Business or organization information

1. Which of the following categories best describes this business or organization?

• Government agency
• Private sector business
• Non-profit organization
  • Who does this organization primarily serve?
    • Households or individuals
      e.g., child and youth services, community food services, food bank, women's shelter, community housing services, emergency relief services, religious organization, grant and giving services, social advocacy group, arts and recreation group
    • Businesses
      e.g., business association, chamber of commerce, condominium association, environmental support or protection services, group benefit carriers (pensions, health, medical)
• Don't know

2. In what year was this business or organization first established?

Please provide the year this business or organization first began operations.
Year business or organization was first established:
OR
Don't know

• Approximately how long ago was this business or organization first established?
  • 2 years ago or less
    Established in 2025, 2024, or 2023.
  • 3 to 10 years ago
    Established in 2015 to 2022.
  • 11 to 20 years ago
    Established in 2005 to 2014.
  • More than 20 years ago
    Established in 2004 or earlier.
  • Don't know

3. Over the last 12 months, which of the following international activities did this business or organization conduct?

Select all that apply.

• Export or sell goods outside of Canada
  Include both intermediate and final goods.
• Export or sell services outside of Canada
  Include services delivered virtually and in person.
  e.g., software, cloud services, legal services, environmental services, architectural services, digital advertising
• Make investments outside of Canada
• Sell goods to businesses or organizations in Canada who then resold them outside of Canada
• Import or buy goods from outside of Canada
  Include both intermediate and final goods.
• Import or buy services from outside of Canada
  Include services received virtually and in person.
  e.g., software, cloud services, legal services, environmental services, architectural services, digital advertising
• Relocate any business or organizational activities or employees from another country into Canada
  Exclude temporary foreign workers.
• Relocate any business or organizational activities or employees from Canada to another country
• Engage in other international business or organizational activities
• OR
• None of the above

4. Over the next three months, how are each of the following expected to change for this business or organization?

Exclude seasonal factors or conditions.

• Number of employees
  • Increase
  • Stay about the same
  • Decrease
  • Not applicable
  • Don't know
• Vacant positions
  • Increase
  • Stay about the same
  • Decrease
  • Not applicable
  • Don't know
• Sales of goods or services offered by this business or organization
  • Increase
  • Stay about the same
  • Decrease
  • Not applicable
  • Don't know
• Selling price of goods or services offered by this business or organization
  • Increase
  • Stay about the same
  • Decrease
  • Not applicable
  • Don't know
• Demand for goods or services offered by this business or organization
  • Increase
  • Stay about the same
  • Decrease
  • Not applicable
  • Don't know
• Imports of goods or services
  • Increase
  • Stay about the same
  • Decrease
  • Not applicable
  • Don't know
• Exports of goods or services
  • Increase
  • Stay about the same
  • Decrease
  • Not applicable
  • Don't know
• Operating income
  • Increase
  • Stay about the same
  • Decrease
  • Not applicable
  • Don't know
• Operating expenses
  • Increase
  • Stay about the same
  • Decrease
  • Not applicable
  • Don't know
• Profitability
  • Increase
  • Stay about the same
  • Decrease
  • Not applicable
  • Don't know
• Cash reserves
  • Increase
  • Stay about the same
  • Decrease
  • Not applicable
  • Don't know
• Capital expenditures
  e.g., machinery, equipment
  • Increase
  • Stay about the same
  • Decrease
  • Not applicable
  • Don't know
• Training expenditures
  • Increase
  • Stay about the same
  • Decrease
  • Not applicable
  • Don't know
• Marketing and advertising budget
  • Increase
  • Stay about the same
  • Decrease
  • Not applicable
  • Don't know
• Expenditures in research and development
  • Increase
  • Stay about the same
  • Decrease
  • Not applicable
  • Don't know

Business or organization obstacles

5. Over the next three months, which of the following are expected to be obstacles for this business or organization?

Select all that apply.

• Shortage of labour force
• Recruiting skilled employees
• Retaining skilled employees
• Shortage of space or equipment
• Cost of inputs
  An input is an economic resource used in a firm's production process.
  e.g., labour, capital, energy and raw materials
• Costs in real estate, leasing or property taxes
• Inflation
• Interest rates and debt costs
  e.g., borrowing fees, interest payments
• Difficulty acquiring inputs, products or supplies from within Canada
• Difficulty acquiring inputs, products or supplies from abroad
• Maintaining inventory levels
• Insufficient demand for goods or services offered
• Fluctuations in consumer demand
• Attracting new or returning customers
• Lack of financial resources
• Technological limitations
• Regulatory constraints
• Cost of insurance
• Transportation costs
• Obtaining financing
• Increasing competition
• Challenges related to exporting or selling goods and services to customers in other provinces or territories
• Challenges related to exporting or selling goods and services outside of Canada
• Maintaining sufficient cash flow or managing debt
• Attract local investment
• Attract foreign direct investment
• Other obstacle
  • Specify other obstacle:
• OR
• None of the above

Flow condition: If at least two obstacles are selected in Q5, go to Q6. Otherwise, go to Q7.

Display condition: Display in Q6 the obstacles selected in Q5.

6. Of the obstacles selected in the previous question, which obstacle is expected to be the most challenging over the next three months?

• Shortage of labour force
• Recruiting skilled employees
• Retaining skilled employees
• Shortage of space or equipment
• Cost of inputs
  An input is an economic resource used in a firm's production process.
  e.g., labour, capital, energy and raw materials
• Costs in real estate, leasing or property taxes
• Inflation
• Interest rates and debt costs
  e.g., borrowing fees, interest payments
• Difficulty acquiring inputs, products or supplies from within Canada
• Difficulty acquiring inputs, products or supplies from abroad
• Maintaining inventory levels
• Insufficient demand for goods or services offered
• Fluctuations in consumer demand
• Attracting new or returning customers
• Lack of financial resources
• Technological limitations
• Regulatory constraints
• Cost of insurance
• Transportation costs
• Obtaining financing
• Increasing competition
• Challenges related to exporting or selling goods and services to customers in other provinces or territories
• Challenges related to exporting or selling goods and services outside of Canada
• Maintaining sufficient cash flow or managing debt
• Attract local investment
• Attract foreign direct investment
• Other obstacle

Flow condition: If "Cost of inputs" is selected in Q5, go to Q7. Otherwise, go to Q8.

7. Over the next three months, which of the following costs of inputs are expected to be obstacles for this business or organization?

Select all that apply.

• Cost of labour
• Cost of capital
• Cost of energy
• Cost of raw materials
• OR
• Don't know

Flow condition: If "Difficulty acquiring inputs, products or supplies from within Canada", "Difficulty acquiring inputs, products or supplies from abroad", or "Maintaining inventory levels" is selected in Q5, go to Q8. Otherwise, go to Q11.
Display condition: If "Difficulty acquiring inputs, products or supplies from within Canada", "Difficulty acquiring inputs, products or supplies from abroad", or "Maintaining inventory levels" is selected in Q5, display in Q8.

Supply chain challenges

8. How long does this business or organization expect the following to continue to be an obstacle?

• Difficulty acquiring inputs, products or supplies from within Canada
  • Less than 3 months
  • 3 months to less than 6 months
  • 6 months to less than 12 months
  • 12 months or more
  • Don't know
• Difficulty acquiring inputs, products or supplies from abroad
  • Less than 3 months
  • 3 months to less than 6 months
  • 6 months to less than 12 months
  • 12 months or more
  • Don't know
• Maintaining inventory levels
  • Less than 3 months
  • 3 months to less than 6 months
  • 6 months to less than 12 months
  • 12 months or more
  • Don't know

9. Over the last three months, how have supply chain challenges experienced by this business or organization changed?

Supply chain challenges include difficulty acquiring inputs, products or supplies from within Canada or abroad and difficulty maintaining inventory levels.

