Housing and Transportation Cost Index (HTCI)

Detailed information for May 2024

Statistics Canada and Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada collaborated on the adaptation of an existing composite index for estimating the expense of housing and transportation in Canada. This index is based on the Center for Neighborhood Technology's Housing + Transportation (H+T®) Affordability Index

Data release - June 6, 2025

• Description
• Data sources and methodology
• Data accuracy

Description

The Housing and Transportation Cost Index provides a better estimate of the expenses incurred by households due to geographic location; peripheral areas that seem to have a comparative advantage due to low housing costs become less attractive once transportation costs are taken into consideration.
This dataset is expected to be further refined in the future, as new data on housing and transportation become available, along with regular updates of the methodology.

Reference period: Varies

Collection period: October to May

Data sources and methodology

Target population

The methodology is applied to Census Sub-divisions and Aggregate Dissemination Areas across Canada. Territories are excluded, for lack of reliable data. First Nations reserves or settlements too are out of the scope of this study, because some of the concepts used in the methodology cannot be applied. Inuit regions are excluded from the study due to the peculiarities of modes of transportation in Northern Canada, and lack of data. Métis settlements in Alberta are included in the study.

Instrument design

This methodology type does not apply to this statistical program.

Sampling

This methodology type does not apply.

Data sources

Data collection for this reference period: 2023-10-01 to 2023-05-31

Data are extracted from administrative files and derived from other Statistics Canada surveys and/or other sources.

Vehicle Registration data transmitted by local administrations;
Car ownership data purchased from private vendor;
Public transportation fees downloaded from the internet.

Error detection

Data were pre-validated by the providers.

Imputation

This methodology type does not apply to this statistical program.

Estimation

This methodology does not apply.

Quality evaluation

The data were subject to several rounds of validation. Columns were assessed to ensure entries were valid and in the expected format. Missing values in each column were counted and any records with missing or suppressed data were dropped.

Disclosure control

This methodology does not apply.

Revisions and seasonal adjustment

This methodology type does not apply to this survey.

Data accuracy

This type of methodology type does not apply to this statistical program.