Statistics Canada Research Data Centre Program*

1. Statistics Canada Research Data Centre Program* Facilities across Canada housing detailed confidential microdata and documentation files from Statistics Canada Statistics Canada released data that would otherwise not be available into “secure” sites.

2. About statistics Canada data: • Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) • Ethnic Diversity Survey (EDS) • General Social Survey (GSS selected cycles) • Access to and Use of Information Communication Technology • Education, Work and Retirement • Family • Health • Social Engagement • Social Support and Aging • Time Use • Victimization • Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (LSIC) • National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY) • National Population Health Survey (NPHS) • Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics (SLID) • Workplace and Employee Survey (WES) • Youth in Transition Survey and the Programme for International Student Assessments (YITS-PISA)

3. Stats Canada data are released to universities through the “Data Liberation Initiative” • Most Cdn. universities part of this • Data housed in university data library (at Uvic: Kathleen Matthews, library) and copies are made available to any researcher requesting it as long as: • a) agree to terms (no re-dissemination; etc.) • b) bona fida member of the university community

4. DLI Restrictions • No longitudinal data (in some cases, cross-sectional waves, not linked and with unique identifiers stripped, are available, but in other cases survey not available at all) • Many variables treated as “confidential” and deleted from dataset or coarsely categorized

5. censored variables Full versions of datasets with censored variables + datasets not otherwise available can be worked on in a “Research Data Centre”

6. Full versions of datasets with censored variables + datasets not otherwise available can be worked on in a “Research Data Centre”

7. Statistics Canada Research Data Centre Program There are RDCs across Canada at most major universities with doctoral programs: New Brunswick, Dalhousie, Moncton Toronto (York has a “branch” which will soon develop into a full-blown centre) Waterloo (Guelph, WLU participate + a “branch” at Laurentian) McMaster (Brock participates) Western (Windsor participates and will soon have a branch) Queen’s (part-time site) Carleton (U of Ottawa participates) Manitoba U of Saskatchewan 2 Alberta sites: U of Alberta; Calgary (various Prairie universities participate) Manitoba Consortium (U de Montreal) with branches at UQAM, Sherbrooke, Laval McGill BC universities consortium BC consortium: UBC, SFU, UVic, Vancouver Island Univ.

8. The UVic branch works within the British Columbia Interuniversity Research Data Centre network • “main” site is at UBC; open 9-5 M-F • UVic site has more restrictive hours (arranged term-by-term in consultation with researchers). • Currently 15.5 hours/week (sometimes a bit less in summer) • Exact hours worked out in consultation with users

9. Support: • Capital costs: • Canadian Foundation for Innovation • Office of the Provost • Operating costs: • Dean of Social Science • Vice-President, Research • Dean of Graduate Studies Past support & seeking support for present year: • Dean of Humanities; Dean of Graduate Studies, Assoc. Dean, Island Med. Pgm. • Dean of Human and Social Development • Dean of Education

10. What is the relationship between the RDC network and the “Data Liberation Initiative”? • often users work with the DLI version of a dataset before progressing to work using the RDC • StatCan will only approve projects if it can be demonstrated that DLI data is insufficient or there are no DLI files for the survey of interest • contact person on campus for DLI: Kathleen Matthews

13. Data used most frequently at RDCs

14. Major Statcan surveys:(ALL VERY WELL SUPPORTED AT RDCs) • Workplace and Employment Survey • Canadian Community Health Survey • Health Services Access Survey Longitudinal: • National Population Health Survey • Survey of Labour & Income Dynamics • National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth • Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada • Youth in Transition Survey • Workplace & Employment Survey Census (presently 1991,1996,2001,2006)

15. Other “supported” surveys

16. Other surveys

17. & other data can be arranged • There is presently a project involving BC Administrative Health data (to be linked to Stats Can survey data) • For a very large list of StatCan Surveys, see the DLI website (UVic library) http://gateway.uvic.ca/data/default.html  click on “DLI collection” future plans: see below

