Coal Monthly

Coal Monthly
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Detailed information for May 2008

Status:

Active

Frequency:

Monthly

Record number:

2147

This monthly survey collects data on coal production and disposition from all producing coal mines in Canada.

Data release - August 1, 2008

Description

This monthly survey collects data on coal production and disposition from all producing coal mines in Canada.

The information collected from this survey is very important in determining the coal mining industry's contribution to national and provincial/territorial Gross Domestic Product and is used in the calculation of equalization payments under the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements. Federal (Natural Resources Canada) and provincial agencies are also regular data users. The monthly data on coal production and disposition are released roughly two months after the end of the reference month.

The information is also used to provide Natural Resources Canada with a 'preliminary' annual estimate of coal production (volume and value) roughly 40 days after the end of each calendar year. The 'actual' annual estimates of both volume and value are produced by the "Coal Mines Annual" survey (record no. 2177) and are released roughly 15 months after the end of each calendar year.

Reference period: Month

Collection period: Data are collected between the first and tenth days of the month following the reference month.

Subjects

  • Coal
  • Energy
  • Energy consumption and disposition

Data sources and methodology

Target population

The universe consists of all producing coal mines in Canada classified according to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS 21211). The respondent list is updated in collaboration with Natural Resources Canada.

Instrument design

The questionnaire comprises the volume of coal produced, the inventories held at mines and ports, and the volume and value of sales by province and country (exports).

The questionnaire is respondent completed.

The last significant modification to the questionnaire was made in the mid-1980s based on contacts with respondents and data users. Other revisions to the questionnaire are an ongoing process based on respondent feedback.

Sampling

This survey is a census.

This methodology does not apply.

Data sources

Responding to this survey is mandatory.

Data are collected directly from survey respondents.

The data are collected by Head Office through a mail-out/mail-back process. Follow-ups are conducted by fax or phone as needed to reach the target response rate.

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

Error detection

The following methods of error detection are used:

- The data are compared with data for the respondent from the same period of the previous year.

- Data on coal disposition by end use are checked against data from the Quarterly Industrial Consumption of Energy Survey (Survey ID 2166).

- Data on value of production are checked against data from the Coal Mines Annual Survey (Survey ID 2177).

Imputation

The response rate for the survey is very high, nearly 100%. Imputation for missing data values is rarely required.

If required, imputation is done manually, using data from the respondent for the same month of the previous year. It is supplemented or cross-checked against inventory information from the respondent, data from provincial agencies and company annual reports, information on plant shutdowns, and data from the Quarterly Industrial Consumption of Energy Survey.

Estimation

The monthly data on coal production and disposition are based on a census of all producing coal mines in Canada; no sampling is done, therefore no estimation techniques are applied.

However, in the case of the 'preliminary' annual estimate of coal production (volume and value), a process is applied to estimate a price for coal which is coupled with volume estimate derived from this monthly survey in order to generate an estimated value of production.

Quality evaluation

The quality of the data on disposition is evaluated by comparing it with data from the Quarterly Industrial Consumption of Energy Survey and the Coal Mines Annual Survey.

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.

Confidentiality analysis includes the detection of possible direct disclosure, which occurs when the value in a tabulation cell is composed of a few respondents or when the cell is dominated by a few companies.

Data accuracy

The survey is a census of the target population, which is very stable, and the response rate is very high (nearly 100%). As a result, under-coverage is minimal, and minimal bias resulting from non-response is introduced.

Documentation

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