Exclude seasonal factors or conditions.

• Supply chain challenges have worsened
  • Which of the following factors have contributed to these challenges?
    Select all that apply.
    • Increased prices of inputs, products or supplies
    • Increased delays in deliveries of inputs, products or supplies
    • Supply shortages resulted in fewer inputs, products or supplies being available
    • Supply shortages resulted in no inputs, products or supplies available
    • Other factor
      • Specify other factor:
    • OR
    • Don't know
• Supply chain challenges have remained about the same
• Supply chain challenges have improved

10. Over the next three months, how does this business or organization expect supply chain challenges to change?

Supply chain challenges include difficulty acquiring inputs, products or supplies from within Canada or abroad and difficulty maintaining inventory levels.
Exclude seasonal factors or conditions.

• Supply chain challenges are expected to worsen
• Supply chain challenges are expected to remain about the same
• Supply chain challenges are expected to improve

Flow condition: If "Government agency" was selected in Q1, go to Q12. Otherwise, go to Q11.
Display condition: If "Non-profit organization" is selected in Q1, do not display "Transfer the business" or "Sell the business" in Q11.

Expectations for the next year

11. Over the next 12 months, does this business or organization plan to do any of the following?

Select all that apply.

• Expand current location of this business or organization
• Expand operations of this business or organization internationally
• Expand operations of this business or organization into a new province or territory within Canada
• Move operations of this business or organization to another location within the province or territory
• Move operations of this business or organization to another province or territory within Canada entirely
• Expand this business or organization to other locations within the same province or territory
• Expand this business or organization without increasing physical space
  i.e., hiring more staff who will work remotely, or expanding online sales capacity
• Restructure this business or organization
  Restructuring involves changing the financial, operational, legal or other structures of the business or organization to make it more efficient or more profitable.
• Acquire other businesses, organizations or franchises
• Invest in other businesses or organizations
• Merge with other businesses or organizations
• Reduce the physical space of this business or organization
• Scale down operations of this business or organization to within a single province or territory within Canada
• Transfer the business
• Sell the business
• OR
• Close the business or organization
• OR
• Don't know
• OR
• None of the above

Flow condition: If "Export or sell goods outside of Canada" or "Export or sell services outside of Canada" was selected in Q3, go to Q12. Otherwise, go to Q13.

Trade

12. Over the last 12 months, what percentage of this business' or organization's sales were made directly to clients or customers in the United States?

Provide your best estimate rounded to the nearest percentage.

Percentage of sales made directly to clients or customers in the United States:
OR
Don't know

Flow condition: If "Import or buy goods from outside of Canada" or "Import or buy services from outside of Canada" was selected in Q3, go to Q13. Otherwise, go to Q14.

13. Over the last 12 months, what percentage of this business' or organization's purchases were made directly from suppliers in the United States?

Provide your best estimate rounded to the nearest percentage.

Percentage of purchases made directly from suppliers in the United States:
OR
Don't know

14. What is the impact of the following on this business or organization?

If tariffs are not relevant to this business or organization, please select "No impact".

• U.S. tariffs on goods sold by businesses in Canada
  • Major negative impact
  • Minor negative impact
  • No impact
  • Minor positive impact
  • Major positive impact
  • Don't know
• Canadian tariffs on goods sold by businesses in Canada
  • Major negative impact
  • Minor negative impact
  • No impact
  • Minor positive impact
  • Major positive impact
  • Don't know
• The elimination of trade barriers between provinces or territories
  • Major negative impact
  • Minor negative impact
  • No impact
  • Minor positive impact
  • Major positive impact
  • Don't know

15. Over the next 12 months, does this business or organization plan to take any of the following actions as a result of any tariffs applied by the United States on goods sold from Canada?

Select all that apply.

• Seek alternative customers outside the United States
• Seek alternative suppliers outside the United States
• Increase domestic sourcing
• Delay major investments or expenditures
• Delay Canadian investment or expansion plans
• Acquire or partner with United States-based businesses as a beachhead strategy
• Explore trade-related financial tools
  e.g., currency hedging, insurance
• Establish operations in the United States
• Increase inventory or stockpiled goods
• Invest in technology improvements
  e.g., technology adoption, automation
• Lay off employees
• Hire employees
• Raise prices of goods or services
• Lower prices of goods or services
• Other action
  • Specify other action:
• OR
• None of the above
• OR
• Don't know

Flow condition: If the percentage of sales made directly to clients or customers in the United States reported in Q12 was greater than 0, go to Q16. Otherwise, go to Q17.

16. Over the last three months, has this business or organization sold any goods to the United States that were subject to any tariffs?

• Yes
• No
• Don't know

Flow condition: If the percentage of purchases made directly from suppliers in the United States reported in Q13 was greater than 0, go to Q17. Otherwise, go to Q18.

17. Over the last three months, has this business or organization purchased any goods from the United States that were subject to any tariffs?

• Yes
• No
• Don't know

18. Over the last six months, has this business or organization passed on any increases in its costs due to tariffs to its customers?

• Yes
• No
• This business or organization has not experienced any cost increases due to tariffs
• Don't know

19. Over the next 12 months, how likely is this business or organization to pass on cost increases due to tariffs to its customers?

Include increases in costs related to inputs, products, or supplies.

• Very likely
• Somewhat likely
• Somewhat unlikely
• Very unlikely
• This business or organization does not expect any cost increases due to tariffs
• Don't know

Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA)

Flow condition: If the percentage of sales made directly to clients or customers in the United States reported in Q12 was greater than 0, go to Q20. Otherwise, go to Q21.

20. Over the last three months, were any of the goods sold by this business or organization to the United States compliant with the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA)?

• Yes
  • What percentage of the goods sold by this business or organization to the United States were compliant with CUSMA?
    Provide your best estimate rounded to the nearest percentage.
    • Percentage of goods this business or organization sold to the United States that were compliant with CUSMA:
    • OR
    • Don't know
• No
• This business or organization does not sell any goods to the United States
• Don't know

Flow condition: If the percentage of purchases made directly from suppliers in the United States reported in Q13 was greater than 0, go to Q21. Otherwise, go to Q22.

21. Over the last three months, were any of the goods purchased by this business or organization from the United States compliant with the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA)?

• Yes
  • What percentage of goods purchased by this business or organization from the United States were compliant with CUSMA?
    Provide your best estimate rounded to the nearest percentage.
    • Percentage of goods purchased by this business or organization from the United States that were compliant with CUSMA:
    • OR
    • Don't know
• No
• This business or organization does not purchase any goods from the United States
• Don't know

Flow condition: If "No" was selected in either Q20 or Q21, go to Q22. Otherwise, go to Q23.

22. Has this business or organization arranged for the certification under CUSMA of any goods it purchased from or sells to the United States?

• Yes
• No
  • Why not?
    Select all that apply.
    • Too costly or complex to meet the requirements
    • Lack of information or support
    • Products contain too much foreign content
    • Other reason
      • Specify other reason:
    • OR
    • Don't know
• Don't know

Canadian products

23. Over the last six months, has this business or organization changed its marketing practices to promote Canadian products?

e.g., labeling products that are either "Canadian", "Made in Canada" or are a "Product of Canada"

• Yes
• No
• Don't know

24. Over the last six months, has this business or organization experienced an increase in sales of Canadian products?

e.g., products that are either "Canadian", "Made in Canada" or are a "Product of Canada"

• Yes
• No
• Don't know

Change in suppliers

25. Over the last three months, did this business or organization change suppliers as a result of tariffs imposed by either Canada or the United States?

