LibGuides: Data and Statistics: Research Data (DLI)

Statistics Canada Research Data

Data Liberation Initiative (DLI) is a division of Statistics Canada which makes data available to postsecondary institutions:

Public use microdata files (PUMFs)
Databases and geographic files
Postal Code Conversion File (PCCF)
Some data from the Canadian Institute for Health's Discharge Abstract Database (DAD)

For more information, please contact Margaret Vail.

Canadian Research Data Centre Network
Research Data Centres (RDCs) provide researchers with access, in a secure university setting, to microdata from population and household surveys, censuses, and a number of administrative data sets. The closest RDC is the Atlantic RDC, located in Halifax.
DLI Products
Select "All DLI Products" for a list of surveys whose data are available through DLI.

Canadian Census Analyser This link opens in a new window
The Canadian Census Analyzer allows users to download data from the Canadian census at many different levels of geography.
CANSIM II @ CHASS (Canadian Socio-Economic Information Management System) This link opens in a new window
Statistics Canada database with >730,000 time series of data on a wide variety of social and economic aspects of Canadian life.
Statistics Canada Rich Data Services (formerly Nesstar) This link opens in a new window
Statistics Canada Rich Data Services (RDS) allows users to view metadata about Canadian microdata surveys and download this microdata in various formats. This is the replacement for Nesstar.
ODESI (search only) This link opens in a new window
StFX does not subscribe to Odesi, but you can use it to do a variable search for Statistics Canada microdata available in the DLI collection. One important exception: microdata from many CORA opinion polls are available for download in Odesi.
SDA@CHASS This link opens in a new window
SDA is a data delivery and analysis system. SDA@CHASS provides access to: Canadian Public Use Microdata Files (PUMFs), mainly survey data available from the Statistics Canada Data Liberation Initiative (DLI); Canadian aggregate census data files; plus a few other collections of data. Users can analyze datasets online, download data, or consult relevant documentation.This collection of on-line databases and custom built search and retrieval programs are maintained by Computing in the Humanities and Social Sciences (CHASS) at the University of Toronto.

Exercises and Tutorials

Canadian Census Analyser

The Canadian Census Analyser allows you to quickly extract data from census profiles, from 1961 to 2016, as well as access microdata from the census not available on Statistic Canada's website.

Canadian Census Analyser This link opens in a new window
The Canadian Census Analyzer allows users to download data from the Canadian census at many different levels of geography.

Canadian Census Analyser - 2011 CD version (Slides and screen recordings) [Dalhousie University]
Short demonstration (with no audio) of how to access the Canadian Census Analyser and how to download data by census division. Created by Julie Marcoux at Dalhousie University.
Canadian Census Analyser - Data by Dissemination Area [Dalhousie University]
Explains how to use the CHASS Canadian Census Analyzer to obtain census or NHS data by dissemination area for various Nova Scotia locations. Created by Julie Marcoux at Dalhousie University.
Using Excel with the Canadian Census Analyser (Slides and screen recordings) [Dalhousie University]
Short demonstration (with no audio) on how to use Excel to work with files generated from the Canadian Census Analyzer. Created by Julie Marcoux at Dalhousie University.
Census Analyser Excel Exercise [Dalhousie University]
Format the file obtained in the Canadian Analyser Exercise in Excel. Created by Julie Marcoux at Dalhousie University.

Odesi

StFX does not subscribe to Odesi, but you can use it to do a variable search for Statistics Canada microdata available in the DLI collection. One important exception: microdata from many CORA opinion polls are available for download in Odesi.

ODESI (search only) This link opens in a new window
StFX does not subscribe to Odesi, but you can use it to do a variable search for Statistics Canada microdata available in the DLI collection. One important exception: microdata from many CORA opinion polls are available for download in Odesi.

Odesi (PDF Presentation) [Dalhousie University]
How to search metadata of Public Use Microdata Files (PUMFs) in Odesi. Created by Julie Marcoux at Dalhousie University.
Odesi exercise - Smoking version [Dalhousie University]
Locate microdata surveys with a variable about smoking in Odesi. Created by Julie Marcoux at Dalhousie University.
Odesi Exercise - Unemployment version [Dalhousie University]
Locate microdata surveys about unemployment in Odesi. Created by Julie Marcoux at Dalhousie University.

SDA

SDA allows you to download microdata from Statistics Canada's survey, and also to create online cross-tabs.

SDA@CHASS This link opens in a new window
SDA is a data delivery and analysis system. SDA@CHASS provides access to: Canadian Public Use Microdata Files (PUMFs), mainly survey data available from the Statistics Canada Data Liberation Initiative (DLI); Canadian aggregate census data files; plus a few other collections of data. Users can analyze datasets online, download data, or consult relevant documentation.This collection of on-line databases and custom built search and retrieval programs are maintained by Computing in the Humanities and Social Sciences (CHASS) at the University of Toronto.

SDA (PDF Presentation) [Dalhousie University]
Quick summary of how to access SDA and available instructional material. Created by Julie Marcoux at Dalhousie University.
Accessing SDA@CHASS (video) [Dalhousie University]
Video showing how to download a microdata dataset from Statistics Canada in the SDA interface. Created by Julie Marcoux at Dalhousie University.
SDA Exercise - CCHS [Dalhousie University]
Create online cross-tab tables and download the Canadian Community Health Survey in SDA. Created by Julie Marcoux at Dalhousie University.
SDA Exercise - SLID [Dalhousie University]
Create online cross-tab tables and download the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics in SDA. Created by Julie Marcoux at Dalhousie University.

Nesstar

Nesstar allows you to download microdata from Statistics Canada's survey, and also to create online cross-tabs.

Statistics Canada Rich Data Services (formerly Nesstar) This link opens in a new window
Statistics Canada Rich Data Services (RDS) allows users to view metadata about Canadian microdata surveys and download this microdata in various formats. This is the replacement for Nesstar.

Nesstar (PDF Presentation) [Dalhousie University]
How to access Nesstar. Created by Julie Marcoux at Dalhousie University.

Research Data Centres (RDC)

When the DLI does not meet your data needs, you may need to apply to use microdata files inside a Statistics Canada Research Data Centre.

ARDC
The Atlantic Research Data Centre is located at Dalhousie University in the Killam Library.
The RDC Program
Provides access to Statistics Canada’s confidential microdata files (which are used when the PUMFs do not meet a researcher’s needs).
Application Process
Access to an RDC is available only to researchers with approved projects.