Geo-referenced data and DLI aggregate data sources

1
Geo-referenced data and DLI aggregate data sources

• Chuck Humphrey

University of Alberta ACCOLEDS 2007
2
Geo-referenced data

• This presentation provides an introduction to
  aggregate data sources, primarily from Statistics
  Canada, that may be of value to those using GIS
  to explore the spatial distribution of Canadian
  socio-economic characteristics.
• To be of use to GIS researchers, these aggregate
  products must contain geo-referenced data.

3
Geo-referenced data

• What are geo-referenced data?
• Aggregate data, which are often organized in
  multi-way tables, containing at least one
  variable representing a specific spatial unit in
  which the geo-codes are based on a standard
  geographic classification and/or have
  corresponding boundary files using the same
  geo-coding system.
• A spatial unit is the geographic area used as the
  unit of analysis to structure the data.

4
The geography perspective

• Geographic areas will define the spatial units
  and the geo-codes assigned to these spatial units
  are necessary to match geo-referenced data.

5
Spatial Unit
Geo-codes
6
The geo-referenced data perspective

• The unit of analysis, which defines the structure
  of a data file, is in this case a spatial unit.

The Unit analysis makes up the rows in the data
file and is the object being described by the
other variables the file.
7
Geo-referenced data strategies

• For a GIS user, we want aggregate data files
  where the variables summarize social and economic
  characteristics over spatial areas and the data
  file is structured with the spatial unit as the
  unit of analysis.
• We want the spatial unit in the data file to
  correspond with our GIS users boundary file.
• We want the variable representing the spatial
  unit to use the same geo-codes that match our GIS
  users boundary file.

8
The Census

• The Census is one of the most important sources
  of geo-referenced data. It is the largest survey
  conducted in Canada and, consequently, is the
  primary source of statistics for small areas.
• To use geo-referenced data from the Census, you
  must know
• The variety of spatial units used to disseminate
  Census results
• The codes used to represent the various Census
  spatial units and
• The aggregate characteristics from the Census
  available for the various spatial units.

9
1 The variety of spatial units

• Statistics Canada groups the variety of spatial
  units associated with the Census into two groups

Source for the graphics Illustrated Glossary,
2006 Census Geography, Statistics Canada
10
Administrative areas
Source Illustrated Glossary, 2006 Census
Geography, Statistics Canada
11
Statistical areas
Source Illustrated Glossary, 2006 Census
Geography, Statistics Canada
12
(No Transcript)
13
2 Census geo-codes

• Statistics Canada has two categories of geo-code
  systems
• Standard Geographic Classification (SGC)
• Other geographic entities

Source for the graphic Illustrated Glossary,
2006 Census Geography, Statistics Canada
14
Standard geographic classification
Source Illustrated Glossary, 2006 Census
Geography, Statistics Canada
15
Standard geographic classification, 2006

• The link to Definitions, data sources and methods
  on the main page of the Statistics Canada website
  provides a link to Standard Classifications,
  which includes Geography.

16
Standard geographic classification, 2006

• From the link for the province codes, census
  divisions can be identified. For example, click
  on 59 for BC and the list of census divisions is
  presented.

17
Standard geographic classification, 2006

• Click on the link for the census division for
  Nanaimo (5921) and the list of census
  subdivisions within this CD is provided.

18
Standard geographic classification, 2006

• Click on the link for the census subdivision for
  the city of Nanaimo and the breakdown of the SGC
  is provided along with other geographic codes.

19
Other geographic codes

• Under the information provided for the Standard
  Geographic Classification, coding systems for
  four additional spatial units are listed
• Census metropolitan areas and census
  agglomerations
• Economic regions
• Health regions and
• Countries.

20
Dissemination areas
Source Illustrated Glossary, 2006 Census
Geography, Statistics Canada
21
Dissemination areas
Lets add a DA-level to the SGC! The geo-code
for DAs uses the Standard Geographic
Classification and an added, unique four digit
numeric code. For Nanaimo, the CSD code is 59
BC 21 Nanaimo RD
007 Nanaimo City 5921007
Dissemination areas
22
Dissemination areas

• The Census aggregate data at the DA level are
  available using two different geo-codes schemes
  (shown on the next slide).
• For GIS users working with the spatial data files
  from the 2001 Census, caution them about these
  two different geo-coding schemes at the DA level.
  They will want to use the eight-digit code to be
  able to work directly with the spatial data files
  provided by Statistics Canada.

23
8-digit DA-level code PR(2)-CD(2)-DA(4)
11-digit DA-level code PR(2)-CD(2)-CSD(3)-DA(4)
24
Dissemination areas
11-digit DA
8-digit DA
25
3 Aggregate characteristics

• Profile series and basic tabulations
• Aggregate Census results are disseminated in two
  primary products profile series and basic
  tabulations.
• The Profile series is available at all levels of
  geography disseminated by Statistics Canada and
  consists primarily of counts for all the response
  categories to questions in the 2B form. In 2006,
  the 2B form consisted of the eight questions
  asked on the 2A form plus an additional 53
  questions. This series is the most frequently
  used by GIS researchers on our campus.

