User Guide for Personalized Electronic Reporting Questionnaire System (PERQS) – 2009 Annual Retail Trade Survey

Unified Enterprise Survey

5-3600-152.3 E STC/UES-375-75376

Personalized Electronic Reporting Questionnaire System (PERQS)

User Guide for Electronic Data Reporting

What’s new for 2009:

Statistics Canada has acquired a new software product called e-File Transfer Service (e-FT). This product allows the retrieval of the PERQS files and guides from secure electronic storage vaults and then enables organizations to securely exchange confidential information back to Statistics Canada using the Internet.

User Guide Contents

About PERQS
Tools needed to use PERQS
Accessing the 2009 version of PERQS for the first time
Decrypting the company data file
Opening PERQS
Completing Part A of the questionnaire
Completing Part B of the questionnaire
General information
Exporting and importing
Closing the questionnaire
Returning your company data to Statistics Canada via Internet
Accessing the e-File Transfer Service
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Appendix D

PERQS – User guide for electronic data reporting

About PERQS

Welcome to Statistics Canada’s electronic data reporting system for the 2009 Annual Retail Trade Survey. This system, referred to as PERQS (Personalized Electronic Reporting Questionnaire System), is comprised of preloaded encrypted Excel spreadsheets stored on an electronic Statistics Canada vault. A tool allows you to decrypt the spreadsheets to get started, then the e-File Transfer Service allows you to securely send them back to Statistics Canada via the Internet (see page 13, Returning your Company Data to Statistics Canada).

Information from your previous year’s report: (business name(s), addresses, square footage, contacts, reporting period, etc.) has been pre-loaded into PERQS.

Also stored in the same Statistics Canada vault are guides to use PERQS; reporting guides for the questionnaire; a North American Industrial Classification System Guide and the decryption tool called ETUNPROT.exe.

Tools needed to use PERQS

PERQS was designed to run in a Windows 95 or higher environment and requires Microsoft Excel 97 or higher. If you do not have access to a PC with Windows installed on it, or if you do not have Microsoft Excel 97 or higher, you will not be able to use PERQS.

In order to read the Reporting Guide: 2009 Annual Retail Trade Survey and the NAICS (North American Industrial Classification System), you must install Adobe Acrobat reader. If you do not have Adobe reader installed, it is available as a download from www.adobe.com. You will also need access to the Internet.

You should have received a letter containing your password, a series of 9 randomly generated characters. This password is unique to each PERQS package and is needed to decrypt the PERQS company data file. If at any time you lose or forget your original password, please call our toll-free Help Line at 1-800-368-1582 for instructions or email - - business.surveys.unit.oid@statcan.gc.ca.

If you do not wish to have PERQS pre-loaded with information from your previous report, please advise us.

Thank you for taking the time to respond to the 2009 Annual Retail Trade Survey.

Note to users:

Please uninstall any previous versions of PERQS from your system before accessing the 2009 version of PERQS.

To uninstall previous PERQS versions from your PC’s hard drive:

1. From the Windows Start menu, select Settings;

2. In the Control Panel, select the Add/Remove Program icon;

3. Select STCDRF;

4. Click Remove.

Accessing the 2009 version of PERQS for the first time

1. From the Internet, go to the Electronic File Transfer Service. Click the Logon button.

2. Enter the username that was provided by Statistics Canada.

3. Enter temporary password: Password1. Click the Logon button.

4. Your password will expire and an error message is displayed in red
(Error: ITATS203E Password has expired) and you will be prompted to enter a new one*.

5. Enter the new password.

6. Re-enter the new password to confirm.

7. You will see a list of safes.

8. Click on the safe of your choice.

9. To download files, click on FromStatcan-->Download, and then browse for the files you want to download to your computer. Please save the decryption file, ETUNPROT.exe, to your desktop, Please save the other files (especially the “.xls.enp” file) to a location of your choice (e.g. “C:\PerqsTemp\DownloadedFiles”).
Note: Some respondents may receive a security message asking if they want to run or save the etunprot.exe file. Please choose the SAVE option.

10. Logout.

* Password must be at least 8 characters with at least one capital letter and one digit.

Note: if you have a problem using the e-File Transfer service, please send an e-mail to the support team at: eft-tef-support@statcan.gc.ca.

Decrypting the company data file

1. After the PERQS excel (.xls.enp) file and the decryption program have been downloaded to your computer, execute the decryption file, ETUNPROT.exe, by double-clicking the icon on your desktop. This will cause the following window to appear (see Figure 1).

Figure 1

Figure 1 is an image of a screen entitled “Select a password-protected file”. The full title of the PERQS file that you have just downloaded appears on the screen. When you open the file (by clicking on “Open”) you will be asked to enter the password that was written on the letter that was sent to you in the mail.

2. Browse to the location that you downloaded the files to and select the file “PerqsFileStatCan.xls.enp” then select the Open button.

3. You will then be prompted to enter a password (see Figure 2). This password was written on the letter that was sent to you in the mail.

Figure 2

Figure 2 asks you to enter that password.

4. You will then be prompted to save the data file to a location of your choice (see Figure 3).

Figure 3

Figure 3 asks you to save the PERQS file on your computer. Now you are ready to fill in your PERQS questionnaire. The reporting guide will give you more information and help to fill it in.

5. Fill in the questionnaire (see below for instructions). The Reporting Guide (found on the Statistics Canada electronic vault) can assist you in completing the questionnaire.

6. After completing the questionnaire, follow the ”Returning your company data to Statistics Canada via Internet” instructions.

Opening PERQS

PERQS 2009 was developed using Microsoft Excel 97 and therefore requires that either Excel 97 or higher be installed on your PC.

When your customized questionnaire information on the company data file is decrypted, please locate it using Windows Explorer and double click on it (Excel should automatically open your questionnaire).

Alternatively, open Microsoft Excel, and go to File -> Open. Locate the questionnaire using the Excel browser. When the questionnaire is opened, the following message (Figure 4a) will appear:

Note: For users of Excel 2007, see Appendix D "Using Excel 2007 to open the questionnaire and use the macros".

Figure 4a

Figure 4a tells you that you should click on “Enable macros”.

Activate the user-friendly macros developed by Statistics Canada by clicking Enable Macros

Disabling macros will make it impossible to fill out the questionnaire. Instructions will appear on the screen, as shown in Figure 4b.

Figure 4b

Figure 4b contains instructions to open the questionnaire in various Excel versions.

You now have full access to PERQS which is made up of two Excel spreadsheets, identified as Part A and Part B. When the questionnaire is opened, Part A will be displayed. In the upper left hand corner you will see the title 2009 Annual Retail Trade Survey.

Completing Part A of the questionnaire

The questionnaire text in PERQS is black on a coloured background. The coloured boxes contain instructions, information and/or questions. The white boxes are reserved for your answers.

The easiest way to move through PERQS is to use the Tab key. It will take you from one white box to the next, from left to right and from top to bottom. This is the order in which you should answer the questions.

Shift +Tab enables you to go backwards. Using the Enter key is not recommended, as it does not allow you to go from one white area to the next; instead, the Enter key takes you to the cell below in the next row down.

Some white boxes may contain information collected in previous years. Please verify the information and make the necessary corrections. To change it, please overwrite the content of the cell by entering the corrections.

You will also see several additional buttons displayed on the menu (see Figure 4c). Go to Part B will move your cursor to the second Excel spreadsheet, entitled Part B. Save and Close closes the application (see Closing the questionnaire on page 12). Save saves the current session on your hard disk. Next Error moves your cursor to the next cell in error.

Note: For users of Excel 2007, see Appendix D "Finding additional buttons when accessing Part A and Part B of the questionnaire".

