CONTENTS
Summary. 1
A.
Introduction. 3
B.
Stakeholders in the census. 3
1. Federal government
departments and agencies. 3
2. Provincial, territorial and
municipal governments. 3
3. Private-sector companies. 3
4. Secondary distributors. 4
5. Academics. 4
7. Non-governmental
organizations. 4
8. Media and general public. 4
C.
Role of stakeholders in content determination. 5
1. Determination of census
content 5
2. Involvement of stakeholders. 6
D.
Role of stakeholders in collection. 7
E.
Role of stakeholders in dissemination. 7
F.
Managing stakeholders’ expectations. 8
G.
Conclusion. 9
Strategies for
Involving Stakeholders in Census Activities: The Canadian Experience
The term “stakeholders” is used to describe those who are involved in
the conduct of the census, especially current or potential users of census
data. They include federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments;
private-sector companies; academic teachers and researchers; libraries;
non-governmental organizations; media and the general public. The involvement
of stakeholders in the census is essential at every step of the census process,
from content determination to dissemination of products and services. Several
departments of the federal government are among the biggest users of census
data in Canada. Population counts define federal electoral boundaries and
provide inputs for formulas determining transfer payments. Other major federal
users are departments responsible for social security and labour market issues,
immigration, housing, multiculturalism and Aboriginal affairs. In fact, these
departments contribute funding to cover the cost of data collection to meet
their programme needs—about 13 per cent of total cost in the 2001 census.
Provincial, territorial and municipal governments also use census data for the
services within their jurisdictions, such as social services, education, roads
and highways, public housing and schools. These users are very important, given
the support they provide in collecting census data.
Private-sector companies are
particularly interested in small-area data for such activities as marketing,
selecting locations for businesses, route planning, direct-mail advertising and
surveys. Some companies offer “value-added” products, which combine census data
with other elements (such as complementary data sources, data retrieval and
mapping software) to produce a commercial product. The academic sector uses
census data for both teaching and research. Data are used for analysis of
trends and to test theories about underlying social and economic behaviour.
Researchers help Statistics Canada to identify data gaps and future data needs.
Along with libraries, the academic sector enhances the visibility and
usefulness of census data. Libraries help the public to gain access to census
information. Other non-governmental users include community and cultural
associations, religious groups, labour unions and professional groups. The media uses census data to inform the
public about social and economic conditions in Canada, as well as to market
their own services. Finally, the partnership between Statistics Canada and the
general public is essential to ensure the collection of high-quality data. A
public communications programme is established for each census, which
emphasizes measures to ensure privacy and confidentiality. Many census stakeholders
also promote the census to the Canadian public.
Stakeholders are involved in
helping to shape the content of the census. New data needs must be considered
in light of legislative requirements, ensuring historical continuity of the
content, and availability of the data from non-census sources. Some topics are
not appropriate for a self-enumerated questionnaire and are better explored in
surveys. All new questions must be tested before being added to the
questionnaire. Stakeholders are consulted regularly through bilateral
committees, in larger meetings and through official statistical focal points.
Statistics Canada also has advisory committees on such topics as demography,
social conditions and health. Other mechanisms for consulting with clients include
written submissions, special meetings, conferences and the regional account
executives of Statistics Canada across the country. For the 2006 census, the
Internet will be used for consultation, allowing a larger audience to
participate.
The dissemination strategy
requires input from stakeholders to ensure that data needs are being met. Some
census products continue to be issued as publications, although users have
indicated that the Internet should become the primary dissemination tool in the
future. Testing electronic products with a sample of users from different
sectors has become an essential activity, because users differ in their ability
to access and use such information.
Stakeholders sometimes have unrealistic expectations about their
influence on census content or dissemination. Expectations can be managed by
focusing discussions on specific points where feedback is critical. Users also
need to know about all the elements of the statistical programme so they do not
expect the census to meet all their data needs. Regular consultation on the
progress of planning activities helps to build consensus. Throughout the
process, stakeholders must be informed about decisions made and the rationale
for adopting or rejecting changes.