26
Profile series breakdown
Spatial Unit Number of Characteristics
CSD 1709
DA 1490
CMA/CA 1709
CT 1709
FSA 1706
Federal District 1716
Health Regions 1236
27
Basic tabulations

• Basic tabulations are n-way tables showing the
  results for combinations of Census questions. The
  more the variables included in the table, the
  higher the level of geography that is reported.
  Few of these tables are below the CSD, CMA/CT
  level, although always check. For example, in
  2001 Religion (13) by Age (8) is available at the
  DA level.

28
Aggregate Census data

• Want data at the CT-level or higher?
• E-STAT has these data in Beyond 20/20, DBF, CSV,
  Tab-delimited format.
• Available in Beyond 20/20 format on the
  Statistics Canada website with level 2 access and
  from the DLI FTP site.
• Want data at the DA-level?
• Available through the DLI FTP site or local DLI
  member aggregate Census file servers.

29
Other Geo-referenced data

• Other important aggregate data sources from
  Statistics Canada include Health, Justice,
  Education, Business, Environment and some
  customized products.
• Not all of these, however, have compatible
  spatial boundaries with the Census.
• Some may make reference to metropolitan areas but
  not use the Census geo-codes for Census
  Metropolitan Areas.

30
Health

• Health Region is the administrative area in which
  health care is delivered in Canada.
• As administrative areas, Health Regions are
  determined by the provinces. Statistics Canada
  creates a customized product from the Census
  aggregating results using Health Region
  boundaries.
• Health Indicators and Community Profiles are the
  two key sources for Health Region aggregate data.

31
Health

• CIHI is responsible for disseminating statistics
  about the health care system at the Health Region
  level. The CIHI site provides maps without the
  data for a few indicators. The database,
  Regional Contextual Information for Health
  Regions with over 75,000 Population, appears to
  be the only data source on the CIHI site for
  Health Regions.

32
Justice

• The table may refer to jurisdiction instead of
  geography.
• Justice tables
• Table 253-0004 - Homicide survey, number and
  rates (per 100,000 population) of homicide
  victims, by census metropolitan area
• Refer users to http//www.statcan.ca/english/sdds/
  3315.htm
• Report homicides according to four population
  sizes 500K , 250-499K, 100-249K and lt 100K
• Group metropolitan areas under these categories

33
Justice
34
Justice
35
Justice

• Justice tables
• Police Administration Survey - Municipal Police
  Force Administration Character, 1986 - 2006
• 866 municipal police force jurisdictions
• The geo-code for municipalities consist of the
  standard geography classification for provinces
  (2-digit codes) followed by 3-digit codes that
  dont correspond to Census geography but do
  correspond with the Uniform Crime Report police
  force codes

36
Justice
37
Justice

• Justice tables
• Uniform Crime Survey Crime Statistics, All
  Police Services, 1977 - 2003
• There are approximately 1,200 separate police
  locations responding to the survey, comprising
  about 220 different police forces. Canadian
  Crime Statistics, 85-205-XIE, p. 73.
• This table contains 2,711 police detachments,
  some no longer operational.
• The geo-code corresponds to the Police
  Administration Survey 2-digit province code and
  3-digit detachment code.

38
Justice
39
Education

• The Education tables on the DLI FTP site provide
  provincial level summaries and for some
  post-secondary related tables, institution names
  are provided. No Census spatial units, other
  than province, are used among this tables.
• The Statistics Canada website contains the Report
  of the Pan-Canadian Education Indicators Program.
  Includes the use of CMA and non-CMA reporting
  for some tables. Names and not geo-codes are
  used to identify CMAs.

40
Business

• Canadian Business Patterns reports the number of
  establishments by industrial classification and
  size of workforce. These aggregate data are
  available for CD, CSD and CMA/CA levels of Census
  geography.
• The data also provide a time series at these
  geographic levels since 1998 for both the NAICS
  and SIC industry classifications.

41
CANSIM

• CANSIM is primarily a time series database but
  every time series is placed in the context of
  some level of geography. One can search table
  titles for geography terms but cannot currently
  search just the geography field within each
  series.

42
Odds and ends

• Survey of Household Spending
• Equipment (62F0041XDB) 17 metropolitan areas
• Spending (62F0031XDB) 17 metropolitan area
• Canada Revenue Agency
• Provincial level statistics summaries from tax
  returns.
• Environment Canada data sources use postal codes
  in some instances
• Environment
• Human Activity and the Environment Annual
  Statistics Product (16-201-XWE)
• Available in CANSIM series, too