• Yes
• No
• Don't know

Languages of services

26. Over the last 12 months, in which languages did this business or organization provide the following services or perform the following activities?

Website
Select all that apply.

• English
• French
• Other language
• OR
• Not applicable
• OR
• Don't know

Marketing and advertising
Select all that apply.

• English
• French
• Other language
• OR
• Not applicable
• OR
• Don't know

Outdoor signage
Select all that apply.

• English
• French
• Other language
• OR
• Not applicable
• OR
• Don't know

Indoor signage
Select all that apply.

• English
• French
• Other language
• OR
• Not applicable
• OR
• Don't know

Customer service
Select all that apply.

• English
• French
• Other language
• OR
• Not applicable
• OR
• Don't know

Sales
Select all that apply.

• English
• French
• Other language
• OR
• Not applicable
• OR
• Don't know

External communications
Include media releases.
Select all that apply.

• English
• French
• Other language
• OR
• Not applicable
• OR
• Don't know

Internal communications
Select all that apply.

• English
• French
• Other language
• OR
• Not applicable
• OR
• Don't know

Languages of work

27. What percentage of employees in this business or organization is required to be bilingual in English and French?

If the business or organization does not require bilingual employees, please enter "0".
Provide your best estimate rounded to the nearest percentage.

Percentage of employees required to be bilingual in English and French:

Accessibility

28. Over the last 12 months, has this business or organization used any of the following forms of communication with customers or the public?

Forms of communication refers to the different ways information is provided, such as in person, over the phone, virtually, or printed materials with customers or the public.
Select all that apply.

• Printed materials distributed by this business or organization
  e.g., advertising materials, menus, forms, magazines, pamphlets
• Virtual communication
  Include communication through email, websites, virtual meetings (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams) or chat bots.
  Exclude social media posts.
• Social media
  e.g., promoting or branding on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, Snapchat
• Communication in person or over the phone
  Include text messages.
• Traditional advertising
  Include traditional television, radio, newspaper, and billboards.
• Other form of communication
  • Specify other form of communication:
• OR
• None of the above
• OR
• Don't know

Flow condition: If "None of the above" or "Don't know" was selected in Q28, or if Q28 was left blank, go to Q35. Otherwise, go to next flow.
If "Printed materials distributed by this business or organization" was selected in Q28, go to Q29. Otherwise, go to Q30.

29. Over the last 12 months, did this business or organization provide any accessibility features in their printed materials?

Accessibility refers to ensuring that persons with disabilities can easily use and understand things like websites, documents, and services.
e.g., alternate formats, large print versions, accessible file formats or audio formats

• Yes
• No
  • Over the next 12 months, does this business or organization plan to provide any accessibility features in their printed materials?
    e.g., alternate formats, large print versions, accessible file formats or audio formats
    • Yes
    • No
    • Don't know
• Don't know

Flow condition: If "Virtual communication" was selected in Q28, go to Q30. Otherwise, go to Q31.

• 30. Over the last 12 months, did this business or organization provide any accessibility features when communicating virtually?

Accessibility refers to ensuring that persons with disabilities can easily use and understand things like websites, documents, and services.
e.g., live captions, screen display options such as dark mode or high contrast, screen reader support

• Yes
• No
  • Over the next 12 months, does this business or organization plan to provide any accessibility features when communicating virtually?
    e.g., live captions, screen display options such as dark mode or high contrast, screen reader support
    • Yes
    • No
    • Don't know
• Don't know

Flow condition: If "Social media" was selected in Q28, go to Q31. Otherwise, go to Q32.

31. Over the last 12 months, did this business or organization provide any accessibility features when communicating through social media platforms?

Accessibility refers to ensuring that persons with disabilities can easily use and understand things like websites, documents, and services.
e.g., alternate text descriptions, videos with sound and captioning, closed captioning, plain language

• Yes
• No
  • Over the next 12 months, does this business or organization plan to provide any accessibility features when communicating through social media platforms?
    e.g., alternate text descriptions, videos with sound and captioning, closed captioning, plain language
    • Yes
    • No
    • Don't know
• Don't know

Flow condition: If "Communication in person or over the phone" was selected in Q28, go to Q32. Otherwise, go to Q33.

32. Over the last 12 months, did this business or organization provide any accessibility features when communicating in person or over the phone?

Accessibility refers to ensuring that persons with disabilities can easily use and understand things like websites, documents, and services.
e.g., visual aids, volume controllers, video relay service (VRS), speech-to-text services

• Yes
• No
  • Over the next 12 months, does this business or organization plan to provide any accessibility features when communicating in person or over the phone?
    e.g., visual aids, volume controllers, video relay service (VRS), speech-to-text services
    • Yes
    • No
    • Don't know
• Don't know

Flow condition: If "Other forms of communication" was selected in Q28, go to Q33. Otherwise, go to Q34.

33. Over the last 12 months, did this business or organization provide any accessibility features related to other forms of communication?

Accessibility refers to ensuring that persons with disabilities can easily use and understand things like websites, documents, and services.

• Yes
• No
• Don't know

Flow condition: If "Printed materials distributed by this business or organization" was selected in Q28, and if either "Yes" or "Don't know" was selected in Q29 or Q29 was left blank, go to Q35. Otherwise, go to next flow.
If "Virtual communication" was selected in Q28, and if either "Yes" or "Don't know" was selected in Q30 or Q30 was left blank, go to Q35. Otherwise, go to next flow.
If "Social media" was selected in Q28, and if either "Yes" or "Don't know" was selected in Q31 or Q31 was left blank, go to Q35. Otherwise, go to next flow.
If "Communication in person or over the phone" was selected in Q28, and if either "Yes" or "Don't know" was selected in Q32 or Q32 was left blank, go to Q35. Otherwise, go to next flow.
If "Other forms of communication" was selected in Q28, and if either "Yes" or "Don't know" was selected in Q33 or Q33 was left blank, go to Q35. Otherwise, go to Q34.

34. Over the last 12 months, why has this business or organization not incorporated any accessibility features related to communication?

Accessibility refers to ensuring that persons with disabilities can easily use and understand things like websites, documents, and services.
Select all that apply.

• Too expensive or cost of service or program
• No time or resources available
• Unsure how or where to find accessibility features
• Do not see how it would benefit the business or organization
• Accessibility features cannot be adapted
• Other reason
  • Specify other reason:
• OR
• Don't know

Natural disasters

35. Over the last 12 months, was this business or organization impacted by natural disasters or weather-related emergencies?

Natural disasters may include heavy rain; forest fires, wildfires, grass fires; earthquakes; river flooding; strong winds; extreme cold; extreme heat; landslides, avalanches, sinkholes; winter storms, blizzards, ice storms.

• Yes
  • How significantly was this business or organization impacted by such events?
    • High impact
    • Medium impact
    • Low impact
    • Don't know
  • To what extent was this business or organization prepared for such events?
    • Fully prepared
    • Partially prepared
    • Not prepared
    • Don't know
• No
• Don't know

Labour and wages

36. Over the next 12 months, how does this business or organization expect its average wages to change?

• Increase
  • Over the next 12 months, at what rate does this business or organization expect to increase its average wages?
    • At a slower rate than last year
    • At a similar rate as last year
    • At a faster rate than last year
    • Don't know
• Stay the same
• Decrease
• Don't know

Flow condition: If "Increase" is selected in Q36, go to Q37. Otherwise, go to Q38.