Figure 4c

Figure 4c is an image of four computer buttons: go to Part B, Close, Save and Next Error.

Some cells may contain a small red triangle in the upper right hand corner. When you point your cursor over this red triangle, a dialog box containing additional information about this cell will appear (see Figure 5).

Figure 5

Figure 5 is an image that contains blank spaces for some information you might have missed. When you move the curser on these spaces, the computer will let you know which one you have missed.

If PERQS assesses that the information collected is erroneous, the cell turns red. When you move your cursor over it, a dialog box containing the information of the erroneous cell will be posted (see General Information section).

You will have the option of coming back later by clicking the Next Error button at the top of the worksheet. Next Error will allow you to navigate between all the possibly erroneous cells in Part A.

You may now complete Part A by following the instructions on the questionnaire. Once Part A is completed, please go to Part B by clicking the appropriate button on the top menu or by selecting the sheet tab entitled Part B at the bottom of the worksheet.

Completing Part B of the questionnaire

Part B is designed to capture detailed information on each retail chain store. Many additional buttons also appear in Part B (see Figure 6a).

Note: For users of Excel 2007, see Appendix D "Finding additional buttons when accessing Part A and Part B of the questionnaire".

Figure 6a

Figure 6a is an image of ten computer buttons: Go to Part A, Close, Save, Sort A-Z, Sort Z to A, Next error, Record ID, Export ID, Import, and Export.

Go to Part A moves your cursor to the first Excel spreadsheet entitled Part A. Close closes the application, Save saves the current session on your hard disk and Next Error moves your cursor to the next cell with an error.

Sort A-Z will allow you to sort the content of the selected column in alphabetical order. Sort Z-A will sort in the reverse order. Please note that you can only sort one column at a time.

Recode ID, Export ID, Import and Export are explained on page 11.

Part B is divided by store, and the information collected for each store is on the same line. As in Part A, the sheet already contains information collected over the years. To change it, simply overwrite the content of the cell by entering the corrections.

Columns containing store addresses and company IDs appear twice. Columns appearing in colour are protected and reserved for use by Statistics Canada for processing purposes. Use blank store address and company ID columns to update information.

To add a new location, use a new line at the bottom of the spreadsheet.

If a store has gone out of business, you must indicate this in the column headed Part Year Operation. This application does not allow you to delete stores.

For Part Year Operation (see Figure 6b), enter the number corresponding to the correct description. The numbers and their descriptions are available by moving the cursor to the top of the red triangle located in the header of the column as illustrated in Figure 6b.

Figure 6b

Figure 6b pertains to you if your store was only open part of the year. As you tab down the list, choose the description that most closely relates to your situation.

In Part B, it is recommended that you use the Tab key for browsing. By using the Tab key, you can move through all the boxes for the same store before moving to the next.

When Part B is completed, you can either return to Part A or save and close the questionnaire so that it can be sent to Statistics Canada (see Closing the questionnaire on page 12).

General information

Error message

Error messages identifying inconsistencies in your answers may appear at various points while you complete the questionnaire. Please read the messages and correct the erroneous information.

Also, when PERQS assesses that the data entry is erroneous, the cell turns red. When you move your cursor over the cell, a comment box containing the information on this erroneous cell is posted (see Figure 7a).

Figure 7a

Figure 7a will let you know there is a mistake in one of the numbers you have entered and will tell you which cell number needs to be re-entered.

It is possible that some of your data will seem inconsistent according to PERQS. If this happens, explanations for particular questions may be provided in the comment box (see Figure 7b). Providing such explanations means that Statistics Canada might not have to contact you to obtain more details about the information.

Figure 7b

Figure 7b is a comment box that provides space for explaining why some of your data seems inconsistent.

You may also include additional comments in Section G of Part A.

Printing the questionnaire

To print your questionnaire select Part A or Part B. Then, select File -> Print in the Excel menu.

Since every printer has its own configuration, you may have to adjust your margins to print a presentable document. Also, in Part B, due to the amount of information included, we recommend that you use the Export option for better printing capabilities.

Exporting and importing

Recoding ID and exporting ID

In Part B of PERQS you will see 2 buttons entitled Recode ID or Export ID. These PERQS buttons allow you to import and export data using Excel. This section will explain how to use these functions.

Exporting and changing the location number

Sometimes the number used to identify your locations can vary from one year to the next. PERQS allows you to overwrite the number directly in the questionnaire and gives you the option to import the number from another, pre-existing spreadsheet.

If you want to use the import option, create another Excel spreadsheet with two columns: one column containing the old identification number and another column containing the updates (see Appendix B).

Click on Recode ID and select the spreadsheet containing this information. PERQS will open the file and update the number of locations using the information collected.

If necessary, PERQS will allow you to export the identification numbers currently in your system to another Excel file. When you use the Export ID option, PERQS can create a new Excel file requesting the identification of a location for your new file. The new file is saved and you return to PERQS.

This new file will contain a complete list of numbers already in PERQS, as well as the names of columns already identified to facilitate the future import of these files.

For users with another spreadsheet program (such as Lotus), please refer to Appendix C for information on how to convert from Lotus to Excel.

Exporting and/or importing data

If you have most of the information required by the questionnaire in another Excel spreadsheet, PERQS gives you the option of importing this information.

To import information, you must have an Excel spreadsheet that has specific names for its columns in the first row (see Appendix A). The system will use the names of the rows to update the data.

To use the import function, click on Import and select the spreadsheet containing the updated information. PERQS will open the file and update the location data. It will use the identification number of the location to merge the spreadsheets.

When PERQS discovers new locations during the process (i.e., the ID number of the source file does not correspond to any record presently on PERQS), it will automatically add it to the end of the questionnaire.

PERQS will allow you to export the data presently in the system to another Excel file. When using the Export option, PERQS will create a new Excel file and ask you to identify a location for your new file through Explorer in Excel. The new file is saved and you return to PERQS.

The new file will contain a complete list of numbers already in PERQS, as well as the names of already identified columns to facilitate future importation of these files. Columns labelled ADDRESS, CITY, PROVINCE and PCODE are blank white columns on your questionnaire.

For users with another spreadsheet program (such as Lotus), please refer to Appendix C for information on how to convert from Lotus to Excel.

Closing the questionnaire

Once the questionnaire is completed, click on the Save or on the Close button to save your changes or exit the questionnaire. When you click on this button, this window (Figure 8a) will appear:

Figure 8a

Figure 8a asks if you have completed filling in the questionnaire, a yes or no answer.

If the questionnaire is fully completed, click on Yes and the questionnaire with your information will be saved.

Consistency errors in your questionnaire (see Figure 8b) will also appear. If you do not want to correct these errors, you can add a comment concerning these errors (see Figure 8c).

If you have not finished completing the questionnaire, click on No and the information will be saved. Cancel will take you back to the application.

Figure 8b

Figure 8b lists particular questions that you may have missed when filling in your questionnaire and asks if you would like to complete them now. These missed questions appear as errors.

Figure 8c

Figure 8c is a comment box asking for your comments regarding the errors in the figure above.

Returning your company data to Statistics Canada via Internet

Once you have completed the survey and you are ready to return it to Statistics Canada via the Internet, you must execute the e-File Transfer Service to upload PERQS.

Accessing the e-File Transfer Service

1. From the Internet, go to the Electronic File Transfer Service.

2. Enter username provided by Statistics Canada.

3. Enter your password, then click Logon.

4. You will see a list of safes.

5. Click on your safe.

6. To upload files to Statistics Canada, click ToStatcan-->Upload file, then Browse for the file you want to upload (e.g. Q11111111.xls).

