Financial Statistics and Data

Statistics Canada maintains files related to financial statistics and data such as: balance of payments (transactions), consumer price index (CPI), consumers finance, current economic analysis, financial flow and national balance (estimates), investment and capital stock, income and expenditure accounts and social and economic studies.

Summary

Table of Contents

1. Balance of Payments - Transactions 
2. Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics (SLID)
3. Consumer Price Index (CPI) 
4. Current Economic Analysis 
5. Financial Flow and National Balance - Estimates 
6. Investment and Capital Stock 
7. Income and Expenditure Accounts 
8. Socio-Economic Analysis and Modeling

1.   Balance of Payments - Transactions
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Canadian balance of international payments, (No. 67-001-XPB). This quarterly publication includes data on:

• current account, exports (receipts) and imports (payments):
  • trade in goods and services (travel, commercial services, transportation and government);
  • investment income;
  • current transfers.
• capital and financial accounts (assets and liabilities):
  • foreign direct investment (Canadian direct investment abroad and Foreign direct investment in Canada);
  • Canadian portfolio investment abroad and Foreign portfolio investment in Canada;
  • other Canadian investment abroad and other foreign investment in Canada.
• statistical discrepancy.

The majority of data is available by country (or country groupings) and by industry groupings. Most data are not seasonally adjusted.

Canada's international transactions in securities, monthly (No. 67-002-XPB ).
This monthly publication contains data on portfolio transactions between residents and non-residents on bonds, stocks and money market instruments by geographical areas.

Canada's international trade in services (No. 67-203-XPB). This annual publication presents detailed data on commercial services by categories, industries and countries. Also included are summary data on other services: travel, transportation and government.

Canada's international investment position (No. 67-202-XPB). This quarterly publication presents data on Canada's international investment position (stocks at year end). Most of the data are available by geographical area. Foreign direct investment is also available by industry groupings. Data include:

• Foreign direct investment
• Portfolio investment
• Canada's gross external debt position

Costs
Costs may be applicable in obtaining these statistics.

2. Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics (SLID)
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The survey's objective is to understand the economic well-being of Canadians; what economic shifts individuals and families live through, and how it varies with changes in their paid work, family make-up, receipts of government transfers. SLID is the first household survey ever to provide national data on the fluctuations in income that a typical family or individual experiences through time, which will give greater insight on the nature and extent of low-income in Canada.

Extensive documentation is available electronically. A useful starting point is the "Survey Overview". In addition to a general summary of the survey, it provides links to other SLID documentation.

For more information on this Survey, you may contact:
Client Services
Income Statistics Division
Toll-free: 1-888-297-7355
Telephone: 613-951-7355
Fax: 613-951-3012
E-mail: income@statcan.ca

3. Consumer Price Index - CPI
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The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is an indicator of changes in consumer prices experienced by Canadians. It is obtained by comparing through time, the cost of a fixed basket of commodities purchased by consumers. Since the basket contains commodities of unchanging or equivalent quantity and quality, the index reflects only pure price movements.

The CPI is widely used as an indicator of the change in the general level of consumer prices or the rate of inflation. Since the purchasing power of money is affected by changes in prices, the CPI is useful to virtually all Canadians. Consumers can compare movements in the CPI to changes in their personal income to monitor and evaluate changes in their financial situation.

The CPI is generally used in four ways. First, it is used to escalate a given dollar value over time to preserve the purchasing power of that value. Thus the CPI is used widely to adjust contracted payments such as wages, rents, leases and child or spousal support allowances. Private and public pension programs (including Old Age Security and the Canada Pension Plan), personal income tax deductions, and some government social payments are also escalated using the CPI. Second, the CPI is used as a tool for deflating current dollar estimates to obtain constant dollar estimates that eliminate the effects of price change. Third, the CPI is used in setting and evaluating economic policies. The Bank of Canada uses the CPI, and special aggregates of the CPI, in determining its monetary policies and to measure the success of its policies to contain inflation within its target range. The CPI and its component indexes can be used in assessing public policy impacts, e.g. agricultural policies and food prices. Finally, business analysts and economists use the CPI for economic analysis and research about such questions as the causes and effects of inflation and regional disparities in price movements. 

