Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2015, published 105th ILC session (2016)

Labour Statistics Convention, 1985 (No. 160) - Canada (Ratification: 1995)

The Committee notes the observations of the Confederation of National Trade Unions (CSN) concerning the long-form census communicated with the Government’s report.

Article 3 of the Convention. Revising concepts, definitions and methodology, in cooperation with the social partners. The CSN indicates that in 2010 an important change in the methodology used by the federal Government in the collection of key labour market statistics was made without any consultation. The change concerns the decision to ask questions normally asked on the long form census (the answering of which is compulsory) on the National Household Survey (the answering of which is voluntary) instead. The CSN is of the view that the abandonment of the long-form census will deprive the federal and provincial governments and other organizations of reliable statistics to inform labour-related policies and programmes. The CSN also indicates that the Government’s decision to abandon the long-form census does not comply with the obligations of Articles 1 and 3 of the Convention. The Committee requests the Government to provide its comments in this respect.

Articles 7 and 8. Employment, unemployment and underemployment statistics. Statistics of the structure and distribution of the economically active population. The Committee notes that the Government regularly supplies data to the ILO for dissemination through its ILOSTAT database. It further notes that the last population census was carried out in 2011 (the results of which are publicly available on Statistics Canada’s website) and the next one will be carried out in 2016. The Committee invites the Government to provide information on any developments towards the implementation of the resolution concerning statistics of work, employment and labour underutilization (Resolution I), adopted by the 19th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (October 2013).

Article 9(1) and (2). Statistics of average earnings and hours of work. Statistics of time rates of wages and normal hours of work. The Government indicates that Statistics Canada has continued to complete the ILO data requests, ensuring that statistics of average weekly hours actually worked and average weekly earnings are regularly transmitted to the ILO for publication and dissemination. The Committee requests that the Government provide information on any developments concerning statistics of time rates of wages and normal hours of work.

Article 11. Statistics of labour cost. The Government indicates that there have been no developments concerning the application of this provision since its last report. The Committee once again asks the Government to provide information on any development in this field and draws again the Government’s attention to the guidelines contained in Paragraph 6 of the Labour Statistics Recommendation, 1985 (No. 170) with regard to the compilation of data on the level and composition of labour costs to meet long-term needs.

Article 15. Statistics of industrial disputes. The Committee notes the information by the Government on the methodology and dissemination of statistics on industrial disputes. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information in this regard and on any changes made in relation to the application of Article 15.

[The Government is asked to reply in detail to the present comments in 2016.]