7. Once you have chosen the file, click on the Upload button.

8. Logout.

Note: if you have a problem using the e-File Transfer service, please send an e-mail to the support team at: eft-tef-support@statcan.gc.ca

Appendix A

PERQS Import file record layout:
  Column Header Description
Column 1 SNUMBER Location ID (from Statistics Canada)
Column 2 COMPID Location ID (do not exceed 8 characters)
Column 3 OPNAME Operating name
Column 4 ADDRESS Name of street
Column 5 CITY City
Column 6 PROVINCE Province or territory (2 characters)*
Column 7 PCODE Postal code
Column 8 C2080 Total operating revenue
Column 9 C0876 Gross leasable area
Column 10 C0875 Unit of measurement (1 = square feet; 2 = square meters)
Column 11 C0873 Part year operation (1 digit)
1: Seasonal operation;
2: New store;
3: Change of fiscal year;
4: Change of ownership;
5: Ceased operations;
6: Temporarily closed;
7: Moved
Column 12 C0871 Part year operation from (6 digits) yyyy/mm or leave blank
Column 13 C0872 Part year operation to (6 digits) yyy/mm or leave blank
Column 14 NAICS NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) (6 digits)
Column 15 C9921 Comments

Numeric columns:

C2080, C0875, C0876, C0873, C0871 and C0872.

Abbreviations used for the provinces and territories:
Province *Code
Newfoundland and Labrador NL
Nova Scotia NS
New Brunswick NB
Prince Edward Island PE
Quebec QC
Ontario ON
Manitoba MB
Saskatchewan SK
Alberta AB
British Columbia BC
Yukon YT
North West Territories NT
Nunavut NU

Appendix B

To import data in PERQS, you must use Excel 97 or higher. In order for PERQS to import your data correctly, please indicate the names of the following columns in the first row of your Excel spreadsheet.

Record layout for importing new location number in PERQS:
  Column Header Description
Column 1 OLDID Old Location ID
Column 2 NEWID New Location ID (do not exceed 8 characters)

Appendix C

As mentioned in this guide, you may only import and export if your data currently exists in an Excel 97 spreadsheet or higher. However, if your data exists in a different format your software may convert to Excel. Conversion to Excel is possible for Lotus and Microsoft Access.

For users who have other types of software, please consult your software documentation to find out whether it is possible to convert to Excel 97 and follow those instructions.

Lotus to Excel

To convert from Lotus to Excel, you must use the command Save under and click on File in your Lotus tab. Please save the spreadsheet in Excel 97 format (see figure 9a).

Figure 9a

Figure 9a is an image of a screen that will help you convert your data from Lotus to Excel. Select “Save under” and click on “File”.

Microsoft Access to Excel

To convert from Microsoft Access to Excel you must select your data and use the command Save as under File on your toolbar (see Figure 9b).

Figure 9b

Figure 9b is an image of a screen that will help you convert your data from Microsoft Access to Excel. Select “Save as” under “File” on your toolbar.

After choosing the option to save to the external file, you must save your data in Excel 97 format by selecting Microsoft Excel 97 (*.xls) as the type of file (see Figure 9c).

Figure 9c

Figure 9c is an image of a screen that allows you to save your data in Excel format. At the bottom of the screen, select “Microsoft Excel 97”.

Using Excel 2007 to open the questionnaire and use the macros

Open the questionnaire with the Microsoft Office, menu Open, and then find the questionnaire using the Excel explorer.

To activate the macros, use the Options buttons which will be found on the security warning tool bar (Figure 10a). Once the Microsoft Office Security Options window has open, choose the option: Enable this content (Figure 10b). This will open the questionnaire and data entry can begin.

Figure 10a

Figure 10a shows part of the Microsoft toolbar. In order to open the questionnaire and activate the macros, you will need to go to the “Options” button on the security toolbar.

Figure 10b

Figure 10b allows you to open the questionnaire by choosing “Enable this content”.

Finding additional buttons when accessing Part A and Part B of the questionnaire

To manoeuvre more easily once in either Part A or Part B of the questionnaire, use the Add-Ins ribbon, see Figure 10c.

Figure 10c

(Part A)

Figure 10c, Part A allows you to manoeuvre more easily in Part B by using the Add-Ins ribbon.

(Part B)

Figure 10c, Part B allows you to manoeuvre more easily in Part A by using the Add-Ins ribbon.

Thank you!

 
 
 

Programme d'accès aux microdonnées - Décembre 2010

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Archived

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Consultation methodology

The Client Services Division moderated informal discussions with clients and stakeholders of the Research Data Centre (RDC) and the Federal Research Data Centre (FRDC). Four sessions were held: one with representatives from five subject matter areas who provide data and support to the RDCs; another with the Canadian RDC Network executive committee (8 participants); and two with researchers from the FRDC (9 participants).

How to get involved

This consultation is now closed.

Individuals who wish to obtain more information or to take part in a consultation should contact Statistics Canada through the Statistical Information Service.

Please note that Statistics Canada selects participants for each consultation to ensure feedback from a representative sample of the target population for the study. Not all applicants are asked to participate in a given consultation.

Results

This update from the 2007/2008 consultations provided worthwhile feedback. FRDC staff provides excellent client service to the participants with most technical issues being resolved quickly. Communication with Statistics Canada at all levels of the program is very good. Participants also noted satisfaction with the increased number and types of data now available in the RDCs.

Communication about how to access the data and navigate the proposal and access process has been an issue. New researchers felt there should be orientation sessions on how the centre operates.

At a higher level, the cost of FRDC access is considered to be expensive by some departments. Additionally, the FRDC equipment is aging, and will need to be replaced soon.

Recommendations

Four improvements were recommended:

  • Quicker data access
  • More software options (SAS is too limiting, SPSS compatibility is required)
  • Greater system functionality
  • Real time remote access to Census data, the Labour Force Survey and the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics

Statistics Canada thanks participants for their participation in this consultation. Their insights guide the Agency's web development and ensure that the final products meet users' expectations.

Report a problem or mistake on this page
Date modified:

Energy Account

This account describes the annual use of energy products by industry, governments, institutions and households. It covers the following energy sources: coal, natural gas, motor gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel, light fuel oil (including kerosene), heavy fuel oil, refinery fuel gas, coke oven gas, liquefied petroleum gases (including natural gas liquids), electricity, coke, steam, wood, and spent pulping liquor. The unit of measure is terajoules. Only uses of energy products for their energy content are published – the use of energy products as material inputs is not included in the energy use account (e.g. oil products used to produce plastics) but is available on request.

In general, energy surveys provide the data for large energy consumers. Where consumption data in physical units is not available, estimates are made based on expenditure data in the Input-Output Accounts.

Statistics Canada’s Report on Energy Supply-Demand in Canada (RESD) provides the control totals for the consumption of the fuel types. It also provides the basic data for producer consumption and non-energy use of fuels. Statistics Canada’s Industrial Consumption of Energy Survey provides detailed fuel consumption data for the manufacturing industries. This is combined with the RESD data to yield the estimates for manufacturing industries.

Data for mining, oil and gas extraction are benchmarked to the RESD totals with additional data added for energy transformation and producer consumption. Detailed fuel consumption data for the mining industries are taken from the Census of Mines produced by Natural Resources Canada.

Data for agriculture and construction are taken directly from the RESD and distributed across the various sub-industries according to the fuel expenditure data contained in the Input-Output Accounts.

Transportation surveys provide fuel consumption data for airlines. This covers international use of aviation fuel by Canadian carriers in accordance with SEEA guidelines. Transportation surveys also provide fuel consumption data for rail and passenger bus and urban transit industries.