37. Over the next 12 months, what are the factors expected to influence decisions about average wage increases for this business or organization?

Select all that apply.

• Current rate of inflation
• Expected rate of inflation
• Labour market tightness
• Labour productivity
• Minimum wage legislation
• Capacity to attract labour
• Retaining talent
• Other factor
  • Specify other factor:
• OR
• Don't know

Interest rates

38. Over the last 12 months, what was the level of impact interest rates have had on this business or organization?

• No impact
• Low impact
• Medium impact
• High impact
• Don't know

Flow condition: If "Low impact", "Medium impact", or "High impact" is selected in Q38, go to Q39. Otherwise, go to Q40.

39. Which of the following has been most impacted by interest rates for this business or organization?

• New borrowing costs
• Cost of existing debt
• Capital expenditures
• Sales of products and services offered by this business or organization
• Financing for customers
• Exchange rates
• Investments made by this business or organization
• Don't know

Liquidity

40. Does this business or organization have the cash or liquid assets required to operate for the next three months?

• Yes
• No
  • Will this business or organization be able to acquire the cash or liquid assets required?
    • Yes
    • No
    • Don't know
• Don't know

Debt

41. Over the next three months, does this business or organization plan to apply to a financial institution for a new line of credit, a new term loan, a new non-residential mortgage, or refinancing of an existing non-residential mortgage?

Include commercial mortgages.
Exclude residential mortgages.

• Yes
  • What are the intended uses of this funding?
    Select all that apply.
    • Refinancing of existing debt
    • Non-residential investments
      e.g., machinery, equipment, R&D
    • Current expenditure
    • Business expansion
    • Financing the acquisition of another business
    • Other use
      • Specify other use:
    • OR
    • Don't know
• No
  • Does this business or organization have the ability to take on more debt?
    Answer based on this business' or organization's ability, even if there are no plans to take on more debt.
    • Yes
    • No
      • For which of the following reasons is this business or organization unable to take on more debt?
        Select all that apply.
      • Cash flow
      • Lack of confidence or uncertainty in future sales
      • Request would be turned down
      • Too difficult or time consuming to apply
      • Interest rates are unfavourable
      • Payment terms are unfavourable
      • Credit rating
      • Other reason
        • Specify other reason:
      • OR
      • Not applicable
      • OR
      • Don't know
    • Don't know
• Don't know

Working arrangements

42. Over the next three months, what percentage of the employees of this business or organization is anticipated to work on-site or work remotely?

Exclude employees that are primarily engaged in providing driving or delivery services or employees that primarily work at client premises, and contractors.

Working on-site refers to working from an office or job site, while working remotely refers to an employee working from home or another location of the employee's choosing, other than their regular on-site location.

Provide your best estimate rounded to the nearest percentage.
If the percentages are unknown, leave the question blank.

1. Work on-site exclusively
   Percentage of employees:
2. Work on-site most hours
   Percentage of employees:
3. Work approximately the same number of hours on-site and remotely
   i.e., 2 to 3 days per week on site
   Percentage of employees:
4. Work remotely most hours
   Percentage of employees:
5. Work remotely exclusively
   Percentage of employees:

Future outlook

43. Over the next 12 months, what is the future outlook for this business or organization?

• Very optimistic
• Somewhat optimistic
• Somewhat pessimistic
• Very pessimistic
• Don't know

Flow condition: If "Private sector business" was selected in Q1, go to Q44. Otherwise, go to "Contact Person".

Ownership

(i) The groups identified within the following questions are included in order to gain a better understanding of businesses owned by members of various communities across Canada.

44. What percentage of this business or organization is owned by each of the following groups?

Provide your best estimate rounded to the nearest percentage.
If the business or organization is not owned by anyone that falls under that group, please enter "0".

What percentage of this business or organization is owned by women?
Percentage owned by women:
OR
Prefer not to say
OR
Don't know

What percentage of this business or organization is owned by First Nations, Métis or Inuit peoples?
Percentage owned by First Nations, Métis or Inuit peoples:
OR
Prefer not to say
OR
Don't know

What percentage of this business or organization is owned by immigrants to Canada?
Percentage owned by immigrants to Canada:
OR
Prefer not to say
OR
Don't know

What percentage of this business or organization is owned by persons with a disability?
Include visible and non-visible disabilities.
Percentage owned by persons with a disability:
OR
Prefer not to say
OR
Don't know

What percentage of this business or organization is owned by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or two-spirited (LGBTQ2) people?
Percentage owned by LGBTQ2 people:
OR
Prefer not to say
OR
Don't know

What percentage of this business or organization is owned by members of visible minorities?
A member of a visible minority in Canada may be defined as someone (other than an Indigenous person) who is non-white in colour or race, regardless of place of birth.
Percentage owned by members of visible minorities:
OR
Prefer not to say
OR
Don't know

Flow condition: If more than 50% of this business or organization is owned by members of visible minorities, go to Q45. Otherwise, go to "Contact person".

45. It was indicated that at least 51% of this business or organization is owned by members of visible minorities. Please select the categories that describe the owner or owners.

Select all that apply.

• South Asian
  e.g., East Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan
• Chinese
• Black
• Filipino
• Latin American
• Arab
• Southeast Asian
  e.g., Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotian, Thai
• West Asian
  e.g., Afghan, Iranian
• Korean
• Japanese
• Other group
  • Specify other group:
• OR
• Prefer not to say

Recent updates to Statistics Canada's social data dissemination guidelines emphasize the use of confidence intervals (CIs) for reporting the accuracy of survey-based estimates. Not only are CIs better suited to the task than Coefficients of Variation for proportions, but they also serve as a valuable tool for drawing statistical conclusions from survey data, such as testing whether two proportions differ.

In this talk, we introduce CIs in the context of survey data, using analogies and accessible language. We highlight best practices to help users confidently use of CIs to report the accuracy of estimates and draw valid statistical conclusions from survey data.

Presenter: Claude Girard, Senior Methodologist, Data Analysis Resource Centre

To register for the English webinar, please fill out the following form:

• Wednesday, October 22, 2025, 10:00am - 11:00am PT / 11:00am - 12:00pm MT / 12:00pm - 1:00pm CT / 1:00pm - 2:00pm ET / 2:00pm - 3pm AT

To register for the French webinar, please fill out the following form:

• Wednesday, October 22, 2025, 8:00am - 9:00am PT / 9:00am - 10:00am MT / 10:00am - 11:00am CT / 11:00am - 12:00pm ET / 12:00pm - 1:00pm AT

In this talk, we explore the role of survey weights and replicate weights in analyzing complex survey data. Using analogies and accessible language, we highlight the key intuitive ideas behind why these tools are essential for drawing sound statistical conclusions from survey data. To bridge theory and practice, we also review software options for working with survey data and demonstrate how to apply different types of weights—including cross-sectional, longitudinal, normalized (or standardized), and bootstrap weights.

