Searching CANSIM from Statistics Canada
How to access CANSIM from Statistics Canada
Click here and select CANSIM.
Keyword Searching
Before explaining CANSIM searches, it would help to explain the structure of the database. Data are clustered by subject into tables. These are assigned a number comprising 7 digits, for example, 183-0006, that covers sales of alcoholic beverages. At the CANSIM homepage, click onAbout CANSIM (in the left column), CANSIM Table directory, View all sections (at the bottom of the screen). Scroll down the list of table numbers to 183-0006 and note other adjacent table numbers also relating to alcoholic beverages. The table directory is a handy subject compendium of the entire CANSIM database.
Taking alcoholic beverages as an example, backtrack to the CANSIM homepage and try a keyword search for beer sales. Stay with the default setting of All of these words and click Search. (Avoid using the Advanced Search feature; it doesn't work.) This retrieves 35 hits, including table 183-0006; click on Description by this table number. Note that table 183-0006 (covering sales of alcoholic beverages) comprises various dimensions, such as geography, type of sales, type of beverage, type of product and value in dollars or volume in litres. Any of these dimensions may be selected, producing many unique combinations - as many as 406, as indicated by the words "This table contains 406 series..". Thus, a series (also known as a vector) is the most basic unit in CANSIM, containing a unique combination of dimensions within a table, enabling one to customize a more precise search. Like a table, a vector is also assigned a unique number, comprising 6 digits and preceded by a "V" prefix.
Backtrack one page and click 183-0006. This produces a default display featuring national figures for the latest 5 years, covering the dollar value of total sales and per capita sales, of Canadian, imported and total products. But this default can be adjusted by clicking the Add/Remove datatag to select our dimensions. For this example, let us compare the dollar value of per capita sales of beer and wine for Newfoundland & Labrador. Accordingly, we will choose:
- Newfoundland and Labrador (under the Geography dimension)
Total per capita sales (under Type of sales)
Wines and Beer (under Type of beverage)
Value in dollars (under Value and volume)
Total products (under Type of product)
2001 to 2011 (under time frame)
Stay with the default setting of time as columns and under Series details select vector identifier... if you want the vectors to appear in the table; click Apply. The resulting table display clearly shows that the dollar value of per capita beer sales totally outstrips wine sales in Newfoundland & Labrador. Note as well the unique vector numbers (prefixed with a "V") for wine (v130594) and beer (v130607) per capita sales for the province.
The table is conveniently cited in the Source section at the very bottom of the screen.
Some display features to note
Click on the Related information tag and note other bells and whistles such as a link to the latest article from Statistics Canada's The Daily that provides useful commentary on the data. Below is a link to the survey from which the data were derived, describing data sources and methodology, as well as including the questionnaires used in the survey.
Subject Browsing
Backtrack to the CANSIM search page and note the Browse CANSIM by box below the keyword search bar. From the general subject categories, click Retail and wholesale, Retail sales by type of product, that also leads to tables covering sales of alcoholic beverages.