Motor gasoline and diesel purchases are benchmarked to the RESD but are distributed across industries according to expenditure data in the provincial Input-Output Accounts. The use of provincial accounts controls for price variations across provinces. This is done to distribute retail pump sales which are not disaggregated by purchasing industry in the RESD and for which detailed physical consumption data by industry do not exist.

Data for household use of energy is taken directly from the RESD residential category, except for motor gasoline and diesel consumption, which is part of the retail pump sales distribution above.

Consumption of wood and spent pulping liquor is taken directly from the Industrial Consumption of Energy Survey.

Preliminary Estimate for 2016 and Intentions for 2017

Integrated Business Statistics Program (IBSP)

Reporting Guide

This guide is designed to assist you as you complete the Annual Exploration, Development and Capital Expenditures Survey
Petroleum and Natural Gas Industry

Preliminary Estimate for 2016 and Intentions for 2017

Table of contents

Reporting period information
Definition

Reporting period information

For the purpose of this survey, please report information for your 12 month fiscal period for which the final day occurs on or between April 1, 2016 — March 31, 2017.
Here are twelve common fiscal periods that fall within the targeted dates:

  • May 1, 2015 to April 30, 2016
  • June 1, 2015 to May 31, 2016
  • July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016
  • August 1, 2015 to July 31, 2016
  • September 1, 2015 to August 31, 2016
  • October 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016
  • November 1, 2015 to October 31, 2016
  • December 1, 2015 to November 30, 2016
  • January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016
  • February 1, 2016 to January 31, 2017
  • March 1, 2016 to February 28, 2017
  • April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017

Here are other examples of fiscal periods that fall within the required dates:

  • September 18, 2015 to September 15, 2016 (e.g., floating year-end)
  • June 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016 (e.g., a newly opened business)

Definition

All participants in the Syncrude project should exclude their participation when filing this report. Arrangements have been made to collect data for this project on a consolidated report. When there are partnerships and joint venture activities or projects, report the expenditures reflecting this corporation’s net interest in such projects or ventures. Report all dollar amounts in thousands of Canadian dollars (‘000). Do not include sales tax. Percentages should be rounded to whole numbers. When precise figures are not available, please provide your best estimates. If there are no capital expenditures, please enter ‘0’.

1. Oil and gas rights acquisition and retention costs (exclude inter-company sales or transfers):

Include acquisition costs and fees for oil and gas rights (include bonuses, legal fees and filing fees), and oil and gas retention costs

2. Exploration and evaluation, capitalized or expensed (e.g., leases and licences, seismic, exploration drilling):

These expenditures include mineral rights fees and retention costs, geological, geophysical and seismic expenses, exploration drilling, and other costs incurred during the reporting period in order to determine whether oil or gas reserves exist and can be exploited commercially. Report gross expenditures, before deducting any incentive grants, incurred for oil and gas activities on a contracted basis and/or by your own employees. Exclude the cost of land acquired from other oil and gas companies.

3. Building construction (e.g., process building, office building, camp, storage building, and maintenance garage):

Include capital expenditures on buildings such as office buildings, camps, warehouses, maintenance garages, workshops, and laboratories. Fixtures, facilities and equipment that are integral parts of the building are included.

4. Other construction assets (e.g., development drilling and completions, processing facilities, natural gas plants, upgraders):

Include all infrastructure, other than buildings, such as the cost of well pads, extraction and processing infrastructure and plants, upgrading units, transportation infrastructure, water and sewage infrastructure, tailings, pipelines and wellhead production facilities (pumpjacks, separators, etc). Include all preconstruction planning and design costs such as development drilling, regulatory approvals, environmental assessments, engineering and consulting fees and any materials supplied to construction contractors for installation, as well as site clearance and preparation. Equipment which is installed as an integral or built-in feature of a fixed structure (e.g. casings, tanks, steam generators, pumps, electrical apparatus, separators, flow lines, etc.) should be reported with the construction asset; however, when the equipment is replaced within an existing structure, the replacement cost should be reported in machinery and equipment (sustaining capital).

5. Machinery and equipment purchases (e.g., trucks, shovels, computers, etc.):

Include transportation equipment for people and materials, computers, software, communication equipment, and processing equipment not included in the above categories.

Statistics by variable

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Archived

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Consultation objectives

Statistics by Variable is a module prototype that enables website users to browse alphabetically for variables, statistical units and classifications; browse by subject for variables and classifications; and search using keywords.

The Statistics by Variable module would be an important tool for researchers, analysts, media, policy makers, students and survey designers looking for information on the variables, classifications and data collected by Statistics Canada across all of its surveys. 

The goal of this consultation was to identify usability problems of the module to ensure that improvements can be made before its launch.

Consultation methodology

Statistics Canada conducted in-person usability consultations. Participants were asked to complete a series of tasks and to provide feedback on the proposed module prototype.

How to get involved

This consultation is now closed.

Individuals who wish to obtain more information or to take part in a consultation may contact Statistics Canada by sending an email to statcan.consultations-consultations.statcan@canada.ca.

Please note that Statistics Canada selects participants for each consultation to ensure feedback is sought from a representative sample of the target population for the study. Not all applicants will be asked to participate in a given consultation.

Statistics Canada is committed to respecting the privacy of consultation participants. All personal information created, held or collected by the agency is protected by the Privacy Act. For more information on Statistics Canada's privacy policies, please consult the Privacy notice.

Results

What worked

Overall, the majority of participants described the Statistics by Variable online tool as easy to use, attractive, informative and easy to read.

All participants said they would recommend such a tool to a colleague and would use it for research purposes. Positive comments included: "I would certainly use this tool" and "Information is presented in a straightforward way." 

Areas for improvement

  • The majority of participants had some idea of the intended features of the module. However, participants thought that the main goal of the module was to access statistics and manipulate or sort data in multiple ways, rather than access information on the variables themselves.
  • Participants who were less familiar with subject matter requested to see more information when hovering over headings, definitions and tabs. As well, short descriptions providing users a brief overview on how to use the module would be helpful. 
  • The search engine was liked by all participants, but its location on the page could be reviewed.  The search functionality should also be revised to find all content appearing in the module.

Recommendations

  • Consider an alternate name for the module.
  • Labelling within the module could be more intuitive. All participants found the application relatively easy to navigate and were pleased with the overall presentation.
  • Consider changing the labels or adding additional information to each label. A hover-over functionality could be considered or an information symbol the user can hover over next to the label.
  • Reconsider the layout and placement of links within the module.
  • Include in the search engine's results all content within the Statistics by Variable module. 

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Chief Statistician of Canada Infographics Challenge 2017 - Privacy impact assessment

Introduction

Statistics Canada launched the Chief Statistician of Canada Infographics Challenge on its website as part of an initiative to inspire innovation in how new data are released by Statistics Canada. The purpose of this contest is to engage postsecondary students in the National Capital Region and give them an opportunity to produce innovative infographics designs with Statistics Canada data to enhance the public awareness of Statistics Canada's programs and services.

Description

The objective of the Chief Statistician of Canada Infographics Challenge is to raise public awareness on the importance of statistics in the economic and social development of Canada. Contestants or anyone that may be interested, can visit the Statistics Canada website for detailed information regarding the contest such as eligibility requirements, key dates, etc.

Contestants can also register online and are asked to provide basic personal information. The use of participant's information is strictly limited to the purposes of the contest.

Objective

A privacy impact assessment (PIA) for the Chief Statistician of Canada Infographics Challenge was conducted to determine if there were any privacy, confidentiality and security issues associated with the contest, and if so, to make recommendations for their resolution or mitigation.

Risk Area Identification and Categorization

The PIA also identifies the risk areas and categorizes the level of potential risk (level 1 representing the lowest level of potential risk and level 4, the highest) associated with the collection and use of personal information of participants.

