CANSIMII

CANSIM … A reliable resource for your online socio-economic data needs

Technical Info

What is a time series?

“A time series is a sequence of values of a variable measured over time, spaced apart at uniform time intervals.”

For example:

The following ‘time series’ shows the population of Canada measured from 1990 to 1995, at yearly intervals.

Table 051-0001: Estimates of population, by age group and sex, Canada, provinces and territories
Annual	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995
v466668 - Canada; Both sexes; All ages (Persons)	27,697,530	28,031,394	28,366,737	28,681,676	28,999,006	29,302,091

Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM database

How is the number of time series per table calculated?

The maximum possible number of time series in a table is calculated by multiplying the number of items selected for each variable within the table.

The following illustrates the calculation:

VARIABLES	Number of Items
Geography	3 items (Canada, Ontario, Quebec)
Sex	2 items (Male, Female)
Age group	3 items (0-17, 18 – 64, 65 and over)

In this case there is a possibility of selecting (3 x 2 x 3) = 18 time series.
The CANSIM system allows users to choose which items they require. Therefore, if you choose to select only Canada, Male and Female, and 65 and over, the total number of time series would be: (1 x 2 x 1) = 2. CANSIM tables are priced at $3 per time series. Visit the Pricing Information page for more details.

Do you have other questions about CANSIM?

See our FAQ page or contact infostats@statcan.ca for personalized help.

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Date modified: 2006-01-27	Important Notices