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| 1 | Name of the current national classification (Original) | Standard Classification of Goods (SCG) - Classification type des biens (CTB) |
| 2 | Name of the current national classification (English) | N/A |
| 3 | Link to international classifications
(Give the name of the international standard classification the current classification is linked to or derived | SCG is based upon the Harmonized Description and Coding System (HS) |
| 4 | If no links to international classifications exist or no international standard is used, please state if there any plans to use international norms, such as work in progress, translation etc. | |
| 5 | Please describe deviations from the international standard (if any)
(Use one or two examples, if general statement not possible) | We use the SCG to tie together our requirements for import, export and production statistics. As a signatory to the HS, we apply the HS to imports and exports to the full extent possible (6-digit level). In applying the HS to production statistics, we have found it necessary to collect some of our production data at the Heading (4-digit) level of the HS and at the one-dash subheading level of the HS, rather than at the 6-digit subheading level. We also have assigned codes to the one-dash subheadings of the HS, which is a deviation to the HS. We have done this in order to be able to store and identify this level of the classification in computer files. |
| 6 | Levels in the structure:
Is the structure identical to international standard or, if not, how does it differ?
Have additional levels been added or have changes been made, e.g. aggregations or additional breakdowns? | The SCG is a 9-digit code, and matches the structure of the HS exactly to the 6-digit level. In addition to the chapter, heading and subheading levels of the HS, the SCG has 7, 8 and 9 digit levels of the classification to identify additional national statistical requirements beyond that of the HS. It is intended that the rules of classification of the HS be applied to classification of goods according to the SCG. |
| 7 | Number of items at the most detailed level of the current classification | There are approximately 17,000 classes at the most detailed level. |
| 8 | Do conversion tables exist between the national and the international classifications (if applicable)? | N/A |
| 9 | Name of institution / office responsible for the elaboration and maintenance of the classification | Standards Division, Statistics Canada |
| 10 | Contact address, phone number, e-mail or website for public information and inquiry | Gilbert Elliot
Standards Division
Statistics Canada
120 Parkdale Ave.
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada, K1A 0T6Gil.elliot@statcan.ca |
| 11 | Implementation date:
Please state the date of the first official adoption and the programme for the implementation of the various statistical applications. | The SCG was implemented for the reference year 1988.
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| 12 | Plans for revision or update of the current classification.
Please state if plans are made to revise the classification (e.g. due to national needs not reflected in the international classification). | The SCG is revised each year to account for changes in the Customs Tariff of Canada and to account for changing requirements in export and production statistics. Revisions are also made to account for the changes in the HS. For example the changes in the HS for 1992 and 1996 are reflected in the annual versions of the SCG for those years. The changes in the HS for 2002 will be incorporated into the 2002 SCG. |
| 13 | Users of the classification for statistical purposes
Please state in which statistics (surveys etc.) this classification is used and if there are users outside of the Statistical Office. | The SCG is used in the Annual Survey of Manufactures (ASM). The SCG is used outside the statistical office by users wishing to interpret data from the ASM. |
| 14 | Statistical data collected according to the current classification
Please describe for which statistical surveys or indicators the classification is used and, if not used at the most detailed level, indicate the level or aggregates used. | The SCG is used in the Annual Survey of Manufactures (ASM) to collect data on consumption of goods and production of goods by Canadian manufacturers classified to over 250 industries. The level of SCG detail used for collection of goods data from the ASM varies from the 4-digit (subheading level) to the 9-digit level. The level of detail varies by industry. |
| 15 | Statistical data published according to the current classification
Please describe for which statistical surveys or indicators the classification is used and, if not used at the most detailed level, indicate the level or aggregates used. | Formal publication of goods data collected on the ASM has recently been discontinued in favour of disseminating data on an ad hoc basis. The data is disseminated according to the coding and structure of the SCG. Confidentiality concerns often result in the data being available at more aggregate levels than that at which it was collected. |
| 16 | In which languages is the classification available? | English and French |
| 17 | Is the classification available in electronic form? | The SCG is available in either ASCII text format or as a Microsoft Access database PC file. Other formats will be considered upon request. |
| 18 | Do the conversion key(s) exist in electronic form? | N/A |
| 19 | Have national explanatory notes and recommendations been elaborated? | No |
| 20 | Problems occurred during the period of use of the current classification
Please describe the kind of problems that have occurred (interpretation, methodology, etc.) | Application of the SCG/HS to national production statistics presented some difficulty in certain areas, because the HS was too detailed or was not relevant for Canadian manufacturing statistics. Aggregate levels of the HS were therefore used. |
| 21 | Users of the classification for non-statistical purposes
Please give the names of institutions that use the classification for non-statistical purposes (as opposed to statistical purposes in question 13). Also indicate the kind of use (e.g. tax offices, social security, customs, enterprise register etc.) | N/A |
| 22 | Alternative classifications used by other institutions of the economy
Please indicate if these classifications are available and useful for the Statistical Office. | N/A |
| 23 | Are conversion tables between alternative and current classification available? | N/A |
| 24 | Name of former (previous) national classification
(full name in both national tongue and in English with acronyms in brackets, should be given) | Standard Commodity Classification (SCC). The SCC was developed to be a base for development of compatible working level classifications in the areas of external trade statistics, transportation statistics and manufacturing statistics etc. Working level classifications based upon this standard were the Industrial Commodity Classification (ICC) for classifying production and materials used by manufacturers, the Import Commodity Classification (MCC) for classifying imported goods and the Export Commodity Classification (XCC) for classifying exported goods. |
| 25 | Link of former classification to international classifcations | The SCC was designed to have a close relationship with the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC). |
| 26 | Levels in the structure (of former classification) | The SCC was a 5-digit code grouped into 5 sections. Each section was organized into Divisions (83 in total), each division was organized into Groups (484 in total) and Groups were broken down into classes (5,876 in total). |
| 27 | Number of items at the most detailed level | There are 5,876 classes at the most detailed level of the SCC. |
| 28 | Do conversion tables exist between former and current classification? | Rough concordances were developed linking the working level classifications to the HS |
| 29 | Date of implementation of former classification | 1972 |
| 30 | Which statistical data are currently collected or published according to the former classification?
Please indicate if this statistical data is collected or published by the Statistical Office or elsewhere. | N/A |
