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Statistics Canada Research Data Centre

York University Statistics Canada Research Data Centre (RDC)

A partnership with Statistics Canada, supported through the York University Division of the Vice-President Research & Innovation and is a centre housed in the Institute for Social Research.

The York University Statistics Canada Research Data Centre (York RDC) provides social science, health, economics, business, and policy researchers access to analyze Statistics Canada’s master data sets. In the RDC’s secure environment researchers can access surveys in full detail, without the removal of geographic and other information required to protect respondent confidentiality in the public use data files.

The York RDC is a Branch of the Toronto Region RDC and is funded by the office of York University’s Vice President of Research and Innovation (VPRI)SSHRCCIHR, and managed by York University’s Institute for Social Research.

The vRDC (virtual Research Data Centre) platform is in effect for the York RDC.

Data sets

The York RDC hosts the core RDC Program Data Sets. Please consult the RDC Program’s Application process and guidelines page for more information about submitting a proposal. York University researchers can check York University Libraries Data and Statistics web site to ensure that data needs cannot be met using Statistics Canada’s publicly available microdata provided through the Data Liberation Initiative (DLI).

How to apply

Research at the RDC requires acceptance of a proposal submitted to both SSHRC and Statistics Canada. For details, consult application process and guidelines.

General Inquiries:
York University RDC
York Lanes 282
Email: statcan.york_rdc-york_cdr.statcan@statcan.gc.ca

Website: https://www.yorku.ca/research/isr/centres/statistics-canada-research-data-centre/

York University RDC Personnel

Professor Ben Sand
Academic Director
bmsand@yorku.ca

Hugh McCague
Statistical Consultant
hmccague@yorku.ca

Statistics Canada Analysts

Jing Liang
RDC Analyst 
statcan.york_rdc-york_cdr.statcan@statcan.gc.ca

Sara Bimo
RDC Assistant Analyst
statcan.york_rdc-york_cdr.statcan@statcan.gc.ca

Notices

August 24, 2026:

RDC Information Slides

August 20, 2026:

Job posting: Lead Architect for the SSCAN Data Space project, application deadline September 7, 2026

August 16, 2026:

The York York RDC will be closed on Monday, August 17. We apologize for the short notice and any inconvenience.

July 22, 2026:

Upcoming launch of the vRDC Resource Scheduling Request Process

July 6, 2026:

vRDC Data Repository

Dear Researchers,

The vRDC Data Repository will house only the most recent version of a data file and older versions will be removed. This change helps manage our data storage footprint. It also supports Statistics Canada’s long-standing guidance encouraging researchers to use the most recent data, as updates and corrections are applied exclusively to current releases. Information about specific changes can be found in the data release notes and accompanying documentation. If you are unable to use the newest version, please discuss with your RDC Analyst. 

When new versions of files are released, the file path for the parent folder remains the same, unless the release is a newly bundled “allyears/allcycles” data product. However, the child folder or file names will change to indicate the new version.

Only one data file format is provided for each dataset being added or updated in the vRDC Data Repository. Instructions for opening these files in different statistical software programs are found in the Researcher Toolbox drive. 

Yours truly,

Statistics Canada Research Data Centre Program

June 18, 2026:

Artifactory Now Available in the vRDC Environment

April 24, 2026:

Submitting support requests for vRDC issues

December 16, 2025:

RDC Information Slides for Teaching and Outreach

Hours

Monday 9:00am to 5:00pm, except closed August 17, 2026
Tuesday 9:00am to 5:00pm, 
Wednesday 9:00am to 5:00pm
Thursday 9:00am to 5:00pm
Friday Closed
Saturday and Sunday Closed

Location

Getting to the York RDC
The secure data area of the York RDC is located in Room 282, on the 2nd floor of York Lanes building, located on the campus of York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3. York University Keele campus map

Directions to the Keele campus.

Parking
York University Parking Services provides complete information on the availability of visitor parking and the acquisition of parking permits

Accessibility
The second floor of York Lanes is accessible by elevator.

The York RDC houses one accessible workstation with a height adjustable work surface. An accessible restroom is located close to the facility.

Events and Newsletters

Canadian Research Data Centre Network (CRDCN) Newsletters

25th Anniversary of the Canadian Research Data Centre Network (CRDCN): 2000-2025

New Datasets and Updates to Earlier Datasets

October 10, 2024:

A number of new datasets/updates to existing datasets have recently become available for researchers with approved projects. A brief description is given below for your perusal. Researchers interested in gaining access can get in touch with us for more information. 

The following new datasets, linkages and updates are now available and can be accessed by researchers with approved projects:

Education and Labour

  1. National Graduates Survey (NGS) 2023 (class of 2020)
  2. Ontario Grade 9-12 (ON 9-12) education and administrative files from the Ontario Ministry of Education via Education and Labour Market Longitudinal Platform (ELMLP)
  3. PSIS 2020/2021 and RAIS 2021 to Census 2021
  4. Canada Education Savings Program (CESP) 2021 data linkages to T1FF, Census 2021, Census 2016, LAD 2021

Business/Economic

  1. Annual Survey of Manufacturing and Logging Industries (ASML) 2022
  2. Business Research Microdata (BRM) 2000 – 2021
  3. Consumer Price Index (CPI_AllYears)

Social/Demographic

  1. General Social Survey (GSS) Cycle 37 - Time Use Survey 2022
  2. Longitudinal Immigration Database (IMDB) - 2022 
  3. Indigenous Peoples Survey (IPS) 2022
  4. Longitudinal Administrative Databank (LAD) data linked to the Census of Population (CEN) 20162021
  5. Longitudinal Administrative Databank (LAD) 2020

Health

  1. Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth (CHSCY) 2023
  2. National Cannabis Survey (NCS) 2023
  3. Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) 2022
  4. Mental Health and Access to Care Survey (MHACS)
  5. Canadian Community Health Survey - Annual Component (Cycle 2014 to 2020) (CCHS) linked to Canadian Vital Statistics Death Database (CVSD)Hospital Mental Health Database (HMHDB), Discharge Abstract Database (DAD), National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS)T1 Family File (T1FF)

Other

  1. Canadian Internet Use Survey (CIUS) 2022
  2. Canadian Housing Statistics Program (CHSP) 2022
  3. Integrated Criminal Court Survey (ICCS) All Years