  • Type of program or activity – Level 2: Administration of program or activity and services.
  • Type of personal information involved and context – Level 1: Only personal information, with no contextual sensitivities, collected directly from the individual or provided with the consent of the individual for disclosure under an authorized program.
  • Program or activity partners and private sector involvement – Level 1: Within the institution.
  • Duration of the program or activity – Level 2: Short-term program or activity.
  • Program population – Level 3: The program's use of personal information for external administrative purposes affects certain individuals.
  • Personal information transmission – Level 4: The personal information is transmitted using wireless technologies.
  • Technology and privacy: This activity does not involve the implementation of a new electronic system or the use of a new application or software, does not require any modifications to information technology (IT) legacy systems or the implementation of new technologies.
  • Privacy breach: There is a very low risk of a breach of some of the personal information being disclosed.

Conclusion

This assessment of the Chief Statistician of Canada Infographics Challenge did not identify any privacy risks that cannot be managed using existing safeguards.

Integrated Business Statistics Program (IBSP)

Reporting Guide

This guide is designed to assist you as you complete the Annual Capital Expenditures Survey

Preliminary Estimate for 2016 and Intentions for 2017. If you need more information, please call the Statistics Canada Help Line at the number below.

Help Line: 1-877-604-7828

Table of contents

Reporting period information
Definitions
Industry characteristics

Reporting period information

For the purpose of this survey, please report information for your 12 month fiscal period for which the Final day occurs on or between April 1, 2016 - March 31, 2017.

May 2015 - April 2016
June 2015 - May 2016
July 2015 - June 2016
Aug. 2015 - July 2016
Sept. 2015 - Aug. 2016
Oct. 2015 - Sept. 2016
Nov. 2015 - Oct. 2016
Dec. 2015 - Nov. 2016
Jan. 2016 - Dec. 2016
Feb. 2016 - Jan. 2017
March 2016 - Feb. 2017
April 2016 - March 2017

Here are other examples of fiscal periods that fall within the required dates:

  • September 18, 2016 to September 15, 2017 (e.g., floating year-end)
  • June 1, 2016 to December 31, 2017 (e.g., a newly opened business)

Definitions

What are Capital Expenditures?

Capital Expenditures are the gross expenditures on fixed assets for use in the operations of your organization or for lease or rent to others.

Include:

  • Cost of all new buildings, engineering, machinery and equipment which normally have a life of more than one year and are charged to fixed asset accounts
  • Modifications, acquisitions and major renovations
  • Capital costs such as feasibility studies, architectural, legal, installation and engineering fees
  • Subsidies
  • Capitalized interest charges on loans with which capital projects are financed
  • Work done by own labour force
  • Additions to work in progress

How to Treat Leases

Include:

  • assets acquired as a lessee through either a capital or financial lease;
  • assets acquired for lease to others as an operating lease.

Exclude

  • assets acquired for lease to others, either as a capital or financial lease.

Information for Government Departments

The following applies to government departments only:

Include

  • all capital expenditures without taking into account the capitalization threshold of your department;
  • Grants and/or subsidies to outside entities ( e.g. , municipalities, agencies, institutions or businesses) are not to be included;
  • Departments are requested to exclude from reported figures budgetary items pertaining to any departmental agency and proprietary crown corporation as they are surveyed separately;
  • Federal departments are to report expenditures paid for by the department, regardless of which department awarded the contract;
  • Provincial departments are to include any capital expenditures on construction (exclude outlays for land) or machinery and equipment, for use in Canada, financed from revolving funds, loans attached to revolving funds, other loans, the Consolidated Revenue Fund or special accounts.

Industry characteristics

Report the value of the projects expected to be put in place during the year. Include the gross expenditures (including subsidies) on fixed assets for use in the operations of your organization or for lease or rent to others. Include all capital costs such as feasibility studies, architectural, legal, installation and engineering fees as well as work done by your own labour force. Include all additions to work in progress.

New Assets, Renovation, Retrofit, includes both existing assets being upgraded and acquisitions of new assets

The following explanations are Not applicable to government departments:

  • include - Capitalized interest charges on loans with which capital projects are financed
  • exclude - If you are capitalizing your leased fixed assets as a lessee in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants’ recommendations, please exclude the total of the capitalization of such leases during the year from capital expenditures

Purchase of Used Canadian Assets

Definition: Used fixed assets may be defined as existing buildings, structures or machinery and equipment which have been previously used by another organization in Canada that you have acquired during the time period being reported on this questionnaire.

Explanation: The objective of our survey is to measure gross annual new acquisitions to fixed assets separately from the acquisition of gross annual used fixed assets in the Canadian economy as a whole.

Hence, the acquisition of a used fixed Canadian asset should be reported separately since such acquisitions would not change the aggregates of our domestic inventory of fixed assets, it would simply mean a transfer of assets within Canada from one organization to another.

Imports of used assets, on the other hand, should be included with the new assets (Column 1) because they are newly acquired for the Canadian economy.

Work in Progress:
Work in progress represents accumulated costs since the start of capital projects which are intended to be capitalized upon completion.

Typically capital investment includes any expenditure on an asset in which its’ life is greater than one year. Capital items charged to operating expenses are defined as expenditures which could have been capitalized as part of the fixed assets, but for various reasons, have been charged to current expenses.

Land
Capital expenditures for land should include all costs associated with the purchase of the land that are not amortized or depreciated.

Residential Construction
Report the value of residential structures including the housing portion of multi-purpose projects and of townsites with the following Exceptions:

  • buildings that have accommodation units without self-contained or exclusive use of bathroom and kitchen facilities ( e.g. , some student and senior citizen residences)
  • the non-residential portion of multi-purpose projects and of townsites
  • associated expenditures on services

The exceptions should be included in the appropriate construction ( e.g. , non-residential) asset.

Non-Residential Building Construction (excluding land purchase and residential construction)
Report the total cost incurred during the year of building and engineering construction (contract and by own employees) whether for your own use or rent to others. Include also:

  • the cost of demolition of buildings, land servicing and of site-preparation
  • leasehold and land improvements
  • townsite facilities, such as streets, sewers, stores, schools

Non-residential engineering construction

Report the total cost incurred during the year of engineering construction (contract and by own employees) whether for your own use or rent to others. Include also:

  • the cost of demolition of buildings, land servicing and of site-preparation
  • oil or gas pipelines, including pipe and installation costs
  • all preconstruction planning and design costs such as engineer and consulting fees and any materials supplied to construction contractors for installation, etc.
  • communication engineering, including transmission support structures, cables and lines, etc.
  • electric power engineering, including wind and solar plants, nuclear production plants, power distribution networks, etc.

Machinery and Equipment
Report total cost incurred during the year of all new machinery, whether for your own use or for lease or rent to others. Any capitalized tooling should also be included. Include progress payments paid out before delivery in the year in which such payments are made. Receipts from the sale of your own fixed assets or allowance for scrap or trade-in should not be deducted from your total capital expenditures. Any balance owing or holdbacks should be reported in the year the cost is incurred.

Include:

  • automobiles, trucks, professional and scientific equipment, office and store furniture and appliances
  • computers (hardware and software), broadcasting, telecommunication and other information and communication technology equipment
  • motors, generators, transformers
  • any capitalized tooling expenses
  • progress payments paid out before delivery in the year in which such payments are made
  • any balance owing or holdbacks should be reported in the year the cost is incurred

Software

Capital expenditures for software should include all costs associated with the purchase of software.