Presenter: Claude Girard, Senior Methodologist, Data Analysis Resource Centre

To register for the English webinar, fill out the following form:

• Wednesday, September 24, 2025, 10:00am - 11:00am PT / 11:00am - 12:00pm MT / 12:00pm - 1:00pm CT / 1:00pm - 2:00pm ET / 2:00pm - 3pm AT

To register for the French webinar, fill out the following form:

• Wednesday, September 24, 2025, 8:00am - 9:00am PT / 9:00am - 10:00am MT / 10:00am - 11:00am CT / 11:00am - 12:00pm ET / 12:00pm - 1:00pm AT

Table of contents

• Message from the Canadian Statistics Advisory Council
• Recommendation: Develop a framework to define and accredit official statistics
• 1. Canada needs a framework for defining and accrediting official statistics
• 2. Defining official statistics
• 3. Authorities for producing official statistics need to be clear
• 4. Official statistics must be accredited
• 5. A repository for official statistics must speak to all Canadians
• 6. Promoting trust in the national statistical system
• Endnotes

Message from the Canadian Statistics Advisory Council

We release this year's report in turbulent times, characterized by profound economic and technological change and shifting geopolitics. It is also a time rampant with misinformation and disinformation and increasing challenges to the authority of national statistical organizations.

Despite these trends Statistics Canada remains a trusted and valued institution and a key provider of information for Canadians coast to coast to coast. Accurate and credible data and statistics are essential to support Canada's sovereignty and assure its prosperity and well-being. Poor data lead to bad decisions with costly consequences and contribute to distrust and disunity.

This year's report focuses on solidifying the national statistical framework in order to better coordinate information across jurisdictions and leverage the opportunities that come with new technology. Having official reference points is also essential to combat misinformation and disinformation. To this end, the Council examined what other countries are doing and looked at best practices in Canada and internationally for assuring quality data.

In the Canadian system there is no legally recognized definition of official statistics in Canada nor clear and definitive authority of who produces them and oversees their quality and standards. The Council believes that a robust national statistical framework would lead to stronger partnerships for the collection, production, assessment, coordination, sharing and access of official statistics. Strengthening the authority and trust of the national statistical system is key to ensuring consistent quality statistics for all sectors of Canadian society, especially for navigating turbulent social and economic times.

Equally important is strong leadership, and here the Council is thankful for André Loranger, the Chief Statistician of Canada (who is an ex officio member of the Council). We are also grateful for the support offered by his outstanding team for responding to our requests for information with both written and oral presentations. We offer particular thanks to Étienne Saint-Pierre and Daniel Fahey of the Canadian Statistics Advisory Council Secretariat for their advice and assistance. We would also like to thank Gaëlle Miollan for her years of support as well as departing Council members David Chaundy, Annette Hester, and Jan Kestle who offered years of invaluable insight to the council. As they depart, the Council loses representation from vital sectors of the statistical system. The health and strength of the Council in providing impartial advice to the Minister and Chief Statistician is dependent on timely appointments from a wide range of areas and perspectives. If positions are left unfilled the Council will be limited in its ability to do its work.

Signed:

The Canadian Statistics Advisory Council

• Dr. Howard Ramos, Chairperson
• Dr. Anke Kessler
• Dr. Benoit Dostie
• Dr. Catherine Beaudry
• Dr. Stephen Tapp
• Vinamra Mathur

Recommendation: Develop a framework to define and accredit official statistics

In today's environment of misinformation and disinformation, official statistics are critical for helping Canadians assess the quality of information they use for decision making.

However, there is no legally recognized definition of official statistics in Canada or a national framework for producing them. This lack of official direction impacts the ability of stakeholders of the national statistical system to better support their communities and the priorities of governments across Canada.

There is also no reference to official statistics in Canada's Statistics Act and although Statistics Canada does refer to official statistics on its website, the term is not defined. This is in contrast to most countries who collaborate closely with Canada who reference official statistics in their legislation.

Accreditation of official statistics requires identification of clear legislative authority and strong partnerships for their collection, production, assessment, coordination, sharing and access. Strengthening the authority and trust of the national statistical system is key to ensuring consistent quality statistics for all sectors of Canadian society.

Current ambiguities in authorities create uneven standards and methods across federal departments, other jurisdictions and outside government. For these reasons, the Council recommends that:

The Minister of Industry should:

1. mandate Statistics Canada to develop a framework for official statistics.
2. communicate with Canadians on the importance of official statistics in supporting the country's sovereignty, prosperity and well-being in a democratic society.
3. promote a common understanding of the authority and responsibilities of Statistics Canada in the production of statistics under the Statistics Act. There should be no ambiguity in the interpretation of its responsibilities and legal authorities.

In developing a framework for official statistics, the Chief Statistician should play a leadership role to:

4. define the term official statistics for use by federal data producers and users of federal statistics based on the United Nations Principles of Official Statistics.
5. develop provisions for clearly identifying government departments and agencies with accredited federal official statistics and the processes for accreditation.
6. develop processes to create, publish and maintain a federal repository of official statistics and a list of the government agencies that produce them. This includes clear accreditation and labelling for users and stakeholders of the national statistical system to easily identify official statistics.
7. regularly review and adapt the framework with government departments to ensure effective statistical data concepts and data flows.
8. collaborate with other jurisdictions including provinces, territories and Indigenous organizations to identify and promote opportunities for extending the framework of official statistics to other jurisdictions within the national statistical system.

1. Canada needs a framework for defining and accrediting official statistics

High-quality statistical information is among Canada's most valuable resources and is the foundation of a modern and diverse digital economy. Issues of climate change, artificial intelligence, international trade and interprovincial flows of goods and services have heightened the need for quality, comparable national and regional data. These require more sophisticated methods and data flows that produce statistics that are trusted by Canadians.

A national^{Footnote 1} framework for official statistics with standard measures and clear authorities can provide an anchor for generating these statistics. The corner stone of such a framework is a clear and precise definition of official statistics. While Canada's national statistical system already provides data that are key to understanding important economic, social and environmental issues, it does not have a legally recognized definition of official statistics or a national framework for producing them. This lack of official direction impacts the ability of stakeholders and users of the national statistical system to fully leverage the wealth of data that exists in Canada to support communities and governments across the country.

Although credible and coordinated information on the nation's population and assets are the basis of the Canadian Statistics Act and are defined in the country's Constitution, the governance infrastructure needed to support this mandate and meet the needs of a digital society is lacking. This reflects a national statistical system that is multi-jurisdictional, with statistics produced by Statistics Canada, federal agencies, the central bank and provincial and territorial statistical offices. Other sectors such as Indigenous organizations, academia, the private sector and non-governmental organizations also contribute to these statistics.

The national statistical system plays a vital role in supporting the country's prosperity and well-being. It relies greatly on collaboration within and across jurisdictions to produce quality comparable data at the national and regional levels.

The current statistical ecosystem has become increasingly complex making this collaboration more difficult. Over the last four decades Statistics Canada has linked data across surveys, census, and administrative records to leverage the power of Canada's data. The complexity and challenges increase significantly with the abundance of information available from different levels of jurisdiction and from various sectors.

Canada should formalize a framework for developing and accrediting official statistics to fully leverage the country's wealth of data. This would support the 2023–2026 Data Strategy for the Federal Public Service which focuses on specific data gaps^{Footnote 2} that require new data environments and collaborations.^{Footnote 3} While much source data exists, the problem often lies with conflicting definitions, incompatible data hubs and duplication of data. These all increase the cost of producing quality statistics.

A recognized framework for official statistics would facilitate collaboration of data producers from different jurisdictions and sectors on harmonizing concepts and methods. This includes balancing the need to address technical and legislative barriers for data sharing with the respect for jurisdictional autonomy. Failing to coordinate these data with common statistical standards and methods represent lost opportunities for effectively addressing Canada's most pressing problems. Conflicting information and confusion fuel misinformation and disinformation, and waste financial resources.

2. Defining official statistics

The government should examine options for incorporating a definition of official statistics in legislation and in federal governance. Surprisingly, there is no reference to official statistics in Canada's Statistics Act. The term is used sporadically on Statistics Canada's website and is not defined.

