whether issues related to ESG and Indigenous peoples could be captured under the ESG themes or whether an Indigenous theme should be used to capture Indigenous interests. Less than half of the participants recommended that an Indigenous theme be created. However, almost all Indigenous organizations were concerned that creating an Indigenous indicator or grouping Indigenous interests outside the ESG themes could have the negative effects of othering, exclusion, cultural appropriation or tokenism. All Indigenous organizations recommended that Indigenous peoples and organizations lead on defining the indicators that would fall under the Indigenous theme in IESG (Indigenous, environmental, social and governance) or ESGI (environmental, social, governance and Indigenous).

Almost all participants recommended that information or data regarding ESG and Indigenous peoples be made available. In addition, all engagement participants unanimously agreed that Indigenous topics and interests should be incorporated in each of the ESG themes to create inclusive Canadian-specific ESG spaces. Most participants found it more suitable to incorporate Indigenous topics or interests within each ESG data theme currently published by Statistics Canada as a step toward addressing the current limitations of international ESG frameworks that exclude Indigenous peoples. Some participants explained that this approach would facilitate the adoption of and the adaptation to the changes for those already reporting using universal or common ESG metrics.

Most participants from non-Indigenous organizations explained that Indigenous concepts in ESG are ingrained in their work, processes, mandates, and gender equity and diversity plans. Over half of the non-Indigenous participants expressed that remaining aligned with commonly used ESG frameworks and indicators benefits rights-holders by creating spaces for their voices to lead and shape conversations that define reporting on their interests and priorities. This inclusion, or the result of such a change within ESG, will likely generate important data for consideration, especially by Indigenous governments that make decisions in economic development projects.

Some participants saw value in disaggregating existing ESG indicators. Disaggregated data could reflect Indigenous realities (e.g., disaggregating employment data into Indigenous and non-Indigenous). Data under a separate Indigenous theme could come directly from a qualitative space that is shaped by communities and can embed Indigenous value systems in a way that does not prioritize Western science over Indigenous knowledge, thus creating a space in ESG that is entirely Indigenous-led.

Finding 7: Data should be presented in a way that reflects positively on Indigenous peoples and does not perpetuate colonial stereotypes

More than half of the non-Indigenous participants would prefer comparative data points of Indigenous versus non-Indigenous populations and historical trends to track results over time.

More than half of the participants recommended that data should present positive Indigenous perspectives, such as successful Indigenous businesses or organizations. Some participants highlighted that positive datasets that showcase progress over time within Indigenous communities improve Indigenous outcomes when it comes to employment and training, knowledge transfer, business development, Indigenous project management, and Indigenous decision making.

More than half of the participants expressed that the dashboard needs to provide data that do not perpetuate colonial narratives by using strength-based models to frame information by showcasing the success of Indigenous value systems (e.g., in land use planning, co-management practices and conservation). This approach to data provides examples that highlight the successful work of communities that care for the environment and society and the benefits for communities of participating in decision making (governance) within the ESG framework.

Additional findings

Bias

While engagement participants raised various concerns related to ESG, and ESG and Indigenous peoples, the majority of the voices and ideas covered in this report are subjective to the interests of those whose work aligns with or uses ESG concepts, measures and methodologies. While most participants had an interest in ESG to some degree, one Indigenous organization outlined that the ESG concepts do not align with its work or the values of Indigenous peoples and therefore do not have its support. Statistics Canada is aware that the limited participation from organizations that do not support ESG topics and methods is a form of confirmation bias within this engagement findings report.

Data sovereignty

More than half of the Indigenous organizations raised concerns over Indigenous data sovereignty, explaining that Indigenous access to tabulated data should not be monetized for Indigenous people and that data or information must be used in a way that is culturally relevant to Indigenous people. Most Indigenous organizations expressed a need for clarity by asking the following questions: (1) Who owns the data? (2) Who benefits? (3) What do Indigenous communities need and want?

Ancestral, treaty and land rights

A question was raised about how ancestral, treaty and land rights would be presented in an ESG space. More than half of the participants raised concerns that treaty rights have different obligations from a legal perspective and that industries using ESG frameworks need to better understand and plan when working with Indigenous peoples. Knowledge of treaty and non-treaty geography is important in developing mutually beneficial relationships between industry, the resource sector and Indigenous people. More than half of the participants recommended that Statistics Canada's ESG project include information that shows mapping by treaty, agreement or non-treaty territory.

Identification of Indigenous businesses

More than half of the Indigenous organizations raised concerns about how to identify Indigenous businesses. Many Indigenous organizations emphasized the importance of transparency in that process because Indigenous identity appropriation from a business perspective is used to gain access to grants, funding and tax breaks. This hinders access and limits the available capital for the Indigenous businesses that need it the most. Some participants expressed that the ESG project should position itself in support of Indigenous businesses to allow insights into industry and access to ESG learning opportunities and to provide non-Indigenous businesses with access to Indigenous companies and organizations (e.g., via a link to an Indigenous business registry or directory).

Project next steps

Based on this feedback, Statistics Canada will develop a plan for developing and presenting data to inform ESG and Indigenous peoples. The plan will address survey development, respondent and partner relations, analytical plans, indicator development, and data quality evaluations, along with other statistical program components. Indigenous voices and organizations will continue to inform the development of a suite of indicators that addresses the needs of Indigenous communities and more accurately represents the Canadian context.

Appendix A

The following reports were provided by Indigenous organizations to inform the ESG dashboard project:

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