Include:

  • Pre-packaged software
  • Custom software developed in-house/own account
  • Custom software design and development, contracted out

Research and Development

Research and development (R&D) comprise creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications. Basic and applied research is experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the underlying foundation of phenomenon and observable facts. Experimental development is systematic work, drawing on existing knowledge gained from research and/or practical experience, which is directed to producing new materials, products or devices, installing new process, systems and services, or improving substantially those already produced or installed.

Annual Capital Expenditures Survey Preliminary Estimate for 2016 and Intentions for 2017

Integrated Business Statistics Program (IBSP)

Reporting Guide

This guide is designed to assist you as you complete the Annual Capital Expenditures Survey

Preliminary Estimate for 2016 and Intentions for 2017. If you need more information, please call the Statistics Canada Help Line at the number below.

Help Line: 1-877-604-7828

Table of contents

Reporting period information
Definitions
Industry characteristics

Reporting period information

For the purpose of this survey, please report information for your 12 month fiscal period for which the Final day occurs on or between April 1, 2016 - March 31, 2017.

May 2015 - April 2016
June 2015 - May 2016
July 2015 - June 2016
Aug. 2015 - July 2016
Sept. 2015 - Aug. 2016
Oct. 2015 - Sept. 2016
Nov. 2015 - Oct. 2016
Dec. 2015 - Nov. 2016
Jan. 2016 - Dec. 2016
Feb. 2016 - Jan. 2017
March 2016 - Feb. 2017
April 2016 - March 2017

Here are other examples of fiscal periods that fall within the required dates:

  • September 18, 2016 to September 15, 2017 (e.g., floating year-end)
  • June 1, 2016 to December 31, 2017 (e.g., a newly opened business)

Definitions

What are Capital Expenditures?

Capital Expenditures are the gross expenditures on fixed assets for use in the operations of your organization or for lease or rent to others.

Include:

  • Cost of all new buildings, engineering, machinery and equipment which normally have a life of more than one year and are charged to fixed asset accounts
  • Modifications, acquisitions and major renovations
  • Capital costs such as feasibility studies, architectural, legal, installation and engineering fees
  • Subsidies
  • Capitalized interest charges on loans with which capital projects are financed
  • Work done by own labour force
  • Additions to work in progress

How to Treat Leases

Include:

  • assets acquired as a lessee through either a capital or financial lease;
  • assets acquired for lease to others as an operating lease.

Exclude

  • assets acquired for lease to others, either as a capital or financial lease.

Information for Government Departments

The following applies to government departments only:

Include

  • all capital expenditures without taking into account the capitalization threshold of your department;
  • Grants and/or subsidies to outside entities (e.g., municipalities, agencies, institutions or businesses) are not to be included;
  • Departments are requested to exclude from reported figures budgetary items pertaining to any departmental agency and proprietary crown corporation as they are surveyed separately;
  • Federal departments are to report expenditures paid for by the department, regardless of which department awarded the contract;
  • Provincial departments are to include any capital expenditures on construction (exclude outlays for land) or machinery and equipment, for use in Canada, financed from revolving funds, loans attached to revolving funds, other loans, the Consolidated Revenue Fund or special accounts.

Industry characteristics

Report the value of the projects expected to be put in place during the year. Include the gross expenditures (including subsidies) on fixed assets for use in the operations of your organization or for lease or rent to others. Include all capital costs such as feasibility studies, architectural, legal, installation and engineering fees as well as work done by your own labour force. Include all additions to work in progress.

New Assets, Renovation, Retrofit, includes both existing assets being upgraded and acquisitions of new assets

The following explanations are Not applicable to government departments:

  • include - Capitalized interest charges on loans with which capital projects are financed
  • exclude - If you are capitalizing your leased fixed assets as a lessee in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants’ recommendations, please exclude the total of the capitalization of such leases during the year from capital expenditures

Purchase of Used Canadian Assets

Definition: Used fixed assets may be defined as existing buildings, structures or machinery and equipment which have been previously used by another organization in Canada that you have acquired during the time period being reported on this questionnaire.

Explanation: The objective of our survey is to measure gross annual new acquisitions to fixed assets separately from the acquisition of gross annual used fixed assets in the Canadian economy as a whole.

Hence, the acquisition of a used fixed Canadian asset should be reported separately since such acquisitions would not change the aggregates of our domestic inventory of fixed assets, it would simply mean a transfer of assets within Canada from one organization to another.

Imports of used assets, on the other hand, should be included with the new assets (Column 1) because they are newly acquired for the Canadian economy.

Work in Progress:
Work in progress represents accumulated costs since the start of capital projects which are intended to be capitalized upon completion.

Typically capital investment includes any expenditure on an asset in which its’ life is greater than one year. Capital items charged to operating expenses are defined as expenditures which could have been capitalized as part of the fixed assets, but for various reasons, have been charged to current expenses.

Land
Capital expenditures for land should include all costs associated with the purchase of the land that are not amortized or depreciated.

Residential Construction
Report the value of residential structures including the housing portion of multi-purpose projects and of townsites with the following Exceptions:

  • buildings that have accommodation units without self-contained or exclusive use of bathroom and kitchen facilities (e.g., some student and senior citizen residences)
  • the non-residential portion of multi-purpose projects and of townsites
  • associated expenditures on services

The exceptions should be included in the appropriate construction (e.g., non-residential) asset.

Non-Residential Building Construction (excluding land purchase and residential construction)
Report the total cost incurred during the year of building and engineering construction (contract and by own employees) whether for your own use or rent to others. Include also:

  • the cost of demolition of buildings, land servicing and of site-preparation
  • leasehold and land improvements
  • townsite facilities, such as streets, sewers, stores, schools

Non-residential engineering construction

Report the total cost incurred during the year of engineering construction (contract and by own employees) whether for your own use or rent to others. Include also:

  • the cost of demolition of buildings, land servicing and of site-preparation
  • oil or gas pipelines, including pipe and installation costs
  • all preconstruction planning and design costs such as engineer and consulting fees and any materials supplied to construction contractors for installation, etc.
  • communication engineering, including transmission support structures, cables and lines, etc.
  • electric power engineering, including wind and solar plants, nuclear production plants, power distribution networks, etc.

Machinery and Equipment
Report total cost incurred during the year of all new machinery, whether for your own use or for lease or rent to others. Any capitalized tooling should also be included. Include progress payments paid out before delivery in the year in which such payments are made. Receipts from the sale of your own fixed assets or allowance for scrap or trade-in should not be deducted from your total capital expenditures. Any balance owing or holdbacks should be reported in the year the cost is incurred.

Include:

  • automobiles, trucks, professional and scientific equipment, office and store furniture and appliances
  • computers (hardware and software), broadcasting, telecommunication and other information and communication technology equipment
  • motors, generators, transformers
  • any capitalized tooling expenses
  • progress payments paid out before delivery in the year in which such payments are made
  • any balance owing or holdbacks should be reported in the year the cost is incurred

Software

Capital expenditures for software should include all costs associated with the purchase of software.

Include:

  • Pre-packaged software
  • Custom software developed in-house/own account
  • Custom software design and development, contracted out

Research and Development

Research and development (R&D) comprise creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications. Basic and applied research is experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the underlying foundation of phenomenon and observable facts. Experimental development is systematic work, drawing on existing knowledge gained from research and/or practical experience, which is directed to producing new materials, products or devices, installing new process, systems and services, or improving substantially those already produced or installed.

