Happy Open Access Week!
As researchers are increasingly publishing Open Access, open data is critical to supporting open research outputs. Since fall 2023 the majority of Odesi collections are open data! With 5,700+ datasets, Odesi supports users seeking information on social & political trends via public opinion polls, provincial & national election surveys, environmental studies, critical health data & more. This Open Access Week, check out some of our Odesi open data collections below:
COVID-19 Surveys
As we re-enter cold & flu season, consider taking a look at Odesi survey data on Covid-19 while you’re waiting for flu & Covid vaccines to come available:
- Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey, Cycle 1, 2021: The Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey will collect information in two parts. The first part is an electronic questionnaire about general health and exposure to COVID-19. The second part is an at-home finger-prick blood test, which is sent to a lab to determine the presence of COVID-19 antibodies. The data will be used to: estimate how many Canadians test positive for antibodies even if they have never had symptoms of COVID-19 better understand the social distancing behaviours of Canadians and their general health during the pandemic. This important information will help evaluate the extent of the health status associated with the COVID-19 pandemic such as the prevalence of infection even for people who have never had symptoms, among a representative sample of Canadians. Through the integration with health and social administrative data, the survey will also provide a platform to explore emerging public health issues, including the impact of COVID-19 on health and social well-being. It also aims to shed light on immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 in a diversity of communities, age brackets, populations, and occupational groups across the nation.
- Impacts of COVID-19 on Canadians, 2020: A series of surveys including information on how COVID-19 has impacted the employment, household expenses, and access to health services of Canadians living with a long-term condition or disability, as well as Canadian’s trust in governments, public health authorities, businesses and others during the COVID-19 pandemic. A crowdsourcing data collection initiative inviting all members of the Canadian population to participate in a data collection exercise on a voluntary basis to evaluate how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted confidence and trust in various institutions, general public, and neighbours, and to determine if experiences with discrimination before and during the pandemic has disproportionally impacted certain groups more than others.
- Répercussions de la pandémie de COVID-19 sur les étudiants du niveau postsecondaire, 2020 [Canada]: La pandémie COVID-19 perturbe actuellement la vie et les habitudes de tous les Canadiens, y compris celles des étudiants du niveau postsecondaire. Il est donc nécessaire de recueillir rapidement des informations pour aider à comprendre ses répercussions sur les étudiants du niveau postsecondaire et leur éducation, et pour évaluer les effets sur le marché du travail et leur capacité à s’y intégrer. Ces informations seront utilisées par des organisations gouvernementales, des établissements de l’éducation et les Canadiens afin de leur fournir des renseignements dont ils ont besoin pour réagir à la pandémie et s’en remettre.
Natural Resources, Environment, Agriculture Surveys
If you’re enjoying the beautiful fall weather that’s finally arrived, take a look at a survey on the importance of nature to Canadians in the 1990s, or check out the most recent Census of Agriculture:
- Census of Agriculture, 2021 [Canada], Farm Data and Farm Operator Data: The Census of Agriculture collects and disseminates a wide range of data on the agriculture industry, including the number and type of farms, farm operator characteristics, business operating arrangements, land management practices, crop areas, the number of livestock and poultry, farm capital, total operating expenses and receipts, and farm machinery and equipment. Census data provide a comprehensive picture of the agriculture industry across Canada every five years at the national, provincial and territorial levels, as well as at lower levels of geography. The Census of Agriculture is the cornerstone of Canada’s Agriculture Statistics Program. Census of Agriculture data are an indispensable public and private sector tool for analysing important changes in the agriculture and food industries; developing, implementing and evaluating agricultural policies and programs such as farm income safety nets and environmental sustainability; and making production, marketing and investment decisions.
- Recensement de l’agriculture, 2021 [Canada], Données sur les exploitations et les exploitants agricoles: Le Recensement de l’agriculture présente un profil complet et intégré des aspects physiques, économiques, sociaux et environnementaux de l’industrie agricole au Canada. Il fournit un portrait à un moment précis de l’industrie agricole et, lorsque les données d’un recensement sont comparées avec celles de recensements précédents, il constitue une précieuse ressource pour mettre en évidence les changements qui se produisent dans l’industrie agricole. Il sert de fondement pour la prise de décisions dans les secteurs public et privé et pour la recherche et l’analyse dans les domaines qui préoccupent la population du Canada. Tous les cinq ans, le Recensement de l’agriculture recueille un large éventail de données à l’échelle nationale, provinciale et infraprovinciale, comme le nombre d’exploitations et d’exploitants agricoles, les superficies agricoles, la forme juridique des exploitations, les pratiques de gestion des terres, les stocks d’animaux d’élevage et les superficies consacrées à la culture, les dépenses et les recettes d’exploitation totales, le capital agricole et la machinerie, le matériel et l’équipement agricoles.