While Statistics Canada is a major source of what should be deemed as official statistics, other jurisdictions and non-government sectors also produce quality information that contribute to understanding national and regional trends and which could also be considered official statistics.

Over the years Statistics Canada has played a leadership role in developing standard statistical concepts and definitions, working with international organizations such as the United Nations, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the International Monetary Fund. Yet Canada remains one of the few countries amongst its peers in terms of statistical methodology and technology development that does not define official statistics in its legislation.^{Footnote 4}

Examples of countries who define official statistics in their legislation and publish a repository, or register, of official statistics: Australia, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden and United Kingdom. Canada does not.

Statistics Canada endorses and adheres to United Nations Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics which include relevance, impartiality, professional standards, transparency and confidentiality. These principles should be the basis of official statistics produced throughout the national statistical system. This could include fostering the adoption of these principles by non-government sectors such as Indigenous organizations, academia, the private sector and non-governmental organizations. A public dialogue is needed on interpreting these principles as they relate to the Canadian context to ensure they are clearly articulated and commonly understood.

3. Authorities for producing official statistics need to be clear

The national statistical system requires clear legislative and governance authority and partnerships for the collection, production, assessment, sharing and access of official statistics. Current gaps lead to uneven standards and methods across federal departments as well as other jurisdictions and non-government organizations. These must be strengthened to ensure consistent quality statistics for all sectors of Canadian society.

The Constitution, the Statistics Act and data privacy and protection legislation are all areas where authority over statistics is outlined. However, their interpretations are too often met with a narrow focus and lack of clarity in the roles played by different actors in the national statistical system creating barriers to data flows across jurisdictions.

The Canadian Constitution provides the foundational authority for statistics in Canada. It bestows to Parliament the authority for the Census and statistics. The constitution refers more specifically to matters around representation, equalization transfers, equality rights, minority language rights and rights of Aboriginal peoples which require the Census and statistics to administer.

The Statistics Act is more explicit in denoting authority to Statistics Canada. It speaks to three general areas of authority for the agency. Succinctly, Statistics Canada must first produce, analyze and disseminate statistical information relating to Canadian society. The Act specifically mentions the Census of Population, the Census of Agriculture and a list of social, economic, energy and financial statistics. Second, in producing these statistics, the agency must promote the avoidance of duplication and collaborate with federal departments to use their data. Third, Statistics Canada must also work with provinces^{Footnote 5} to plan the development of integrated social and economic statistics for the whole of Canada and for each province.

Data privacy and protection legislation and policies cannot be obstacles to the national statistical system. They must recognize the authority of Statistics Canada to collect data, coordinate data flows, and allow for the adoption of emerging data practices.

Current authorities and responsibilities are ambiguous

In the recommended framework there should be no ambiguity in the interpretation of the legal authorities and responsibilities of Statistics Canada and other producers of official statistics.

Currently, the Statistics Act does not indicate how the agency should work with federal, provincial and other partners in sharing and integrating statistics. t does not specify protocols for data access and use of coordinated information across jurisdictions. Nor does it specify processes to accredit official statistics. Canada is essentially a cooperative federation which relies on good will and trust on the part of all stakeholders.

A clear framework of official statistics would facilitate collaboration and coordination across departments, jurisdictions, Indigenous organizations and other sectors who are also developing their own data strategies. Harmonizing data strategies across jurisdictions opens new opportunities for creating rich national databases. These data would become part of the national statistical system with common statistical definitions and standards. Promoting this harmonization is one of Statistics Canada's responsibilities under the Statistics Act.

Statistics Canada has a long history of collaborating with federal departments and other jurisdictions in areas such as health, education and environment statistics.

Some examples of how Statistics Canada works with across jurisdictions and organizations can be seen with the pan-Canadian Health Data Strategy and the Canada Energy Regulator which models uses of energy into the future. Other collaborative work informs today's dialogue on critical minerals, with Statistics Canada's statistics on the production and value of minerals and metals, and Natural Resources Canada's data and analysis on investments in exploration and development within this sector.

The Canadian Research Data Centre Network and Health Research Data Network Canada play essential roles is providing national quantitative research infrastructures for social, population health and business research.

Too often there is a lack of coordination and debates over jurisdictional authorities. These gaps have been the focus of much of the Council's previous reports. The interpretation of Statistics Canada's legal authorities under the Statistics Act should be clear and these authorities cannot be diminished as new legislation is introduced.

There is also a need to clarify the roles and authorities of the Chief Statistician and those of the federal Chief Data Officer of Canada (CDO). The position of CDO has recently been created to support the objectives of the 2023–2026 Data Strategy for the Federal Public Service.

The CDO is responsible for better use of government data within the Public Service. The CDO's mandate includes creating and maintaining policies and procedures for managing public sector data, ensuring its quality, accuracy, and security. While the CDO does not provide statistical or methodological expertise, there seems to be overlap with the work of Statistics Canada. There is also lack of clarity in the interpretation of the scope of CDO's authority and its role as it relates to official statistics.

Statistics Canada's role should be unambiguous. With its internationally recognized expertise in statistical methods and data standards, Statistics Canada has played a leadership role in developing and implementing the federal data strategy including the technical data infrastructure required. The agency has in-depth knowledge of social, economic and environmental issues and advises on data development in support of community and policy decisions. It also has a strong track record creating linkage environments^{Footnote 6} where various data sources can be effectively and securely collected and integrated for statistical analysis with modern statistical methods and technologies.

As the CDO office works closely with Statistics Canada on federal data management initiatives, it will be important to more clearly establish and communicate the role and authority of the CDO in relation to that of the Chief Statistician.

4. Official statistics must be accredited

Accreditation is an essential tool to ensure that the data in statistics repositories, such as the federal Canadian Open Data Portal, meet professional statistical standards. Labels of accreditation of official statistics would help Canadians discern the credibility of data they find through an increasingly complex and wide range of sources from public and private sectors including online and social media.

The federal government should mandate Statistics Canada to develop a process for accrediting official statistics within the federal government. Countries who publish a repository, or register, of official statistics, such as Australia, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden and United Kingdom, also publish their code of practice used to accredit official statistics. The codes are based on values of trust, quality, professional methods and ease of access.

Statistics Canada's Quality Assurance Framework, currently used for the agency's own statistics, could be used more broadly as a tool to formally accredit official statistics. Respecting the United Nations Principles of Official Statistics, this multi-dimensional framework looks at data quality in a holistic way, where quality, or fitness for use of statistical information,^{Footnote 7} is defined in terms of six dimensions: relevance, accuracy, timeliness, accessibility, interpretability and coherence.

The federal government should also identify authorities for accrediting official statistics. This is a highly technical endeavour that requires profound statistical and methodology expertise rather than policy or administrative skills. Statistics Canada has the statistical expertise and capacity to carry out this work. Another option is an independent body of statistical experts. This model is used in the United Kingdom.^{Footnote 8} The required statistical expertise and capacity to do this comprehensive and ongoing work is, however, quite limited outside national statistical offices. Duplication of costs and capacity with Statistics Canada's quality assurance program would need to be considered as well as the impact on the agency's legislated independence.

5. A repository for official statistics must speak to all Canadians

Like many of its international peers,^{Footnote 9} Canada should have a repository of official statistics.

To effectively collaborate and share data, one needs clear beacons for what are trusted and quality data. Within the national statistical system, the official source of national or regional statistics is not always clear. While Statistics Canada is recognized as the primary source of statistics on Canada's population and the economy, there are areas where multiple departments and jurisdictions produce statistical information on similar topics.

