Quarterly International Transactions in Commercial Services

Detailed information for second quarter 2007

This statistical program is amalgamated in record number 1534.

The aim of this survey is to compile data on a variety of services directly bought and sold abroad by businesses located in Canada (that is, excluding transactions with foreign countries carried out by related parties located abroad). The data are required for the compilation of Canada's Balance of International Payments and the Gross Domestic Product. Such statistics are used as a major input in the conduct of monetary and exchange rate policies. Other uses of this data include the development and monitoring of international trade agreements, and in business planning, marketing and institutional research.

Data release - August 30, 2007

• Description
• Data sources and methodology

Description

The data reported in the Balance of Payments surveys are used to produce statistics on Canada's balance of international payments and investment position. These are key economic measures used by departments of the Government of Canada in establishing policies (e.g. interest rates, exchange rates), provincial governments, industry associations, financial institutions and international agencies. Other users include investment dealers, foreign embassies, business planners, market researchers and the academic community.

Collection period: February to December

Subjects

• Balance of international payments
• Economic accounts

Data sources and methodology

Sampling

This survey is a census.

This methodology does not apply.

Error detection

At the time of publication, data for the four preceding years are subject to revision.

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.