- Canadian Nature Study, 2012: This report presents the results of the 2012 Canadian Nature Survey, the first national survey of its kind in Canada in over 15 years. It provides concrete evidence for the significant contribution that nature makes to the national economy and individual Canadians’ quality of life. The survey enriches our understanding of the importance of nature to Canadians by measuring their awareness, participation, and investments in a wide range of nature-based activities, including valuable results at the national level and for each province and territory. This information is essential to support the diverse policy and program needs of the sponsoring agencies in meeting their obligations to manage the conservation and sustainable use of Canada’s biodiversity.
- Households and the Environment Survey, 2015 [Canada]: The Households and the Environment Survey (HES) was conducted from October 2015 to January 2016 as a supplement to the Canadian Community Health Survey. The survey was designed to specifically address the needs of its funding source the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators (CESI) project, a joint venture between Statistics Canada, Environment Canada and Health Canada. The CESI project reports annually on air quality, water quality and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Canada using indicators to identify areas of importance to Canadians and monitor progress. The 2015 survey offers an expanded view on household behaviours that relate to the environment but allows for comparisons with the 1994 survey for some indicators and most of the indicators from the 2006-2013 surveys. The objective of the survey is to provide context to scientific measures of air and water quality, and greenhouse gas emissions, by gaining a better understanding of household behaviour and practices with respect to the environment.
- Survey on the Importance of Nature to Canadians, 1996: The Survey on the Importance of Nature to Canadians (the Nature Survey) is the result of a partnership of 16 federal, provincial andterritorial government agencies responsible for wildlife, water, forestry, tourism, and parks and protected areas. The Nature Survey included questions similar to those in previous surveys on wildlife related activities and recreational fishing. It was expanded to include a new set of questions on outdoor activities in natural areas such as camping and boating, among others. The objectives of the Survey on the Importance of Nature to Canadians were to: A: Measure the social and economic importance of nature to Canadians by collecting information on nature-related activities, including activities such as viewing, studying and photographing nature, camping, andvarious nature-related sports such as hiking, boating, hunting and fishing. B: Provide basic, accurate and reliable data on nature-related activities that are homogenous across provincial/territorial boundaries C: With the help of the information from the survey, develop programs for the protection and sustainable use of the natural environment.
New Surveys in Odesi
Finally, if you’re a regular Odesi user and you like to keep up to date on new data releases, check out a few of these newly available surveys:
- Labour force survey, August 2024 [Canada]: The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is a household survey carried out monthly by Statistics Canada. Since its inception in 1945, the objectives of the LFS have been to divide the working-age population into three mutually exclusive categories in relation to the labour market — employed, unemployed, and not in the labour force — and to provide descriptive and explanatory data on each of these groups. Data from the survey provide information on major labour market trends, such as shifts in employment across industrial sectors, hours worked, labour force participation and unemployment rates.
- National Graduates Survey, 2023 [Canada], Class of 2020: The NGS Class of 2020 was collected in 2023 and focuses on the education and labour market experiences of persons who graduated from Canadian public postsecondary educational institutions in 2020. The survey includes questions about academic paths, funding for postsecondary education, and the transition into the labour market. It also explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the education and employment of graduates. A sample of 60,000 graduates was selected for this cycle and the NGS Class of 2020 master microdata file includes 26,808 records and 462 variables. The data will be used by Statistics Canada, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), provincial and territorial ministries of education, researchers, and other interested organizations to examine various topics such as educational pathways, postsecondary funding, mobility, school-to-work transitions, labour market outcomes and pursuits of further postsecondary studies.
- Mental Health and Access to Care Survey [Canada]: The Mental Health and Access to Care Survey (MHACS) collects information about the mental health status of Canadians, as well as their access to and need for services and supports, whether formal or informal. This survey also aims to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on population health and evaluate changes in patterns of mental health, service use and functioning in the last 10 years.