1.
The Canadian census relies on a large, diverse group of
stakeholders to fulfill its mission of informing Canadian citizens, businesses
and governments about the socio-economic conditions and evolution of Canada.
Many of these stakeholders are important census data users. The involvement of
census stakeholders in all aspects of the census is crucial to ensuring a
successful census that meets the data needs of all.
2.
This document
describes the importance and the role of stakeholders throughout the census
cycle. Special attention will be paid to the content determination process as
well as to the methods used to maximize stakeholders’ participation while
managing their expectations and favouring consensus-building during
consultation activities.
3.
The
information emanating from the census is useful to many different groups of
data users. The following are key census stakeholders.
4.
A number of federal government departments are among the
biggest census data users. Census data are required to meet legislative and
programme needs. For example, federal electoral boundaries are defined by
census population counts following each decennial census. The federal Department of Finance also depends
on data based on population estimates produced from the census and subsequent
estimates of coverage as a key parameter in formulas determining transfer
payments to the provinces and territories. Federal departments responsible for
social security and labour market issues, immigration, housing,
multiculturalism and Aboriginal affairs are all major users of census data. In
fact, for the past three censuses, these departments have provided the marginal
funding to cover the collection of data to meet their programme needs
(approximately 13 per cent of total cost in 2001). In return for this financial
contribution, special arrangements were negotiated with them to enhance access
to census data.
5.
Provincial, territorial and municipal governments use census
data to develop policies and plan programmes and services within their
jurisdiction. Demographic and socio-economic information is necessary in the
planning of many programmes, including social services, education, roads and
highways, public transportation, housing needs and schools. These groups are
interested mostly in provincial- and subprovincial-level data to fulfill their
data needs.
6.
The provincial and territorial departments are strategically
important, given the support they provide in collecting census data.
7.
Census data are useful to the private sector for many
purposes, such as determining the market for a particular product or service,
selecting a location for a plant or enterprise, route planning, preparing
direct-mail advertising campaigns and survey activities. Their interest resides
mainly in small-area data.
8.
In several cases, the private sector has developed
“value-added” products and services where Statistics Canada data become a
component of the final offering. These offerings can include value-added
content (e.g., complementary data sources, data retrieval and mapping
software), as well as analysis and consulting services. Census data are then
licensed to be used for such subsequent distribution.
9.
The academic sector relies on census data for both teaching
and research purposes. Census data are
used to develop and test empirical models as well as theories to identify the
factors underlying social and economic phenomena. The academic community,
through its research and analytical activities, also provides insights and help
in identifying data gaps to guide future content determination processes.
Therefore, Statistics Canada has recently devoted special efforts to ensure
that the research needs of academics are met through improved access to
detailed microdata. Through research
activities, this sector also contributes to enhancing the visibility of census
data and their usefulness to Canadians. This group has an interest in the
historical aspect of census information to analyse trends.
6. Libraries
10.
There exists a wide variety of libraries supporting a range of
organizations from corporations to universities and colleges, as well as
communities and government departments. Programmes have been developed to
maximize the access to census data through the libraries. One traditional
partnership with the library community allows access to information emanating
from the federal government to the general public. There also exists a
programme to allow the sharing of resources among college and university
libraries to increase access to the academic community and their students in
support of their teaching and research activities. These partnerships with the
library community not only favour
the liaison with the general public, the academic sector and other users
but also ensure that future generations are more familiar with census and other
data products.
11.
Community and cultural associations, religious groups, labour
unions, professional associations and other interest groups are also users of
census data. These groups need census
information to assess the socio-economic conditions of a specific group. This information will help to evaluate the
need for the implementation of programmes to aid a group. The data also help to monitor the
effectiveness of these specific programmes.
12.