Topics in the CPI include:

• an aggregate all-items index; an aggregate for goods, an aggregate for services and other special aggregates;
• eight major groupings: food; shelter; household operations and furnishing; clothing and footwear; transportation, health and personal care; recreation, education and reading; alcoholic beverages and tobacco products;
• indexes are available for commodities within the major groupings;
• consumer expenditure patterns (weights) are available for commodities;
• geographic detail includes: Canada (182 commodities), 10 provinces and 2 territorial cities (approx. 137 commodities), 16 cities (5 commodities).

For more information on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), please refer to Your guide to the Consumer Price Index (No. 62-557-XIB).

Costs
Recent information for The Consumer Price Index is available free of charge on the Statistics Canada Web site for Canada, the Provinces and Territories and cities.

Historical information on the Consumer Price Index is available through CANSIM II for a fee.

For historical monthly series, please consult CANSIM II Table 326-0001 - Consumer price index (CPI), 2001 basket content, monthly. For historical annual series, please consult CANSIM II Table 326-0002 - Consumer price index (CPI), 2001 basket content, annual.

You may also consult the publication The Consumer Price Index (No. 62-001-XIB ).

For more information on the Consumer Price Index, you may contact:
Prices Division
Client Services Unit
Telephone: 613-951-9606
Fax: 613-951-1539
E-mail: infounit@statcan.ca

4. Current Economical Analysis
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The Current Economic Analysis Division provides Statistics Canada's assessment of current economic conditions, the Composite Index and analysis of key issues facing the Canadian economy. 

The Composite Index is comprised of ten components which track emerging trends. The current economic conditions and feature articles are published in the Canadian Economic Observer available online. 

The Canadian Economic Observer (CEO) is a quick, concise and authoritative analysis of the Canadian economy. Available in print or Internet versions, this monthly journal gives you the inside track on current economic trends and shows you the dynamics of change in today's economy.

5. Financial Flow and National Balance - Estimates
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Under the Financial Flow and National Balance Sheet Accounts Program, Statistics Canada publishes quarterly and annual estimates of the borrowing, lending and net worth of broad sectors within Canada.
Topics included in these records are:

• financial flow estimates;
• balance sheet estimates;
• financial instruments:
  • official reserves, currency and bank deposits;
  • consumer credit, trade receivable, bank loans, treasury bills, other short-term paper;
  • mortgages;
  • federal, provincial and municipal government bonds, corporate bonds, life insurance and pensions;
  • corporate and government claims on enterprises, shares and foreign investment.
• non-financial assets:
• residential structures;
• non-residential structures;
• machinery and equipment;
• consumer durable goods;
• inventories;
• residential and commercial land.

Costs
These statistics are available in day-of-release printouts in the "Tables and analytical document" (No. 13-014-PPB, No. 13-214-PPB), on diskette (No. 13-014-XDB, No. 13-214-XDB ) and on Statistics Canada's CANSIM II database. Costs are applicable in obtaining these statistics and vary depending upon medium.

For more information, you may contact:
Income and Expenditure Accounts Division
Telephone: 613-951-3640
Fax: 613-951-3618
E-mail: iead-info-dcrd@statcan.ca

6. Investment and Capital Stock
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The Investment and Capital Stock Division measures fixed capital investment through its three annual surveys. The surveys investigate actual investment and investment intentions. The final actual investment figures are augmented by data from: building permits, trades journals, press releases, and company reports. Approximately 7,000 of the 25,000 establishments who complete the surveys are manufacturers.

The data are tabulated for Canada and the provinces, by industrial sector for the various components of investment (construction and machinery and equipment by type of asset) and for the private and public sectors. In addition, estimates for manufacturing at the two-digit Standard Industrial Classification level are presented for Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia.

National Wealth and Capital Stock

Data on fixed capital investment is combined with price indices for deflation, and surveyed estimates of useful life in order to produce capital stock estimates by industry and province. Fixed Capital Flows and Stocks are produced annually by industry and province.

As well, capacity utilization rates are produced for all the non-farm goods-producing industries. Capacity utilization rates are calculated using a methodology that relies on: annual survey estimates, capacity output-capital ratios and related economic indicators. The capacity output-capital ratios are derived by examining the time series of production and capital in relation to the year of the highest capital productivity. Annual survey estimates of capacity utilization for manufacturing industries are available. Surveying for capacity means that it is now possible to take into account the business perception of the gap between actual and potential outputs. These sources of information provide a better picture of trends in capacity utilization.

