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Canada’s 2006 Census Online Experience MSIS 2008 Luxembourg, April 7-9, 2008 Karen Doherty...

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Canada Canada ’s 2006 Census ’s 2006 Census Online Experience Online Experience MSIS 2008 Luxembourg, April 7-9, 2008 Karen Doherty Director General Informatics Branch Statistics Canada
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CanadaCanada’s 2006 Census ’s 2006 Census Online ExperienceOnline Experience

MSIS 2008Luxembourg, April 7-9, 2008

Karen DohertyDirector General Informatics BranchStatistics Canada

22

Table of ContentsTable of Contents

• Environmental Overview

• Canadian Census Program

• Preconditions for Online Option

• Census Online Application Features

• Results

• Conclusion

33

Canada’s GeographyCanada’s Geography

44

Canada Overview Canada Overview

• 10M km² and 5½ time zones (8 hours non-stop by plane from St John’s Nfld to Victoria BC)

• Two official languages, many other languages due to multi-cultural nature of the country

• Very low unemployment rate especially in the booming west (Alberta and BC)

• Large tracts of very sparsely populated land

55

Population by ProvincePopulation by Province

Population average/km²

Canada=3.5/km² US=31/km²UK=246/km²Canadian urban centres=245/km²

66

Population DistributionPopulation Distribution

77

Population DistributionPopulation Distribution

88

Census DistrictsCensus Districts

99

The Canadian The Canadian Census ProgramCensus Program

• Legal requirement every 5 years

• Census of Population and Census of Agriculture run simultaneously

• Two main form types for Census of Pop:– Short form (8 questions) – 80% of households– Long form (53 questions) – 20% of households

• Protecting confidentiality is paramount

1010

Drivers for ChangeDrivers for Change

• Use of local enumerators raised issues around privacy

• Canada Revenue Agency could no longer perform the data capture (Canadians largely submit their tax returns electronically)

• Harder and harder to hire 22,000 enumerators• Government policy is to offer all services on-line

1111

New Methodology New Methodology

• Most radical change since 1971• Questionnaires delivered by Canada Post to about 70% of

households• Enumerators delivered the remaining 30%• Returns made by mail or via online option• 98% self enumerators, 2% enumerated by interview• All returns processed in one highly secure data centre• Development of the online option and processing

applications contracted out

1212

Preconditions for an Preconditions for an Internet Response OptionInternet Response Option

• Well designed collection methodology– Central repository of all households– Good tracking and communications mechanisms

• High level of Internet connectivity

• Public trust in online transactions

• Mature security infrastructure

• Experience with online surveys

1313

Web Application FeaturesWeb Application Features

• User friendly web application– thin client application (no large download)

– intelligent skip patterns

– soft edits

– save and resume function

• Support for both official languages• Accessibility options for the visually impaired• Support for a large range of browsers

1414

Security FeaturesSecurity Features

• Specially designed PKI encryption solution delivered by the Canadian Government’s Secure Channel

• Required a standard industry provided Java applet on the workstation PKI

• Research indicated that about 6% of PCs would not have the Java applet pre-loaded

• Login only required that the user enter the 16-digit access code provided on their Census form

1515

1616

1717

Online QuestionnaireOnline Questionnaire

1818

ResultsResults

22% of those who responded prior to non-response follow-up

responded online

18.5% in all responded online

1919

Online Response PatternOnline Response PatternMay 06 - Planned VS ActualMay 06 - Planned VS Actual

Census DayMay 16, 2006

2020

Census DayCensus DayLogins Per SecondLogins Per Second

GracefulGraceful deferral starts

2121

Results BreakdownResults Breakdown

• Higher rate of use by larger households:– 5 or more occupants: 26%– 2-4 occupants: 19.5%– 1 occupant: 13.5%

• No difference in response rates between the short and long form respondents

• Over 20% response rate in Alberta, BC, Ontario and the Yukon

2222

BenefitsBenefits

• Better quality responses– Edit failure rates much lower for online questionnaires

– Item non-response rates:• Short form – Paper forms have 102x higher rate

• Long form – Paper forms have 10x higher rate

• Reduced costs for paper-handling, mail-back postage and follow-up

• Relieves the pressure to find 20,000 increasingly scarce enumerators

2323

ObservationsObservations

• Need to test the wide range of browsers• Need easy to use online questionnaires• Testing pointed to the need for a special

questionnaire layout for the Help Line operators

• Need strong partnership with network provider (in this case Secure Channel team)

• Need a back up plan

2424

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

• Volume testing was harder and took longer than planned

• Little industry expertise in modelling volume testing using PKI

• Needed to monitor and limit access in Census Day – respondents were understanding

• Still work to do to handle the Java applet

2525

Onwards and UpwardsOnwards and Upwards

• Target for 2006 was 15-20% via InternetTarget for 2011 is 40% via Internet

• New mail out strategy based on results of test groups during 2006 Census and subsequent follow-up:– Majority of households will receive a letter asking them

to respond online

– They will be able to order a paper questionnaire via the Help Line if they can’t or choose not to respond online


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