Statistics & Data
Librarian
Terminology
Microdata
Microdata are the individual responses or observations, before statistical analysis has been applied. Sometimes referred to as "raw" data. Microdata usually needs to be interpreted using analysis software. Microdata collected about people needs to be anonymized before they can be published for public use so specific individuals cannot be identified.
Microdata
Microdata Sources
- RDS ExplorerRich Data Services (RDS) is Statistics Canada’s analytical platform for Public Use Microdata files (PUMFs) and their metadata. The RDS Explorer and Tabulation Engine's user-friendly interfaces allow users to browse, interact, and download data and metadata for online or offline analysis.
Use the RDS Explorer to browse the data records, create custom extracts by filtering records and selecting variables, and produce personalized open data packages for download. - RDS Tabulation EngineRich Data Services (RDS) is Statistics Canada’s analytical platform for Public Use Microdata files (PUMFs) and their metadata. The RDS Explorer and Tabulation Engine's user-friendly interfaces allow users to browse, interact, and download data and metadata for online or offline analysis.
Use the RDS Tabulation Engine to aggregate data across various dimensions to rapidly create analytical tables.
- Odesi This link opens in a new window
This resource can only be used by current students, faculty/staff.
Note: Odesi recently moved from the Nesstar platform to the Borealis platform. Check out the New Odesi User Guide now available.
Odesi is a web-based tool for data exploration, extraction and analysis. It searches for survey questions (variables) across thousands of datasets held in a growing number of collections, and supports basic tabulation and analysis online. As well, it contains a digital repository for social science data the core of which is Statistics Canada's public-use survey data.
- ICPSR (Inter-University Consortium of Political and Social Research)An international consortium of more than 750 academic institutions and research organizations, Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) provides leadership and training in data access, curation, and methods of analysis for the social science research community.
Note: Not all data in ICPSR is open but a significant portion is available to the public.
- AbacusAbacus is a repository of open and licensed data hosted by UBC and shared by SFU, UBC, UNBC and UVic. The repository contains more than 1000 Statistics Canada datasets available to the public, via StatCan's Open License. The terms of the open license allow anyone to :use, reproduce, publish, and freely distribute" the data.
Research Data Centres
Researchers can apply to gain access microdata sets through the RDC. These sets touch on a wide variety of themes related to Canadian society. Use the links below to explore the possibilities for your research project.
Microdata Analysis Tools
Microdata Analysis Tools
- SDA (Survey Documentation Analysis) [CHASS] This link opens in a new window
This resource can only be used by current students, faculty/staff.
SDA (Survey Documentation Analysis) is a microdata analysis and subsetting resource. It is a series of software programs that presents documentation associated with survey data sets, facilitates web-based analysis of survey data, and includes procedures for creating customized subsets of data that can be downloaded for use in Excel and other statistical software packages. - Odesi This link opens in a new window
This resource can only be used by current students, faculty/staff.
Note: Odesi recently moved from the Nesstar platform to the Borealis platform. Check out the New Odesi User Guide now available.
Odesi is a web-based tool for data exploration, extraction and analysis. It searches for survey questions (variables) across thousands of datasets held in a growing number of collections, and supports basic tabulation and analysis online. As well, it contains a digital repository for social science data the core of which is Statistics Canada's public-use survey data.
DLI Collection
DLI (Data Liberation Initiative) Collection
The Data Liberation Initiative (DLI) is a partnership between post-secondary institutions and Statistics Canada for improving access to Canadian data resources. The DLI Collection is composed of data products produced by Statistics Canada.
A directory of all DLI data is available here. Options for accessing DLI data, include:
- Request access from your Data Librarian (contact information on left). Your Data Librarian has access to the Electronic File Transfer Protocol (DLI EFT) which contains the entire DLI collection.
- Access PUMFs (Public Access Microdata Files) through Statistics Canada's Data.
- Apply to gain access to microdata sets through their local Research Data Centre. Note: RDC's are currently closed due to COVID-19, though researchers can access RDC data via the RTRA. "The RTRA system is an on-line remote access facility allowing users to run SAS programs, in real time, against microdata located in a central and secure location." Contact Jaime Orr at j.orr@uwinnipeg.ca for access.