Reverse Record Check (RRC)

Detailed information for May 16, 2006

Following each census since the 1961 Census, the Reverse Record Check (RRC) has been carried out to measure census population undercoverage. The RRC estimates the number of persons missed in the census.

Data release - March 27, 2008 (Preliminary estimates); September 29, 2008 (Final estimates)

• Questionnaire(s) and reporting guide(s)
• Description
• Data sources and methodology
• Data accuracy

Description

Following each census since the 1961 Census, the Reverse Record Check (RRC) has been carried out to measure census population undercoverage. The RRC estimates the number of persons missed in the census. This estimate is combined with the estimate of the number of persons enumerated more than once from the Census Overcoverage Study in order to calculate net undercoverage.

Population undercoverage is regarded as one of the most important sources of error affecting census data. It causes a downward bias to the extent that census counts underestimate true population counts. Overcoverage, on the other hand, results in an upward bias whereby census counts overestimate true population counts. These two sources of error will also distort the distribution of population characteristics estimated from census data when the overcovered and missed persons don't have the same characteristics as those who were enumerated once.

Reference period: Census Day

Collection period: Following the census

Subjects

• Population and demography

Data sources and methodology

Target population

The target population is identical to the census. The census targets every person living in Canada on Census Day, as well as Canadians who are abroad, either on a military base, attached to a diplomatic mission, at sea or in port aboard Canadian-registered merchant vessels. Persons in Canada including those holding a temporary resident permit, study permit or work permit, and their dependents, are also part of the census.

The sampling frames used for the survey do not cover persons who had emigrated or were out of the country at the time of the previous Census, did not complete a census questionnaire and returned during the intercensal period (returning Canadians within a province), as well as persons returning from a territory to a province and persons from reserves who were partially enumerated in the previous census and enumerated in the current one. For this reason, the observed population does not include these populations, which totaled an estimated 290,000 persons for the 2016 Reverse Record Check.

Instrument design

Questionnaire design specialists were consulted. The questionnaire was tested by a review committee.

Sampling

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

Five non-overlapping frames define the survey population for the provincial samples. The 2001 Census frame consists of all persons who were enumerated in the 2001 Census. This frame is stratified by sex, age, and marital status. There is a separate stratum for Reserve Enumeration Areas. The Births frame lists all births between May 15, 2001 (Census Day 2001) and May 15, 2006 (day before Census Day 2006) according to the provincial vital statistics registries of births. The Immigrants frame lists all intercensal immigrants according to information provided from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)'s Field Operational Support System (FOSS) files. The Non-permanent residents frame lists all non-Canadians who have been granted a temporary resident permit and members of their family living with them. The list is also based on information provided from CIC's FOSS files. The sample design is stratified random systematic sampling for the Census frame and random systematic sampling for other frames. The last frame for the provincial samples, the Missed Frame, consists of those persons declared Missed in the 2001 Reverse Record Check. The frame for each of the territories is their respective health care file. Following a match of each territories' health care files to the 2006 Census database, stratified simple random sampling was used to select a sample from the non-matching portion of each health care file. Stratification was by sex and age.

Data sources

Data collection for this reference period: 2007-01-02 to 2007-07-31

Responding to this survey is mandatory.

Data are collected directly from survey respondents.

The goal of the Reverse Record Check is to classify each Selected Person (SP) as enumerated or missed in the 2006 Census, or out of scope. One of the data sources was the 2006 Census Response Database. This was used to determine whether or not persons who were in scope were enumerated or not. Part of the sample was sent for collection where three questionnaires were used; one for when the SP was the respondent, one for when a proxy was interviewed, and one for when the SP was deceased prior to May 16, 2006. Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) was the principal collection mode although personal interviewing and paper and pencil were used for a small number of cases. Administrative data are used to construct pre-contact information. Tracing, sometimes extensive, was required for many SPs (56%) before the questionnaire could be administered. The Regional Offices consulted many sources to gather tracing data. Collection was achieved for 85% of the 20,114 cases sent for collection.

View the Questionnaire(s) and reporting guide(s) .

Error detection

The CATI application included an automated verification to ensure that data were collected for the right person. A similar verification was done as part of the post-collection edits. The CATI application also included a number of missing data edits and consistency edits. Interviewers were offered the opportunity to change the data they had entered. The data were also subject to post-collection edits for missing, incomplete, and inconsistent data. Classification of each sampled person as enumerated, missed or out of scope took place after post-collection processing. In order to achieve the highest quality of classification possible, each case potentially classified as missed was reviewed extensively.

Imputation

Deterministic imputation was used for some missing, incomplete, or inconsistent data.

Estimation

The design weights were adjusted for nonresponse according to a model that identified a subset of similar respondents and used a weight share method (re-weighting) to both preserve the total design weight within the adjustment groups and allow variable response propensities. Statistics Canada's Generalized Estimation System (GES) was used to derive adjusted weights. GES also provided estimates of variance using the direct method.

Quality evaluation

Pre-release verification consisted of data confrontation with other published sources (census count of enumerated persons, population estimates for deceased, emigrants, and internal migration), and historical trend analysis. In addition, there is an extensive certification process after the release of the preliminary estimates with the provincial and territorial statistical focal points and other key clients.

Disclosure control

Statistics Canada is prohibited by law from releasing any information it collects which 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.

No microdata are released. No tabulations are produced for small geographic domains. Otherwise, there are no sensitive cells.

Revisions and seasonal adjustment

This methodology does not apply to this survey.

Data accuracy

Data from the RRC are combined with the results of the Census Overcoverage Study and data from the final Census database to estimate population coverage error. Standard errors are provided for each estimate in the dissemination tables (estimates by province and territory, age and sex, marital status, CMA). Information on the results of collection including tracing and completion rates, and on classification (enumerated, missed, out of scope) are produced. There is extensive reporting on collection, both during the collection period and in a final report. Preliminary estimates are discussed with the provincial and territorial statistical focal points and other key clients after they are released and prior to the release of final estimates.