Census of Population - Reverse Record Check

Detailed information for May 15, 2001

Following each census since 1966, the Reverse Record Check (RRC) has been carried out to measure gross undercoverage, that is, to estimate the number of persons and households missed in the census.

Data release - November 25, 2004

• Description
• Data sources and methodology

Description

Following each census since 1966, the Reverse Record Check (RRC) has been carried out to measure gross undercoverage, that is, to estimate the number of persons and households missed in the census. The RRC results are combined with the findings of the other coverage studies to calculate net undercoverage.

Population and household undercoverage is generally regarded as one of the most important sources of error affecting census data. It causes a downward bias to the extent that the census figures underestimate the true population and household counts. Overcoverage, on the other hand, results in an upward bias whereby census data overestimate the true population and household counts. These two sources of error may also distort the distribution of population and household characteristics estimated from census data if overcounted and uncounted persons do not have the same characteristics as enumerated individuals.

Reference period: Census Day

Collection period: Following the census

Subjects

• Population and demography

Data sources and methodology

Sampling

This is a sample survey with a cross-sectional design.

Disclosure control

Statistics Canada is prohibited by law from releasing any information it collects that could identify any person, business, or organization, unless consent has been given by the respondent or as permitted by the Statistics Act. Various confidentiality rules are applied to all data that are released or published to prevent the publication or disclosure of any information deemed confidential. If necessary, data are suppressed to prevent direct or residual disclosure of identifiable data.

In order to prevent any data disclosure, confidentiality analysis is done using the Statistics Canada Generalized Disclosure Control System (G-Confid). G-Confid is used for primary suppression (direct disclosure) as well as for secondary suppression (residual disclosure). Direct disclosure occurs when the value in a tabulation cell is composed of or dominated by few enterprises while residual disclosure occurs when confidential information can be derived indirectly by piecing together information from different sources or data series.