http://www.canada.com/Main+estimates+Statistics+Canada+reviewing+gathers+data/9560385/story.html

Main estimates: Statistics Canada reviewing how it gathers data

By Jordan Press, Postmedia News February 27, 2014

OTTAWA – The federal statistics agency will undertake a comprehensive review of how it collects key data about the Canadian population.

The review is outlined in the main estimates tabled in Parliament Thursday, where Statistics Canada announced it was cutting its expected spending by more than $21 million — a five per cent cut from the estimates it tabled last year.

In all, Statistics Canada expects to spend almost $380 million over the next 12 months. The estimates last year were for spending of more than $400 million.

In explaining the changes in its spending for the coming fiscal year, Statistics Canada noted that its will conduct a “comprehensive review of the potential for administrative and other alternative data sources to replace, complement or supplement” the census and National Household Survey. The agency also says its spending will focus, among other things, on redesigning “major survey programs to ensure their continued relevance and effectiveness.”

The agency and the government came under fire last year for the results and methodology of the National Household Survey, which replaced the long-form census in 2011, and which some experts suggested would decrease the reliability of census data.

When some results of the survey were released year, Statistics Canada had to put a proviso on its findings that there were gaps in the data for some areas of the country as well as some groups — including aboriginals, immigrants and visible minorities — due to low response rates to the voluntary survey.

In September, the agency had to delay a release on income, earnings, housing and shelter costs after experts found problems while doing some last-minute checks.

The majority of the $21 million decrease is due to $15.6 million in savings as part of the government’s overall austerity measures. On the other hand, the agency will spend about $5 million more on salary increases to the agency’s unionized staff.