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Presentation to OG6Canberra, Australia

May 2011

Statistical Uses of Administrative Data in

Canada

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Overview of presentation

What is administrative data? Applications of administrative data Sources Advantages and disadvantages Examples of use in the energy statistics program

at Statistics Canada

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What is administrative data?

Records collected and maintained by other government agencies to meet legislative or regulatory requirements:• To monitor activities related to the production and

consumption of energy• To enable regulatory or audit activities• To assess outcomes of policies, programs, initiatives• To register particular events (e.g. business

incorporations, licensing)

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This differs from statistical data

Statistical records:• Are used to study dimensions, trends and

relationships of groups of persons or entities• Maintain the confidentiality of individual identifiable

information• Are used to produce aggregates, averages, measures

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Applications of administrative data

Direct collection of data Substitution for survey data (e.g. for non-

response, for replacement of strata) Estimation, edits, imputation Creation and support of survey frames Data analysis, validation Improving timeliness

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Sources of administrative data

Other government departments and agencies responsible for regulation, audit, evaluation• Can be national or sub-national

Can be made available through:• A file of individual records• Aggregated data• A survey or census of administrative agencies

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Advantages of using admin data Reduction in the overall costs of collection Reduction in burden placed on respondents Greater availability of small area data Possible reduction in errors due to census

coverage Opportunities to link data to other admin sources Advances in technology make it easier, cheaper

to manipulate and use large data files Useful in the development of survey frames

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Disadvantages of using admin data Admin data are not primarily collected for

statistical uses, which could lead to :• Inconsistent concepts, variables, definitions• Lack of follow-up, quality control• Possible breaks in series with changes to regulations,

legislation, policy• Non-representative population• Timeliness concerns

Does the statistical agency have a legal right to access? (Statistics Act)• Public concerns over confidentiality, intrusiveness?

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Examples from the energy statistics program at Statistics Canada

Using administrative data ...

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For direct collection

Where survey data do not exist Eg. Deregulation of the energy market created

secondary distributors• Data collected from natural gas distributors and

transporters on sales to residential, commercial and industrial sectors

• A proxy for consumption data Eg. Import and export data from the National

Energy Board• From admin files on permits

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For direct collection

As a supplement for existing data Eg. For monthly crude oil and natural gas

production, imports, exports, domestic deliveries and inventories, data are collected through both survey & admin data• Producing provinces gather regulatory data

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As a substitution for survey data

Eg. Electric Utility Financial Report gathers an annual breakdown of a series of balance sheet and income statement items• In 2008, negotiated with Ontario Energy Board to

gather aggregate admin data for 85 municipal respondents

• Reduced costs, burden

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For estimation, edits, imputation

Where data are missing, incomplete, inconsistent with historical data

Eg. Missing fuel consumption values are calculated using the change in fuel consumption by industry

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To support survey frames

All energy surveys recently hooked up to the Statistics Canada Business Register

A good source of information to establish and maintain survey frames

Promotes harmonization across department

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For data analysis and validation

Energy statistics program uses other sources of information for quality control, outlier detection, confrontation

Examples:• Reports from industry associations• Reports from other government departments

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For improving timeliness

Program is working to accelerate the collection and reporting of key petroleum production data• Using data from the Petroleum Registry of Alberta

(PRA) as a starting point, to eliminate duplicate reporting

• PRA collects data for regulatory purposes • The application may be extended to other producing

provinces

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For the future...

Other applications under investigation:• Tax data, to replace financial reporting• Public sector statistics, for data on electric utilities –

operating revenues and expenditures, sales of electricity, using income statements and balance sheets Currently assessing survey data vs admin

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Conclusion

Statistics Canada is relying more on admin data Driving factors: fiscal restraint, evolving

technology, respondent burden Success based on legislative authority +

ongoing collaboration Need to be aware of the constraints and

challenges of using admin data

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For more information

Andy KohutDirector, Manufacturing & Energy DivisionStatistics Canada11th Floor, Jean Talon Building, section B-8Ottawa, Ontario CANADAK1A 0T6613-951-5858Andy.Kohut@statcan.gc.ca