Products

There are fixed release dates for capital and repair expenditures and the capacity utilization surveys. The Capital Stock series are updated annually in late summer. All publications are available on the Internet, and data are also available through CANSIM.

• Private and Public Investment in Canada - Intentions (No. 61-205-XIB )
• Private and Public Investment in Canada - Revised Intentions (No. 61-206-XIB )
• Capital Expenditures by Type of Asset - Actual (No. 61-223-XIB )
• Fixed Capital Flows and Stocks, Historical - Occasional (No.13-568-XPB )

Costs
These statistics are available on disk, in publications and on Statistics Canada's CANSIM II database. Costs may be applicable in obtaining these statistics.

7. Income and Expenditure Accounts
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Under the Income and Expenditure Accounts program, Statistics Canada publishes quarterly and annual estimates of Canada's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and its main income and expenditure components, for each of four broad sectors: persons, businesses, governments and non-residents. It also publishes annual estimates of GDP by province and territory of Canada.

National Income and Expenditure Accounts

This program includes projects to extend the national accounts framework in areas such as the value of household work, the underground economy, the tourism industry and the measurement of purchasing power parities. The focus is on Canada's Gross Domestic Product, including such components as consumer spending, business investment, exports, labour income, corporation profits, farm income, government spending and prices.

Provincial Economic Accounts

These are annual estimates of income and expenditure-based GDP available for provinces and territories.

Costs
These statistics are available in print publication (No. 13-001-XPB) and in day-of-release printouts "Tables and analytical document" (No. 13-001-PPB, No. 13-213-PPB), on diskette (No. 13-001-XDB, No. 13-213-XDB ) and on Statistics Canada's CANSIM II database. Costs are applicable in obtaining these statistics and will vary depending upon the medium.

For more information, you may contact:
Income and Expenditure Accounts Division
Telephone: 613-951-3640
Fax: 613-951-3618
E-mail: iead-info-dcrd@statcan.ca

8. Socio-Economic Analysis and Modeling
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The Socio-Economic Analysis and Modeling Division's role is to conduct analysis as well as to stimulate, support and integrate analytic work throughout Statistics Canada. The Division is responsible for facilitating use of social and economic data files. The Division produces the Social Policy Simulation Database/Model. It undertakes simulation modeling and substantive research in the areas of education, employment, earnings, and the distribution of income. It also undertakes collaborative ventures with external sponsors on a cost-recovery basis.

Social Policy Simulation Database/Model

The Social Policy Simulation Database and Model (SPSD/M) is a public use database of family/individual micro-data, together with associated analytical software that allows analysts to assess the effects of past and proposed changes to Canada's tax/transfer system. The SPSD/M is a static microsimulation model which allows estimation of the income redistributive effects or cost implications of changes in the personal taxation and cash transfer system. It runs on personal computers (PCs), and is distributed via CD-ROM and Statistics Canada's Web site.

Costs
A demonstration version is available for free online.

LifePaths

LifePaths is a dynamic longitudinal microsimulation model of individuals and families. Using behavioural equations based on historical data, it creates statistically representative samples consisting of complete lifetimes of individuals. It is used for analyzing and developing government policies having an essentially longitudinal component, in particular those whose nature requires evaluation at the individual or family level. It can also be used to analyze a variety of societal issues of a longitudinal nature such as intergenerational equity or time allocation over entire lifetimes.
 
Costs
A public version of the model is available for free online.

New Brunswick Contact(s):
SERVING ATLANTIC CANADA
Advisory Services
Statistics Canada
1888 Brunswick Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia  B3J 2G7
Fax: 902-426-9538
Toll-free (information): 1-800-263-1136
Toll-free (publications): 1-800-267-6677
TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-363-7629
E-mail: infostats@statcan.ca
Web site: http://www.statcan.ca/start.html

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National Contact(s):
Statistical Reference Centre
Statistics Canada
Room 1500
Main Building
Holland Avenue
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0T6
Fax: 1-877-287-4369
Toll-free (information): 1-800-263-1136
Toll-free (publications): 1-800-267-6677
TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-363-7629
E-mail: infostats@statcan.ca
Web site: http://www.statcan.ca/start.html