Two agencies produce information on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Statistics Canada compiles the physical flow account for GHG emissions from a System of Environmental-Economic Accounts perspective, while Environment and Climate Change Canada produces the national GHG inventory from a climate change reporting perspective. The two agencies have created a weblink to clarify differences between these datasets, aiding users in selecting the appropriate data for their needs. As these data sets evolve to include more cross-cutting data on GHGs, the communication of their differences will need to be clearer and more transparent.

While much federal data are available from the Canadian Open Data Portal, the portal does not distinguish between what could be deemed official and other statistics nor does it include information produced by other jurisdictions. Too often the metadata are lacking or vague, leaving the user unclear about how the data were developed or their suitability for decision-making.

When a framework of official statistics is established, the federal government could build on the Open Data Portal providing easy access to official statistics and data sets, with labels that identify their producers including Statistics Canada and other government agencies. The government could also consider building an independent repository that only contains official statistics.

Statistics Canada should collaborate with other jurisdictions including provinces, territories and Indigenous organizations to identify and promote opportunities for extending the framework to other jurisdictions within the national statistical system. While formal accreditation of these data may be a longer-term objective, the broader application of this framework would result in much richer and enlightened sets of data for understanding and acting upon priority national and regional issues.

Good practices across the national statistical system can be found for easy access to data Canadians need.

A few examples:

• Statistics Canada: Canadian Survey on Interprovincial trade
• Alberta Energy Regulator: Central Data Hub for information about Alberta's oil and gas energy industry
• British Columbia Hydro: Water, flows and reservoirs
• Institut de la statistique du Québec : Municipal population projections
• Ontario Health Regions: Ontario Health System Performance
• City of Moncton: Open data for areas such as environment, transportation, housing
• First Nations Information Governance Centre: Housing: FNIGC Knowledge Lodge Search Results
• Canadian universities: Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging
• Canadian Chamber of Commerce: Real-Time Data for Canadian Businesses
• Environics Analytics: PRIZM® segmentation system for understanding customers and markets
• Care Canada: Towards a Gender Just Future: Gender Equality Annual Report 2023

6. Promoting trust in the national statistical system

The federal government should communicate with Canadians on why recognition and trust in official statistics are so important. First and foremost, official statistics are key to defining, measuring and articulating Canada as a sovereign nation and must reflect conscientious and moral principles of a democratic society. They provide Canadians with an unbiased shared narrative and common set of facts on the economic, social and environmental state of the country's diverse population and its regions. They are also important to understanding issues that affect the daily lives of Canadians and their quality of life. This includes issues on productivity, trade, climate change, health care, education, transportation, employment and cost of living, to name a few.

While the proposed framework for official statistics will allow Statistics Canada and the national statistical system to be more effective, they must continue to earn the trust and support of Canadians, the business community and government sectors. Statistics Canada and other producers of official statistics must be recognized as the source of quality statistics that Canadians need. This is only possible when Canadians relate to and see themselves in these data. Having easy access to accredited official statistics with clear labels and definitions would elevate this trust.

It is also a two-way street. National and regional statistics are based on data collected from Canadians. There must be a willingness for Canadians to share information for statistical purposes and for the public good^{Footnote 10} which is a foundation of democracies and strong societies.

Sharing health data across jurisdictions has been a particular challenge which the Council has highlighted in our previous reports. Federal, provincial, and territorial health ministers have recently agreed to continue to modernize the sharing of public health data between their governments.^{Footnote 11} An update to the 2014 Multi-lateral Information Sharing Agreement is expected by the end of 2025. Of particular interest will be updated bilateral and multilateral agreements to improve how health data are collected, shared, used and reported; and measures such as data stewardship and data confidentiality to increase trust and transparency.

Misinformation and disinformation affect the trust in statistical information from more official sources.

Reliable official information increasingly competes with information produced with little or no scientific basis, especially when the latter is presented as "alternative facts". According to recent Statistics Canada studies, 43% of Canadians thought it was becoming harder to distinguish between true and false news or information and 73% reported having seen content online that they suspected to be false or inaccurate.

Examples of misinformation include questioning of Statistics Canada's statistics on the price of consumer goods^{Footnote 12} and on the number of temporary migrants in Canada.^{Footnote 13} In both cases, the ensuing debates showed methodological flaws in the challenges to the agency's methods and statistics.^{Footnote 14},^{Footnote 15}

Also, foreign states are using disinformation to undermine Canadian democracy and economic well-being. President Trump has used disinformation as a pressure tactic to misrepresent the terms of trade between Canada and the United States.^{Footnote 16} Russia and China use artificial intelligence and other disinformation tools to undermine democratic national elections around the world including Canada.^{Footnote 17}

When used maliciously, disinformation lays the seeds of mistrust in public institutions including legal, government and financial sectors. This undermines the use of quality unbiased data for effective evidence-based decision making. It also undermines the country's sovereignty.

Artificial intelligence is also contributing to the problem. In our 2024 Annual Report, the Canadian Statistics Advisory Council discussed benefits and challenges of artificial intelligence in statistics. Not all technologies are suitable for producing statistics, and methodology should never be trumped by technology. Improper use of artificial intelligence when collecting data or in data analytics can lead to an erosion of trust and disengagement of citizens.

To counter misinformation and disinformation, the federal government and Statistics Canada must do a better job of communicating to Canadians and to communities the real and positive benefits they get from well-informed policies based on information they provide to Statistics Canada and to other government agencies. The language describing Statistics Canada's rigorous process^{Footnote 18} to responsibly collect and use statistical information needs to be simple, and the message must resonate with examples that individual Canadians can relate to. The government must also be attuned to changing social norms and perceptions around the collection and use of personal information.

The balance of trade is the difference between the value of exports and the value of imports over a given period, and can be calculated from a broad perspective or for specific product categories or trading partners. Trade balance statistics are generally calculated by subtracting the value of imports from the value of exports.

In the context of discussions on Canada's trade balance, different statistics can be referenced. For example, Statistics Canada produces international merchandise trade statistics on two different bases:

• customs, and
• balance of payments (BOP).

These bases allow for the calculation of the balance of trade in goods with the world and with specific countries from these two perspectives. The primary distinction between customs and BOP concepts lies in the focus of the data. Customs-basis statistics reflect the physical movement of goods between Canada and its trading partners, while BOP-basis data track the shifts in ownership between Canadian residents and non-residents.

• Customs-basis data are used to compile net exports (the term used to indicate a "balance" on a customs basis).
• BOP-basis data are used to compile the official merchandise trade balance indicator for goods, as well as the trade balance for goods and services.

Additionally, merchandise trade compilers in other countries produce statistics that often reflect a trade balance with Canada that differs from Statistics Canada's measures.

Although all these statistics are valid measures, they are based on different data, each with their own concepts, definitions and uses. Understanding the key concepts and uses for each basis can help determine which statistic may be most appropriate to use given the objectives of individual data users.

Customs-basis statistics

Customs-basis statistics measure the change in the stock of material resources in Canada that results from goods entering (imports) and leaving (exports) the country. Customs-basis data are therefore useful for understanding the physical movement of goods between countries. These statistics offer highly detailed product categories and several different dimensions, such as province or territory, port, and mode of transport.

Customs-basis data are available for all of Canada's trading partners, with imports attributed to the country of origin of the goods and exports to the country of last known destination. Trade with a given country can be further broken down by product, and by other dimensions as well. Given that customs duties and tariffs are typically calculated based on the country of origin of the goods (the country where the goods were grown, extracted or manufactured), customs-basis data may be more relevant to use in the context of tariffs.