The media use census information to inform the general public
about the socio-economic situation of Canadians. The data also assist the media in marketing their services as
well as developing and evaluating advertising activities.
13.
Finally, there exists an essential partnership between
Statistics Canada and Canadians as census respondents. A high-quality census depends on the
cooperation of all Canadians. However, Canadians have increasing concerns
related to the confidentiality of the information provided, to privacy issues
surrounding data-collection methods used as well as the questions posed and to
the response burden imposed on them.
These factors need to be taken into account in the planning of all
census activities.
14.
The Canadian census is comprehensive and includes more than 50
questions on such topics as family characteristics, language, mobility,
immigration, ethno-cultural characteristics, labour market activities,
education, income and housing and shelter costs. In determining the content of a census, it is important to ensure
historical continuity of the content. However,
as new data needs emerge, the content of the census must be revised and
adjusted to shed light on these new issues.
Modifications to the census content are determined after a balanced
consideration of many elements, including legislative requirements, alternative
sources of data, a generalized need for data for small geographic areas or
sparse populations, respondents’ considerations and costs involved.
15.
In many instances, legislation stipulates some specific
information to be supplied by the census.
Otherwise, when evaluating the need for a topic to be added to the
census questionnaire, all existing non-census data sources must be
investigated.
16.
The census, surveys and administrative data sources complement
each other in fulfilling users’ needs.
It is recommended that they be evaluated jointly in assessing the need
for new information. However, the Canadian census uses a
self-enumeration environment. Not all topics are appropriate material for this
type of collection methodology. The census can offer only a broad perspective
on each topic. Surveys, however, can cover such complex topics as
victimization, given the presence of the interviewer. Moreover, these topics can be covered in greater detail.
17.
An important reason for using a census is to obtain data for
small geographic areas or for sparse populations. Some administrative databases also provide information for small
geographic areas on topics such as vital statistics (i.e., births, deaths,
marriages and divorces).
18.
Census data are also used to identify target populations, for
which more detailed information can be collected through a post-censal
survey. Shortly after the 2001 census,
three post-censal surveys will be conducted on the following topics:
participation and activity limitations, Aboriginal people and ethnic diversity.
19.
Once it has been determined that the census is best suited to
fulfil a specific data need, all potential new questions and changes to the
questionnaire must be carefully tested with respondents before being adopted.
This assesses the effectiveness of proposed new questions and gauges potential
impact on collection, processing and dissemination procedures and costs, and
data comparability. It also measures respondents’ understanding of the
questions and their reactions to the burden imposed on them by the quantity and
complexity of the questions, and it assesses whether there is a perception of
invasion of privacy. For these reasons,
all census questions are carefully tested by a variety of means. Focus groups, individual in-depth
discussions with respondents, as well as small and large statistical tests are
effective methods of testing new content.
20.
The role of Statistics Canada is to produce statistical
information relevant to current and emerging needs of data users. Ensuring the
relevance of census data is accomplished through consultation activities with
data users and other interested parties.
In order to reach the different groups of stakeholders, many different
consultative mechanisms are adopted.
21.
Bilateral committees, established with Statistics Canada and
key federal departments, present an opportunity to assess regularly their
respective priorities. In addition, larger meetings are held to discuss
emerging census data needs in greater detail.
Given the recent creation of financial partnerships with some of these
federal departments, they expect to play a more active role during the planning
stage of the census. It is therefore
crucial to consult them on an ongoing basis and ensure that they are brought up
to date on developments and given timely responses to their issues and
concerns. It should be noted that a new
question will not be included on the census questionnaire if the information
already exists from other surveys or administrative data sources or could be
more efficiently collected through these other vehicles. Moreover, a question
will not be included if it has not been tested or clearly shown to be effective
or if it has not been demonstrated that Canadians are willing and able to answer
it.
22.
Each province or territory has nominated official statistical
focal points. Regular meetings with
these focal points give an opportunity to assess provincial and territorial
priorities. Many of these focal points
have also organized meetings with major data users within their jurisdiction to
discuss census data utilization and needs in greater detail.
