Requests for information – Families, households and marital status

Under the authority of the Statistics Act, Statistics Canada is hereby requesting the following information which will be used solely for statistical and research purposes and will be protected in accordance with the provisions of the Statistics Act and any other applicable law. This is a mandatory request for data.

Couple relationships

Central Registry of Divorce Proceedings

What information is being requested?

Statistics Canada is requesting divorce registration records from the Central Registry of Divorce Proceedings (CRDP) going back to April 1st, 1968. In accordance with CRDP Regulations, once a divorce application has been filed and a fee paid, court registrars have a legal obligation to complete a registration form and send it to the CRDP in order to obtain a Clearance Certificate, before proceeding with a divorce action.

The CRDP dataset in its entirety is being requested. The CRDP includes information such as the province or territory in which the divorce application was filed, date of divorce, and the applicants' age.

What personal information is included in this request?

This request contains personal information including the applicants' name, gender, date of birth, date of marriage, and disposition date. Personal identifiers (name, gender and date of birth) are required to perform data linkages, for statistical purposes only. Once these data are linked, the personal identifiers are replaced by an anonymized person key.

What years of data will be requested?

All data held at time of the request.

From whom will the information be requested?

This information is being requested from the Department of Justice Canada

Why is this information being requested?

These data will assist in the development of more targeted and relevant policies and programs that reflect the characteristics and circumstances of Canadian individuals and families who experience divorce. Through a better understanding of divorce trends, relevant authorities can better target poverty reduction, social isolation and support networks, housing needs, child care needs and senior care needs among divorced persons.

Statistics Canada will use this information for a pilot project to create and publish statistics on annual divorce rates. These statistics will address the data gap for timely indicators of divorce rates and other trends such as the average age of the applicants. These statistics will be used by policy makers, researchers, and stakeholders to understand the evolving trends of family dynamics in Canada and identify differences in this regard across the provinces and territories.

Statistics Canada may also use the information for other statistical and research purposes.

Why were these organizations selected as data providers?

The Department of Justice is responsible for collecting and maintaining up-to-date data on administrative divorce records.

When will this information be requested?

July 2021

What Statistics Canada programs will primarily use these data?

When was this request published?

July 12, 2021

Telephone Service Provider data files

What information is being requested?

Statistics Canada is requesting the following information from telephone communication service providers:

  • wired, and wireless telephone numbers;
  • phone service and payment types (e.g., wired, wireless, pre-paid or not);
  • service and billing address information and;
  • information on customer type (e.g. residential, commercial).

The requested data will complement data already acquired by Statistics Canada from other telephone communication service providers.

What personal information is included in this request?

This request contains information such as telephone numbers and addresses. It does not contain identifying information, such as names or client IDs.

What years of data will be requested?

Statistics Canada has been receiving telephone information from a variety of telephone service providers on a quarterly basis, since 1989.

Statistics Canada will be requesting this type of information from other telecommunication service providers beginning in June 2021 (ongoing).

From whom will the information be requested?

The information is being requested from various telecommunication service providers based on coverage requirements.

Why is this information being requested?

Statistics Canada requires this information to support the Census of Population and the Address Register programs. Having optimal telephone and cellular coverage is crucial for the 2021 Census of Population, which is being conducted by Statistics Canada in the COVID-19 environment. To protect the health and safety of all Canadians, and our employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, Statistics Canada is striving for a contact-free approach. The Agency will prioritize the use of these data in order to perform telephone follow-ups for Census non-response, rather than in-person follow-ups.

Statistics Canada will use the additional telephone and cellular service provider data to strengthen the quality of the Address Register, its replacement the Statistical Building Register and its associated Residential Telephone File. These programs are essential in supporting the Census of Population, as well as other statistical programs that use them, resulting in better statistical information provided to Canadians.

Statistics Canada may also use the information for other statistical and research purposes.

More information can be found on Statistics Canada's Trust Centre about the use of telephone and cellphone numbers.

Why were these organizations selected as data providers?

These organizations collect and maintain up-to-date data on wired and wireless telephone numbers, service and billing address information, and types of customer, phone service and payment at the address. These organizations were selected after a thorough investigation determined that Statistics Canada's geographic telephone coverage required additional sources.

When will this information be requested?

June 2021 and onward (quarterly).

What Statistics Canada programs will primarily use these data?

When was this request published?

June 15, 2021

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