Estimates and accuracy indicators for selected variables, Survey on Sexual Misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces, 2016

Estimates and accuracy indicators for selected variables, Survey on Sexual Misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces, 2016
Table summary
This table displays the results of Estimates and accuracy indicators for selected variables. The information is grouped by Force (appearing as row headers), Variable, Estimate, Standard error and Coefficient of variation (CV) (appearing as column headers).
Force Variable Estimate Standard error Coefficient of variation (CV)
REGULAR Experienced: sexual jokes– last 12 months 12.9% 0.00134 1.04
REGULAR Experienced: unwanted sexual attention– last 12 months 3.8% 0.00070 1.83
REGULAR Experienced: inappropriate sexual comments– last 12 months 5.2% 0.00089 1.70
REGULAR Experienced: inappropriate discussion about sex life– last 12 months 6.5% 0.00102 1.58
REGULAR Experienced: displaying, showing, or sending sexually explicit messages or materials– last 12 months 2.4% 0.00065 2.66
REGULAR Experienced: taking and/or posting inappropriate or sexually suggestive photos or videos of any CAF members, without consent – last 12 months 0.3% 0.00021 7.53
REGULAR Experienced: indecent exposure or inappropriate display of body parts– last 12 months 1.4% 0.00051 3.64
REGULAR Experienced: repeated pressure from the same person for dates or sexual relationships– last 12 months 1.1% 0.00036 3.14
REGULAR Experienced: unwelcome physical contact or getting too close– last 12 months 4.1% 0.00071 1.75
REGULAR Experienced: offering workplace benefit for engaging in sexual activity or being mistreated for not engaging in sexual activity – last 12 months 0.3% 0.00020 7.22
REGULAR Experienced: suggestions that people do not act like a man or woman is supposed to act – last 12 months 3.9% 0.00077 1.98
REGULAR Experienced: someone being insulted/mistreated/ignored/excluded because of their sex – last 12 months 2.3% 0.00053 2.27
REGULAR Experienced: comments that people are either not good at a particular job or should be prevented from having a particular job because of their sex– last 12 months 2.1% 0.00049 2.30
REGULAR Experienced: someone being insulted/mistreated/ignored/excluded because of their sexual orientation or assumed sexual orientation– last 12 months 0.7% 0.00033 4.85
REGULAR Experienced: someone being insulted/mistreated/ignored/excluded because they are (or assumed to be) transgender– last 12 months 0.2% 0.00016 9.15
REGULAR Experienced: inappropriate verbal or non-verbal communication - last 12 months 15.1% 0.00141 0.93
REGULAR Experienced: sexually explicit materials - last 12 months 2.5% 0.00066 2.63
REGULAR Experienced: unwanted physical contact or sexual relations - last 12 months 5.3% 0.00083 1.57
REGULAR Experienced: overall sexualized behaviours - last 12 months 16.3% 0.00145 0.89
REGULAR Experienced: discrimination based on sex - last 12 months 5.4% 0.00087 1.60
REGULAR Experienced: discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity - last 12 months 0.7% 0.00034 4.66
REGULAR Experienced: overall discriminatory behaviours - last 12 months 5.6% 0.00088 1.58
REGULAR Sexual attack - last 12 months 0.3% 0.00021 7.90
REGULAR Unwanted sexual touching - last 12 months 1.5% 0.00048 3.21
REGULAR Sexual activity where unable to consent - last 12 months 0.2% 0.00019 9.49
REGULAR Total sexual assault - last 12 months 1.7% 0.00050 2.95
PRIMARY RESERVES Experienced: sexual jokes– last 12 months 15.2% 0.00379 2.50
PRIMARY RESERVES Experienced: unwanted sexual attention– last 12 months 5.0% 0.00201 4.02
PRIMARY RESERVES Experienced: inappropriate sexual comments– last 12 months 5.5% 0.00235 4.27
PRIMARY RESERVES Experienced: inappropriate discussion about sex life– last 12 months 7.7% 0.00284 3.71
PRIMARY RESERVES Experienced: displaying, showing, or sending sexually explicit messages or materials– last 12 months 3.2% 0.00191 6.02
PRIMARY RESERVES Experienced: taking and/or posting inappropriate or sexually suggestive photos or videos of any CAF members, without consent – last 12 months 0.3% 0.00059 20.14
PRIMARY RESERVES Experienced: indecent exposure or inappropriate display of body parts– last 12 months 2.0% 0.00155 7.86
PRIMARY RESERVES Experienced: repeated pressure from the same person for dates or sexual relationships– last 12 months 2.0% 0.00126 6.40
PRIMARY RESERVES Experienced: unwelcome physical contact or getting too close– last 12 months 4.8% 0.00213 4.44
PRIMARY RESERVES Experienced: offering workplace benefit for engaging in sexual activity or being mistreated for not engaging in sexual activity – last 12 months 0.4% 0.00063 15.67
PRIMARY RESERVES Experienced: suggestions that people do not act like a man or woman is supposed to act – last 12 months 5.2% 0.00230 4.45
PRIMARY RESERVES Experienced: someone being insulted/mistreated/ignored/excluded because of their sex – last 12 months 2.7% 0.00139 5.19
PRIMARY RESERVES Experienced: comments that people are either not good at a particular job or should be prevented from having a particular job because of their sex– last 12 months 2.7% 0.00137 5.06
PRIMARY RESERVES Experienced: someone being insulted/mistreated/ignored/excluded because of their sexual orientation or assumed sexual orientation– last 12 months 0.8% 0.00091 11.53
PRIMARY RESERVES Experienced: someone being insulted/mistreated/ignored/excluded because they are (or assumed to be) transgender– last 12 months 0.2% 0.00046 28.64
PRIMARY RESERVES Experienced: inappropriate verbal or non-verbal communication - last 12 months 17.9% 0.00399 2.23
PRIMARY RESERVES Experienced: sexually explicit materials - last 12 months 3.3% 0.00193 5.94
PRIMARY RESERVES Experienced: unwanted physical contact or sexual relations - last 12 months 6.6% 0.00246 3.75
PRIMARY RESERVES Experienced: overall sexualized behaviours - last 12 months 19.2% 0.00415 2.16
PRIMARY RESERVES Experienced: discrimination based on sex - last 12 months 6.8% 0.00251 3.68
PRIMARY RESERVES Experienced: discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity - last 12 months 0.9% 0.00096 11.16
PRIMARY RESERVES Experienced: overall discriminatory behaviours - last 12 months 7.0% 0.00256 3.64
PRIMARY RESERVES Sexual attack - last 12 months 0.4% 0.00061 16.07
PRIMARY RESERVES Unwanted sexual touching - last 12 months 2.2% 0.00156 7.03
PRIMARY RESERVES Sexual activity where unable to consent - last 12 months 0.4% 0.00066 17.60
PRIMARY RESERVES Total sexual assault - last 12 months 2.6% 0.00169 6.52
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Experienced: sexual jokes– last 12 months 13.6% 0.00153 1.13
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Experienced: unwanted sexual attention– last 12 months 4.2% 0.00082 1.96
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Experienced: inappropriate sexual comments– last 12 months 5.3% 0.00097 1.82
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Experienced: inappropriate discussion about sex life– last 12 months 6.8% 0.00114 1.68
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Experienced: displaying, showing, or sending sexually explicit messages or materials– last 12 months 2.7% 0.00076 2.84
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Experienced: taking and/or posting inappropriate or sexually suggestive photos or videos of any CAF members, without consent – last 12 months 0.3% 0.00024 8.72
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Experienced: indecent exposure or inappropriate display of body parts– last 12 months 1.6% 0.00060 3.78
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Experienced: repeated pressure from the same person for dates or sexual relationships– last 12 months 1.4% 0.00047 3.31
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Experienced: unwelcome physical contact or getting too close– last 12 months 4.3% 0.00083 1.95
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Experienced: offering workplace benefit for engaging in sexual activity or being mistreated for not engaging in sexual activity – last 12 months 0.3% 0.00025 7.89
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Experienced: suggestions that people do not act like a man or woman is supposed to act – last 12 months 4.3% 0.00091 2.13
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Experienced: someone being insulted/mistreated/ignored/excluded because of their sex – last 12 months 2.4% 0.00057 2.34
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Experienced: comments that people are either not good at a particular job or should be prevented from having a particular job because of their sex– last 12 months 2.3% 0.00056 2.45
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Experienced: someone being insulted/mistreated/ignored/excluded because of their sexual orientation or assumed sexual orientation– last 12 months 0.7% 0.00037 5.19
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Experienced: someone being insulted/mistreated/ignored/excluded because they are (or assumed to be) transgender– last 12 months 0.2% 0.00018 10.19
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Experienced: inappropriate verbal or non-verbal communication - last 12 months 16.0% 0.00163 1.02
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Experienced: sexually explicit materials - last 12 months 2.7% 0.00077 2.81
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Experienced: unwanted physical contact or sexual relations - last 12 months 5.6% 0.00096 1.71
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Experienced: overall sexualized behaviours - last 12 months 17.2% 0.00169 0.98
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Experienced: discrimination based on sex - last 12 months 5.8% 0.00100 1.71
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Experienced: discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity - last 12 months 0.8% 0.00038 5.07
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Experienced: overall discriminatory behaviours - last 12 months 6.0% 0.00102 1.69
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Sexual attack - last 12 months 0.3% 0.00025 7.90
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Unwanted sexual touching - last 12 months 1.7% 0.00060 3.51
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Sexual activity where unable to consent - last 12 months 0.3% 0.00025 9.50
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Total sexual assault - last 12 months 2.0% 0.00065 3.28