23.
Statistics Canada also has advisory committees to gather
advice on topics such as demography, social conditions and health. Since a majority of members of these
advisory committees are from the academic community, this forum has proven to
be an effective means of gathering the feedback of this group.
24.
Diverse mechanisms have been set up to consult with other
client groups. Inviting written submissions,
organizing special meetings and attending specific conferences have been highly
effective in the past. In addition,
Statistics Canada always benefits from its regional account executives across
Canada who work closely with data users and convey clients’ views. These account executives are also critical
at the planning stage of any consultation process in identifying major users to
be consulted. For the 2006 census, the
Internet will also be used as a consultative mechanism. This will give a larger audience an
opportunity to provide feedback.
25.
During the content determination stage, the census also works
closely with international organizations, such as the United Nations, to share
professional expertise and to promote common concepts and practices to maximize
the comparability of socio-economic data.
For example, for the 2001 census, the definition of children was adopted
to concur with the United Nations recommendation (sons and daughters no longer
have to be “never married” to be considered as children in a census family).
26.
Census collection activities depend heavily on the willing
cooperation of respondents. Many Canadians are increasingly concerned with the
response burden imposed on them by a lengthy questionnaire or by complex or
invasive questions. In order to make
the public aware of the importance of participating in the census, a public
communications programme is always established for each census. This programme
also emphasizes the measures being adopted to protect the privacy and
confidentiality of the information provided.
Many census stakeholders, including federal, provincial and territorial
departments as well as other organizations, provide voluntary support to
promote the census, such as inserting messages in correspondences. The media
also promotes the census to the Canadian public.
27.
The advice of
stakeholders is essential in planning the dissemination strategy to ensure that
the products and services suit the needs of data users. Some stakeholders also
become critical partners in disseminating census data to ensure the widest
possible use.
28.
When planning the census dissemination programme, stakeholders
are invited to discuss their experience and to provide recommendations to
ensure that the data will ultimately meet their requirements. When planning the
components of the census products and services line and output media, the range
of users’ abilities to access and use the information has to be taken into
consideration because of the diversity of data users. Users are also consulted on other dissemination issues, such as
user-friendliness of the products, searching and indexing features, pricing and
licensing conditions and accessibility of the metadata (i.e., information about
the data).
29.
The benefits of this type of consultation are numerous. For example, feedback from the consultation
leading to the 1996 census dissemination programme contributed to maintaining
some key products in paper format, while generally migrating to electronic
modes of dissemination. During the
recent consultation activities towards the planning of the 2001 census
dissemination, users have strongly recommended that the Internet become the
primary dissemination tool, thereby enhancing access to census data.
30.
Testing prototypes of electronic products with data users has
now become an essential step to the success of a user-oriented dissemination
strategy and products and services line. This testing is conducted with a sample
of users from different sectors to ensure that the wide range of users’
capacity and abilities to access and use the information is taken into account
when developing these products.
31.
Once the data are ready to be released, partnerships formed
with numerous key sectors are vital to wider dissemination of census data.
Public and private-sector organizations, libraries and the media are critical
in ensuring a broader dissemination.
32.
As mentioned previously, some private-sector firms provide
value-added content, analysis and services not available from Statistics
Canada. Dissemination partnerships also exist with provincial and
territorial statistical focal points.
In order to best serve the statistical needs of their data users, these
focal points add analysis and other related data to census information
products. Similar partnerships also
exist with federal departments.
33.
Partnerships established with libraries as well as news media
are essential in ensuring that information on issues of broad interest is
accessible to the general public.
34.
Statistics Canada has created partnerships with secondary and
elementary schools as well as school boards to encourage classroom use of
census data. As already discussed, a
special partnership has been established between most Canadian post-secondary
institutions and Statistics Canada to ensure that Canadian data are made
available for research and teaching purposes.