18. What is the process for gaining access? http://www.statcan.ca/english/rdc/application.htm

19. Application process works through SSHRC Graduate students must have faculty member as co-investigator

20. Project proposal • Proposal evaluation by SSHRC peer review and Statistics Canada • Very few are turned down… though must establish that confidential data are required to complete project • Does project have scientific merit? is access to confidential microdata necessary? Does researcher have expertise to conduct research? • Takes 6-8 weeks • Proposals that are part of SSHRC or CIHR grants forgo the SSHRC peer review process • Approvals typically 3-4 weeks

21. Process: • Submit proposal • Proposal approved • Security check on applicant • oath, investigator becomes “deemed employee” of statistics canada • Orientation session at UVic • Issued access card for card reader

22. UVic facilities: • 6 workstation lab with room for expansion to up to 10 workstations • workstations now have widescreen monitors or dual screen configuration • Server for data • Most commonly used statistical software packages • Some highly specialized software packages Hours are worked out to suit the needs of active researchers. Fall 2008 hours: Monday & Thursday 10am-3pm 5 additional hours to be worked out in consultation with users

23. Software Standard stats packages: SPSS (17), SAS (9.1) STATA (10)** [Stata/SE on one machine) Open-source stats: R Multilevel models: HLM, LISREL, MPlus SEM models: LISREL, MPlus Specialized (Bayesian, MCMC etc.): WinBugs Other software can be obtained if demand exists.

24. Security process • No output or notes can be taken out of the room • Users have file drawers and access to printer inside the centre • Output listings and notes (if typed into a computer file) can be released after they are “vetted” by a Statistics Canada Analyst at the main BC site • Files are sent via encrypted CD to Vancouver (2-3 days) • Files that are approved for release are emailed back to researcher • Pass card works only during centre hours (swipe in, swipe out protocol)

25. Can I work at other RDCs too?Can I work with other researchers? What about other researchers at other universities? • Access is “network wide” • Files are stored on a “project” basis (researchers, RAs, etc. have own account but access to shared files) • UVic researchers are part of the BC consortium and could go to the UBC site if more intense periods of research are required (35 hrs/week vs. 15); project files can be sent to and from the branch (3-6 days)

26. Preparation: • Check to see if dataset is one of standard RDC datasets: check http://www.statcan.ca/english/rdc/whatdata.htm • Extensive data documentation provided for listed datasets • If what you are interested is not on the list, check with Doug Baer or Lee Grenon • Is a public use file available? Check with Kathleen Matthews kmatthew@uvic.ca or on library web site. http://gateway.uvic.ca/data/default.html Verify that variables needed for research are not on public use file. If possible, use public use file to explore data, etc. • If further dataset documentation required, ask Doug Baer or Lee Grenon • Go to SSHRC web page to put together application. Don’t hesitate to consult Doug Baer for help. Be prepared to specify variables to be used. Where a public use version of the dataset is available, be prepared to make clear why RDC access is needed (e.g., “a needed variable is suppressed on the public use file”).

27. Statistics Training • Summer Institutes: • SPIDA (York University) • ICPSR (U Michigan) • Prairie school? (Calgary) • Possible BC initiatives • Seminar at the Congress for the Humanities & Social Sciences (this year: multilevel models) • Special workshops and seminars (Baer): • Possible: SEM, survival/event history models, longitudinal data, multi-level data

28. Contact information: Doug Baer, Academic Director (Sociology) baer@uvic.ca (721) – 7581 Cornett, A365 RDC (Assistant Lorraine Dame) (853) 3196 (rdc@uvic.ca) RDC Analyst at UBC: Lee Grenon, 604-822-0263 (bcirdc@interchange.ubc.ca) Centre web site (shows hours): web.uvic.ca/rdc

29. Future: • Plans are in development to add the following to RDC dataset collection: • Cancer Registry (pilot project in progress at BCIRDC) • HRSDC administrative data • CPP-disability data • Homicide data (Cdn. Centre for Justice Statistics) [under review: pilots only] • Census • Business data: (selected datasets from Small Business & Special Surveys Division)