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Acquiring Statistics Canada Census '96 Data for Mapping Purposes

 Library Guide
No. 7.1

Contents

  1. Access Tri-University Data Resources Web Site
  2. Statistics Canada Census '96 Data
  3. Navigating the Web site
    1. Downloading Data
    2. Using Beyond 20/20
      1. Dimensions
      2. Selecting Data
      3. Exporting Data
    3. Using Excel to Change Format of Exported Data
    4. Using ArcView to Edit Geography Field for Census Tract Data
  4. Statistics Canada's Boundary Files for Census '96
    1. Navigating the Web Site
    2. Downloading Data

  1. Access Tri-University Data Resources Web Site

    From the University of Waterloo Library page http://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/ under Find It, select E-Data and then select TUG Data Resources. This will contect you to the TDR TriUniversity Data Resources page (http://tdr.tug-libraries.on.ca/).

  2. Statistics Canada Census '96 Data

    1. Navigating the Web site

      Statistics Canada files are listed on Web page entitled Data Available On-line. Click on Data Available On-line.

      The link entitled Links to Statistics Canada B2020 files provides access to a number of Statistics Canada data sets. From this page there are links to Agricultural Census '96 and Census '96 Profiles, which contain data sets that can be used in mapping programs. The data sets are viewed in pre-formatted tables using software called Ivision Beyond 20/20 Browser.

      Agricultural Census '96 provides results of the Census including statistics on crop production, characteristics of farm operators, and capital costs involved in farm operations. Geographical level of data is Province, Census Division (CD), and Census Consolidated Subdivision (CCS).

      Census '96 Profiles cover topics such as age, sex, marital status, composition of households, ethnic origin, and languages spoken. Choose a topic, then geographic level. The geographic levels are Census Metropolitan Area (CMA), Census Tract (CT), Census Division (CD) and Census Subdivision (CSD), Forward Sortation Area (first 3 digits of postal code), and Enumeration Area (EA).

    2. Downloading Data

      1. Click on Data Available On-line.
      2. Click on Links to Statistics Canada B2020 files.
      3. Click on B2020 beside Agricultural Census '96 or Census '96 Profiles.
      4. Click on topic you want. Some files are large so downloading will take some time.

    3. Using B2020 (Beyond 20/20)

      1. Dimensions

        1. To move dimension - click and drag dimension to new location. Ensure that the Geography data column is on the left-hand side of the table.

          View a screenshot of the Beyond 20/20 browser.

          Profile of CD/C

        2. To scroll through dimensions - click down arrow button beside the dimension window and select dimension required or click and highlight dimension on table.
        3. To change column widths - drag column line to desired width.
        4. To pivot and nest dimensions - drag the dimension not already occupying a row or column to the edge of another dimension until a thick line or highlight appears, then release the mouse button.

      2. Selecting Data

        1. To select a row or column - click on the corresponding row or column heading.
        2. To select non-adjacent rows and/or columns - press the <Ctrl> key and click on row or column headings of interest.

      3. Exporting Data

        1. Select items from the table by pressing <Ctrl> key and left mouse button.
        2. For all Geography data except Census Tract, click on Geography to highlight, then click on Dimension and select Change Labels to get the Geography Code number. Do not do this for Census Tract data.
        3. Click on File, select Save As. Specify a File Name, then navigate to the Directory and Drive where you wish to save the data. Under Files of Type select dBaseFile (*.dbf). Click on OK.

    4. Using Excel to Change Format of Exported Data

      So that the exported data can be used in ArcView, it must first be opened in Excel and then saved as DBF4(dBase IV)(*.dbf). When closing the file in Excel there will be a long message that the file is not in Microsoft Excel format and asking whether you want to save your changes. Click on Yes. The data is ready to be used in ArcView.

    5. Using ArcView to edit Geography field for Census Tract Data

      To match Statistics Canada's Census Tract data with Geographic Census files, the Geography column will require changing.

      1. In ArcView:

        1. Click on Table, select Start Editing.
        2. Click on Edit, select Add Field; in Name, change name to something you want, i.e., "newgeog;" in Type, select String; in Width, type 12. Click on OK.
        3. Click on (highlight) field that information is to be added to, i.e., "newgeog," and then click on Field, select Calculate.
        4. Type in the city's Census Metropolitan Area number; arrow down under Requests and double click on AsString; under Requests double click on +; under Fields double click on Geography; under Requests double click on Left and type 7 in brackets ( ), which is the number of characters you want to keep, i.e., Kitchener Census Metropolitan Area number is 541 " newgeog" formula would be 541AsString+GeographyLeft(7) .

          Field Calculator Window

        5. Click on OK. Click on Table, select Stop Editing.
        6. Click Yes when program prompts Save edits? The table is ready to be joined with Geographic Census files.

  3. Statistics Canada's Boundary Files for Census '96

    1. Navigating the Web site

      Statistics Canada files are listed on Web page entitled Data Available On-line.

      The link entitled Link to Geographic files for Census 1991 & 1996 + (partial) 1981 & 1986 provides access to the 1996 Geographic Census files. Data can be downloaded in ARC/INFO and MapInfo format.

      Digital Boundary Files portray the official boundaries used for 1996 Census collection and, therefore, often extend as straight lines into bodies of water.

      Digital Cartographic Files are geographic boundary files for thematic mapping applications used by Geographic Information Systems and mapping software packages. Each Digital Cartographic File includes geostatistical area boundaries that have been modified to follow shorelines and coastlines. In addition a few major lakes are included in the files.

    2. Downloading Data

      From the University of Waterloo Library page http://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/ under Find It, select E-Data and then select TUG Data Resources. This will contect you to the TDR TriUniversity Data Resources page (http://tdr.tug-libraries.on.ca/).

      1. Click on Data Available On-line.
      2. Click on Link to Geographic files for Census 1991 & 1996 + (partial) 1981 & 1986.
      3. Click on Digital Boundary Files (DBF), Digital Cartographic Files (DCF), or the spatial file.
      4. Determine what spatial file is required. Explanations for spatial files and geographic codes can be found in Definitions ... Abbreviation and Code 1991, 1996. Also additional geographic code numbering can be found in Standard Geographical Classification CA1 SC 12-571 1996- UW Porter Gov. Pubs. Quick Ref., behind Information Desk, 5th floor.
      5. Click on the geographic area and format required.
      6. If choosing files at the Province level, click on file for the province numbering.
        10 Newfoundland 24 Quebec 59 British Columbia
        11 Prince Edward Island 35 Ontario 60 Yukon Territory
        12 Nova Scotia 46 Manitoba 61 Northwest Territories
        13 New Brunswick 48 Alberta
      7. The files are large and students may not have enough disk space assigned to them on lab machines to export the files to this location. The files can be saved to a zip disk or in some student labs (Environmental Studies Labs) to a directory called Student Files. The extension .exe should be changed to .zip because on lab computers students are blocked from opening files ending in .exe. The .zip extension will also be a reminder that the file will have to be unzipped before it can be used.

Ann Naese
Revised May 24, 2000

For assistance enquire at the UMD Library Public Service Desk or or consult the Ask a Librarian Web page at: http://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/asklib/

Library Guide, No.7.1 Acquiring Statistics Canada Census '96 Data for Mapping Purposes
http://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/libguides/7-1/index.html
Copyright © University of Waterloo

Liaison Librarian (University Map and Design Library)
Richard Pinnell (rhpinnel@library.uwaterloo.ca)


Last Updated: June 21, 2005