Archived - Bank of Canada's Preferred Measures of Core Inflation General Information Document1

Definitions of the Bank of Canada's preferred measures of core inflation

In recent years, the usefulness of CPIX inflationNote 2 as an operational guide to monetary policy has deteriorated (Bank of Canada (2016)). Hence, the Bank of Canada has selected three preferred measures of core inflation in Canada: CPI-trim, CPI-median and CPI-common.Note 3

These three measures of core inflation, available on a monthly basis, are expressed as year-over-year percentage change and are constructed from the price indexes of a disaggregation of 55 components of the consumer price index (CPI), which account for 100 per cent of the Canadian CPI basket. These price indexes are adjusted to remove the effect of changes in indirect taxes and in the case of the CPI-trim and the CPI-median, the ones used are also seasonally adjusted.

CPI-trim is a measure of core inflation that excludes CPI components whose rates of change in a given month are located in the tails of the distribution of price changes. This measure helps filter out extreme price movements that might be caused by factors specific to certain components. In particular, CPI-trim excludes 20 per cent of the weighted monthly price variations at both the bottom and top of the distribution of price changes, and thus it always removes 40 per cent of the total CPI basket.Note 4 These excluded components can change from month to month, depending on which are extreme at a given time. A good example would be the impact of severe weather on the prices of certain food components. This approach differs from traditional a priori exclusion-based measures (e.g., CPIX), which every month omit a pre-specified list of components from the CPI basket.

CPI-median is a measure of core inflation corresponding to the price change located at the 50th percentile (in terms of the CPI basket weights) of the distribution of price changes in a given month. This measure helps filter out extreme price movements specific to certain components. This approach is similar to CPI-trim as it eliminates all the weighted monthly price variations at both the bottom and top of the distribution of price changes in any given month, except the price change for the component that is the midpoint of that distribution.Note 5

CPI-common is a measure of core inflation that tracks common price changes across categories in the CPI basket. It uses a statistical procedure called a factor model to detect these common variations, which helps filter out price movements that might be caused by factors specific to certain components.Note 6

Bank of Canada's motivation for the choice of these three measures of core inflation

The Bank of Canada aims to keep inflation at the 2 per cent midpoint of an inflation-control range of 1 to 3 per cent. The inflation target is expressed in terms of total CPI inflation. The Bank of Canada uses measures of core inflation as an operational guide to help achieve the total CPI inflation target.Note 7

In October 2016, the Bank of Canada and the Government of Canada renewed Canada's agreement on the inflation-control target. One of the issues the Bank of Canada focused on in preparing for the 2016 renewal was the measurement and use of core inflation.Note 8 For that reason, Bank staff conducted an evaluation of different measures of core inflation.Note 9 Bank of Canada (2016) states that this exercise uncovered little compelling evidence in favour of continuing to use CPIX inflation as its focal measure of core inflation, and found that CPI-trim, CPI-median and CPI-common performed more favourably across a range of evaluation criteria.

The evaluation of core inflation measures was based on a variety of criteria selected by the Bank, namely, that the selected measures should (i) closely track long-run movements in total CPI inflation, (ii) be less volatile than total CPI inflation and capture persistent movements in inflation, (iii) be related to the underlying drivers of inflation, and (iv) be easy to understand and explain to the public. As explained in Bank of Canada (2016), the three measures of core inflation, CPI-trim, CPI-median and CPI-common, were found to perform favourably across those criteria, in particular because they better capture persistent movements in inflation and tend to move with macroeconomic drivers. However, the Bank further explains that each measure of core inflation was judged to have limitations, thus making the case to consider a set of measures instead of relying on a single focal measure.

Rationale for moving away from a focal measure of core inflation

The Bank uses these measures of core inflation as an operational guide to monetary policy. As explained in Bank of Canada (2016), each measure of core inflation was judged to have limitations, making it necessary to consider a set of measures instead of relying on a single focal measure and reinforcing the point that monetary policy decisions should not be based on the mechanical use of such indicators. Using several indicators helps the Bank transparently manage the risks associated with the shortcomings of any single indicator.

How the Bank of Canada is using these measures of core inflation

The Bank uses these measures as indicators of pressures on inflation associated with excess demand or supply, (i.e., underlying inflationary pressures). Since some of the components in the CPI basket are subject to sharp and often temporary price swings that are unrelated to these underlying trends, the Bank uses this set of core inflation measures that allow it to "look through" temporary changes in total CPI inflation.Note 10

Interpreting movements in these measures of core inflation

The evolution of these measures of core inflation should reflect more persistent and broad-based movements across CPI components. Thus, trying to identify the contribution of specific CPI components to movements of these measures is not advisable. For CPI-trim and CPI-median, since the list of components excluded can vary every month, it might not be possible to compute the contribution of individual CPI components to the evolution of both measures of core inflation. For CPI-common, a rise in one component would affect that measure of core inflation only if the rise occurred in tandem with increases in several other CPI components.

Responsibility in regards to the construction and publication of these measures of core inflation

Beginning on 22 December 2016 with the publication of the November 2016 CPI, Statistics Canada will produce and publish CPI-trim, CPI-median and CPI-common. Accordingly, any questions related to the compilation of these three measures should be addressed to Statistics Canada. Questions related to the specification of their methodologies as well as to their use in the conduct of monetary policy should be addressed to the Bank of Canada.

Notes

References

Bank of Canada. 2016. Renewal of the Inflation-Control Target—Background Information—October 2016. Ottawa. Bank of Canada.

Khan, M., L. Morel and P. Sabourin. 2013. "The Common Component of CPI: An Alternative Measure of Underlying Inflation for Canada." Bank of Canada Staff Working Paper No. 2013-35.

Khan, M., L. Morel and P. Sabourin. 2015. "A Comprehensive Evaluation of Measures of Core inflation for Canada." Bank of Canada Staff Discussion Paper No. 2015-12.

Poloz, S. S. 2016. Letter to the Minister of Finance, 21 September 2016.

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