Standard statistical units

A Statistical unit is the unit of observation or measurement for which data are collected or derived. Listed below are the major statistical units about which information is collected in Statistic Canada Surveys. Other statistical units are also used and definitions for these will be added over time.

A. Statistical units in Business Surveys

Collecting, aggregating and analysing data mapped directly to the infinite variety of real world business structures would be an impossible task. Accordingly, statistical agencies develop statistical models, in which every business, from multi-national conglomerate to corner grocery store, can be represented in a standardised form.

The standardised model developed at Statistics Canada for business surveys consists of a four level hierarchy of Statistical Entities. The four Statistical Entity subtypes are - the Enterprise, the Company, the Establishment and the Location. Each subtype is associated with a particular class or level of economic data:

The Enterprise (the top of the hierarchy), is associated with a complete set of financial statements.The enterprise, as a statistical unit, is defined as the organisational unit of a business that directs and controls the allocation of resources relating to its domestic operations, and for which consolidated financial and balance sheet accounts are maintained from which international transactions, an international investment position and a consolidated financial position for the unit can be derived. It corresponds to the institutional unit as defined for the System of National Accounts.

The Company is the level at which operating profit can be measured.The company, as a statistical unit, is defined as the organisational unit for which income and expenditure accounts and balance sheets are maintained from which operating profit and the rate of return on capital can be derived.

The Establishment is the level at which the accounting data required to measure production is available (principal inputs, revenues, salaries and wages).The establishment, as a statistical unit, is defined as the most homogeneous unit of production for which the business maintains accounting records from which it is possible to assemble all the data elements required to compile the full structure of the gross value of production (total sales or shipments, and inventories), the cost of materials and services, and labour and capital used in production.

The Location (the bottom of the hierarchy) requires only the number of employees for delineation. The location, as a statistical unit, is defined as a producing unit at a single geographical location at which or from which economic activity is conducted and for which, at a minimum, employment data are available.

B. Statistical units in Social Surveys

The basic statistical unit for social statistics is the person, which is the unit of analysis for most social statistics programs. Other units used in social statistics include the dwelling, the household, the census family and the economic family. Their standard definition is as follows:

Census family is defined as a married couple and the children, if any, of either or both spouses; a couple living common law and the children, if any, of either or both partners; or, a lone parent of any marital status with at least one child living in the same dwelling and that child or those children. All members of a particular census family live in the same dwelling. A couple may be of opposite or same sex. Children may be children by birth, marriage or adoption regardless of their age or marital status as long as they live in the dwelling and do not have their own spouse or child living in the dwelling.

Grandchildren living with their grandparent(s) but with no parents present also constitute a census family.

When information displays, such as tables, combine information on census families and persons who are not living in census families, the population is called: Census families and persons not in census families. This is a departmental standard approved by Methods and Standards Committee on February 20, 2006.

For more information, go to Census Family

Economic family refers to a group of two or more persons who live in the same dwelling and are related to each other by blood, marriage, common-law or adoption. A couple may be of opposite or same sex. Foster children are included.

By definition, all persons who are members of a census family are also members of an economic family. Examples of the broader concept of economic family include the following: two co-resident census families who are related to one another are considered one economic family; co-resident siblings who are not members of a census family are considered as one economic family; and, nieces or nephews living with aunts or uncles are considered one economic family.

When information displays, such as tables, combine information on economic families and persons who are not living in economic families, the population is called: Economic families and persons not in economic families. This is a departmental standard approved by Methods and Standards Committee on February 20, 2006.

For more information, go to Economic Family

A household is generally defined as being composed of a person or group of persons who co-reside in, or occupy, a dwelling. As in the case of dwellings, both collective and private households are identified For more information on variable and their definitions go to Household

In general terms a dwelling is defined as a set of living quarters. Two types of dwelling are identified in the Census, collective dwellings and private dwellings . The former pertains to dwellings which are institutional, communal or commercial in nature. The latter, Private dwelling refers to a separate set of living quarters with a private entrance either from outside the building or from a common hall, lobby, vestibule or stairway inside the building. The entrance to the dwelling must be one that can be used without passing through the living quarters of some other person or group of persons.For a more detailed definition of private dwellings go to Private Dwellings

There are two primary sources for social statistics: one is administrative records, which generally collect information from the files of individuals; the other is from censuses and surveys where the unit of observation is the household and individuals within the household. The latter source is capable of producing estimates for households (and usually the dwelling within which the household resides) as well as for individuals. In addition, it is possible to produce estimates for familial groupings within the household (i.e., the census family and the economic family). Some administrative sources, such as Revenue Canada files, are able to produce family estimates, but most cannot, nor can they produce household estimates.