However, customs-basis data are not directly comparable with trade in services data or with other macroeconomic indicators such as gross domestic product (GDP). BOP-basis statistics do offer this compatibility, and with it a broader perspective on Canada's trade activity.

Balance of payments basis statistics

BOP-basis trade data provide a measure of economic transactions in goods between Canadian residents and non-residents that result from a change in ownership. Canada's official measure for the trade balance is calculated by subtracting BOP-basis imports from BOP-basis exports.

Canada's BOP-basis merchandise trade in goods data are sourced from the customs-basis data, which are then adjusted to align with BOP concepts. These adjustments, which are focused primarily on valuation, coverage and timing, allow for the integration of merchandise trade data with other macroeconomic accounts statistics, such as gross domestic product (GDP).

Unlike customs-basis data, which are multidimensional, BOP-basis data are available only by aggregate product category or by principal trading partner (including 27 specific countries). Therefore, it is not possible to break down imports and exports with a specific country by product category.

Imports for the principal trading partners are attributed to the country of export of the goods to reflect the change in ownership concept on a BOP basis. Like the customs-basis data, exports are attributed to the country of last known destination.

In addition to the trade balance for goods on a BOP basis, the trade balance can also be calculated for goods and services combined to get a more complete picture of Canada's trade activity. This is accomplished by adding BOP-basis merchandise trade data for goods with data for trade in services, and then subtracting imports from exports. As principal trading partner details are also available for trade in services data, it is possible to calculate a total trade balance (goods plus services) for Canada's individual principal trading partners.

Comparing bilateral merchandise trade statistics

While it might be assumed that the trade statistics of one country should match the trade statistics of another for bilateral trade between the two, this is not usually the case. There are several reasons why the data produced by one country can differ from those produced by another, with the key factor being the attribution of countries in international merchandise trade statistics.

To illustrate the attribution of partner countries in trade statistics and the impact on the comparability of bilateral trade data, the example of Canada's trade with the United States will be examined.

Comparing customs-basis bilateral trade data

Beginning with customs-basis data, both countries follow international standards for the attribution of trading partners in their statistics. These standards recommend that:

• imports be attributed to the country of origin of the goods; and
• exports, which include both domestic exports and re-exports, be attributed to the country of last known destination.

Re-exports are exports of goods originating in another country that were previously imported and then exported either without significant alteration or after undergoing minor processing (such as packaging), which keeps their essential nature unchanged. The treatment of re-exports in the compilation of merchandise trade statistics is an important factor in bilateral trade balance differences (or asymmetries) between trading partners.

In-transit shipments are different from re-exports and represent exchanges between two countries that rely in part on a third country's transportation infrastructure. Such shipments typically do not clear customs in the third country, and this country would therefore not be listed as either the country of origin or the country of export.

According to Statistics Canada, Canada imported $373.7 billion (all values are in Canadian dollars) of goods from the United States in 2023. For the same year, the US-compiled data showed US exports to Canada of $478.1 billion. Partner country attribution is behind most of the difference (or asymmetry) between these two statistics. Canada's import statistics, as mentioned, are attributed to the country of origin. This includes goods of US origin that were directly shipped from countries other than the United States. In the US export data, these would not appear as exports to Canada, but as exports to a third country. In addition to this, the US data for total exports include re-exports of foreign-origin goods to Canada, which in the Canadian import data are attributed to the country of origin. Of the $104.4 billion difference between these bilateral trade statistics, US re-exports of foreign-origin goods were $86.3 billion, accounting for about 83% of the difference.

Trading partner attribution also leads to asymmetry when looking at southbound trade: Canada's exports to the United States and US imports from Canada. In 2023, Canadian data showed that Canada exported $594.5 billion in goods to the United States, while the US data showed $564.9 billion in imports from Canada. Again, country attribution is the main factor behind the difference, mainly Canada's re-exports of foreign-origin goods to the United States. Consistent with international standards, total exports include both domestic exports and re-exports of foreign-origin goods. On the import side, these re-exports are attributed to the country of origin of the goods, not the country from which the goods were directly shipped. In 2023, Canada's re-exports of foreign-origin goods to the US were valued at $25.0 billion, accounting for 85% of the asymmetry between the bilateral statistics. In addition, the US import data also include imports of Canadian-origin goods from countries other than Canada, which are attributed to other countries of destination in Canadian export data.

These asymmetries between the bilateral trade statistics published by countries are normal and reflected in customs-basis net exports. In the case of Canada-US trade, the 2023 Canadian surplus in net exports ($220.8 billion) is larger in Statistics Canada's customs-basis statistics than it is in the equivalent statistics published by the United States ($86.8 billion).

Comparing balance of payments basis bilateral trade data

Asymmetries in bilateral trade statistics are also evident within BOP-basis data, with differences resulting mainly from country attribution and BOP adjustments. The BOP standards recommend that compilers identify the country that last owned the goods for attribution in import statistics. However, specific methods for doing so are not prescribed.

In 2023, the Canadian data showed $592.9 billion in exports to the United States, while the US data showed $576.6 billion in goods imported from Canada. As with the customs-basis data, and in contrast with the Canadian approach for BOP-basis imports, US imports on a BOP basis are attributed to the country of origin and include Canadian-origin goods imported from countries other than Canada. Also, Canadian total exports include re-exports of foreign-origin goods to the United States. The resulting asymmetry is therefore essentially in line with customs-based data for Canadian exports to the United States and US imports from Canada.

In the reverse scenario—Canada's imports from the United States and US exports to Canada—trading partner attribution is less significant. Unlike customs-basis data, Canada's BOP-basis imports are attributed to the country of export rather than the country of origin. In 2023, Canada's imports from the United States were valued at $484.6 billion, while the United States reported $478.9 billion in exports of goods to Canada.

Although some BOP adjustments are shared between the two countries, these are largely compiled independently from different data sources. This may result in differences between the reported imports of one country and the reported exports of the other, and vice versa. BOP adjustments that may lead to asymmetries include trade definition (like repairs), valuation and residency, and timing.

As with the customs-basis data, the asymmetries between the bilateral trade statistics published by countries are normal and reflected in the balance of payments basis trade balance. In the case of Canada-US trade, the 2023 Canadian trade surplus ($108.3 billion) is larger in Statistics Canada's BOP-basis statistics than it is in the equivalent statistics published by the United States ($97.7 billion).

	Customs-basis values	BOP-basis values
Northbound trade: Canadian imports	$373.7 billion	$484.6 billion
Northbound trade: US exports	$478.1 billion	$478.9 billion
Southbound trade: Canadian exports	$594.5 billion	$592.9 billion
Southbound trade: US imports	$564.9 billion	$576.6 billion
Canadian data: net exports/trade balance	+$220.8 billion	+$108.3 billion
US data: net exports/trade balance	-$86.8 billion	-$97.7 billion

All values are in Canadian dollars
Source: Table 12-10-0005-01 Canada and United States bilateral trade in goods, customs and balance of payments-basis, by currency and direction of trade, quarterly

Detailed explanations of the concepts and definitions related to comparisons of bilateral trade data, both on a customs basis and on a BOP basis, can be found in the article Comparing Canadian and US bilateral trade in goods data, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Statistics Canada tracks published statistics for the two countries in its table Canada and United States bilateral trade in goods, customs and balance of payments-basis, by currency and direction of trade, quarterly, which presents data in both Canadian and US dollars.

More information on data sources, concepts and definitions for customs-basis and BOP-basis statistics can be found in the Reference Guide to Canadian International Merchandise Trade Statistics.