Statistical Use of Goods and Services Tax Data

• Activity Number: 388
• Type: Contributed
• Date/Time: Wednesday, August 11, 2004 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Survey Research Methods
• Author(s): Louis Pierre*+ and Marie Brodeur
• Companies: Statistics Canada and Statistics Canada
• Keywords: administrative data ; calendarization ; model ; edit and imputation ; Goods and Services Tax (GST) ;

Abstract

In a rapidly changing world, decision-makers on the economic scene need quality information if they are to understand economic activity and react quickly. The monthly economic statistics program of Statistics Canada (STC) helps provide this information in a timely fashion. However, the collection of monthly data imposes a significant response burden on Canadian businesses. With the development of new methodological approaches, STC is increasingly using existing sources of administrative data such as the GST (Goods and services Tax) files to produce quality economic estimates while reducing the response burden. The GST is a tax levied on the consumption of goods and services and is accounted for on the value added at each stage of production. However, the use of administrative data poses major challenges. For example, sophisticated E&I programs must be developed in order to detect and correct various problems that might exist in the raw data. Also, administrative data are not all available in time on a monthly basis. It has therefore been necessary to develop methodologies for calendarization and techniques that combine survey data with GST data.