In addition, the academic community is an important partner in
developing and reviewing analytical products.
35.
Any consultation process creates expectations regarding the
amount of influence participants have in determining the content of the census
questionnaire or defining the characteristics of a dissemination
programme. Thus it becomes extremely
important to set up a framework whereby stakeholders’ attention gets focused on
specific points of discussion. This can
be done during the consultation process or in the consultation guide provided
to participants prior to the sessions.
A consultation guide is developed to help users convey their ideas and
suggestions to Statistics Canada. It
presents information on what the specific points of discussion are and aims at
focusing discussions on these topics where feedback is critical.
36.
During any consultation activity pertaining to the census
content, it is essential to discuss, at very early stages, factors that will
eventually be taken into account in the content determination process. This can be done in the consultation guide
as well as during the consultation process.
User expectations can also be managed by positioning the census in the
context of the overall statistical programme as one means of fulfilling users’
needs. The 2006 census will adopt a
consultation model that will expand content consultation beyond the
census. Such integrated consultation
activities will invite users to discuss all of their socio-economic data needs
pertaining to census themes. This will maximize
the full range of Statistics Canada’s socio-economic data sources to meet
users’ needs, instead of focusing on the census as the sole means of satisfying
their current and future data needs.
This should manage users’ expectations about the extent to which they
can influence the content of one specific element of the statistical programme.
This model differs from previous models since it will proactively promote all
elements of the socio-economic statistical programme to users, including the
census.
37.
For the recent consultation activities leading to the
elaboration of the 2001 census dissemination programme, users were invited not
only to discuss their data needs but also to prioritize their needs and to
provide the underlying rationale. This
has proven to be an effective means of consensus-reaching among the different
groups of stakeholders.
38.
Feedback gathered during consultation is then analysed and
evaluated with internal partners in light of financial and operational
constraints and other related considerations.
Priorities are discussed, options are eliminated and viable alternative
solutions are proposed. In order to
facilitate consensus-building, major data users and stakeholders are regularly
kept informed on the progress of the planning activities (content or
dissemination) in various presentation forums. Feedback received to
date—commonalties as well as divergences—is discussed, as is the underlying
rationale. The feasibility of the
different options and suggestions is discussed. Viable alternatives are
presented and discussed.
39.
Thematic meetings regrouping stakeholders from different
sectors have proven to be a very effective means of facilitating consensus as
participants get a direct opportunity to expose and discuss their diverging views
and underlying rationale.
40.
To facilitate ongoing consultation with major stakeholders and
to ensure that Statistics Canada’s personnel are constantly aware of previous
feedback provided, a database has been created to organize feedback gathered
from consultation sessions. This
database can be consulted by topic, participant or sector to present factual
information in a useful fashion. This
builds corporate memory and also reassures participants of the importance of
their contribution to the planning process. Summarized results from the
consultation and testing activities are available to individuals and groups who
participated as well as those expressing an interest. The Internet has proven to be an effective means of keeping users
and other interested parties informed on the progress of activities.
G. Conclusion
41.
Quality of census data is of major interest to
stakeholders. It is therefore extremely
important that Statistics Canada makes every effort to involve stakeholders,
from content determination to dissemination, to assure quality. Throughout the process it is important to
continue to provide feedback to stakeholders on decisions made and the
rationale for incorporating or not incorporating changes.
42.
Ongoing consultation on data needs will ensure that relevant
data are produced. Consultation and testing
activities are essential to a user-oriented dissemination strategy, maximizing
the accessibility and interpretability of census data. Consultation with
stakeholders also gains support from respondents in collection activities. Moreover, testing on the content of the
questionnaire also contributes to the success of the census. Stakeholders’ involvement in the census is
essential for a successful census. It is not only required to assess the socio-economic
conditions and evolution of Canada but is also a critical element in
stimulating broad public debate on social issues, which represents an essential
element of democracy.
