6. Conclusions

As part of the 2016 Census Strategy Project, Statistics Canada has developed a content determination framework, including criteria for inclusion of content in the 2016 Census Program. This included the design of a user consultation instrument to gather information on Census Program data uses and requirements. The instrument was applied to key stakeholders in support of the principle objective of the 2016 Census Strategy Project to study options and deliver a recommendation to the federal government on the methodology of the 2016 Census Program.

Responses from all levels of government, or their representatives, as well as feedback from the non-government sector, on their Census Program data uses and requirements was sufficiently detailed and of fitting quantity to allow Statistics Canada to analyze the responses and to develop a possible content determination framework for the 2016 Census.

The requirement for information from all Census Program topics was confirmed, with the demographic topic, and in particular the population counts across a number of jurisdictions, noted in the overwhelming number of uses. Further, the population counts from the Census Program, and their role in the Population Estimates Program, were identified in federal and provincial/territorial legislations, associated with resource allocation and electoral requirements (number of seats by federal electoral boundaries).

The information submitted to Statistics Canada demonstrated the requirements for Census Program information for small geographic areas and for small populations, for service delivery and the development, evaluation and monitoring of policy and programs, for which there are currently no suitable alternative data sources. The data users likewise provided evidence of the importance of multivariate analysis which calls for both topics which can identify populations of interest, but also topics which can describe the labour, income, education and housing conditions of these populations.

The Census Program information requirements of the non-government sector mirrored those of government, in particular for data needs related to small geographic areas and for small populations.

Analysis of the structured feedback revealed that relative priorities of different topics could be identified through the information collected using this type of consultation questionnaire instrument. This analysis, along with a review of international practices and the recommendations of the National Statistics Council, provided the quantity and quality of information needed to develop a more structured and transparent framework for determining content in the future.

Specifically, the content determination process used for 2016, and beyond, should build on previous Census Program processes and:

• be open and transparent for stakeholders and data users, as well as for the Canadian public
• demonstrate evidence-based decision making in reaching content determination conclusions.

The requirements should be prioritized, based on the dimensions outlined in Table 1 in Section 5, and could result in a division of the content into three possible groups:

• to be asked on a full enumeration basis
• to be asked on a sample basis
• not to be collected in the Census Program, though perhaps which could be measured through other statistical programs.

The requirements will be further refined in the context of respondent burden and privacy concerns. This could result in four possible blocks:

1. Mandatory full enumeration – Topics/variables labelled for 'full enumeration' for which there are no major indications of burden and privacy intrusiveness.
2. Mandatory sample – Topics/variables labelled for 'full enumeration' for which there are major indications of burden (but no major indication of privacy intrusiveness) and topics/variables labelled for 'sample' for which there are no major indications of privacy intrusiveness.
3. Voluntary sample – Topics/variables labelled for 'full enumeration' or 'sample' for which there are major indications of burden and privacy intrusiveness.
4. Not to be collected in the Census Program, though perhaps which could be measured through other statistical programs.

There will then be a discussion with internal stakeholders to assess Statistics Canada considerations such as those related to costs, operational factors, safeguards against loss of Census Program data quality and safeguards against loss of efficiency and/or quality in other Statistics Canada programs.

An iterative approach of the above steps was applied for the collection of detailed descriptions from these data users on their Census Program information needs and requirements. The structured feedback received by the 2016 Census Strategy Project aligns well with the information requirements of the proposed 2016 Census content determination framework.

The online questionnaire tool used to gather feedback in the 2016 Census Strategy Project, with further refinements, will be used in future consultations to engage more broadly on information needs at the topic and variable level.