Varia

As of December 13, 2021, a new data access centre (CADRISQ) will open on the campus of McGill university. This location will allow the Institut de la statistique du Québec to get closer to researchers and to facilitate the access to research data. The new center, with a capacity of 16 workstations, is located at 680, rue Sherbrooke Ouest, 6th floor, office 624, Montreal. Any researcher who has obtained access to a research file can now make an appointment to come and work at the CADRISQ McGill, Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Please contact [email protected] to reserve your workstation.

The summary of the first report from the Canadian Statistics Advisory Council (CSAC) on the state of the nation’s statistical system is now available.

In its report, the Council stresses the importance of access to microdata to enhance researchers’ ability to analyze the most pressing issues facing our society. The Council also recommends accelerating the modernization of the Microdata Access Program. The CSAC calls, as well, for data gaps to be addressed, notably when it comes to relevant, complete and quality data on health and health care. Finally, the Council recommends tackling the problem of the lack of detailed data on racialized and Indigenous individuals, which hinders those groups’ efforts to overcome the obstacles they face.

Le premier rapport sur l'état du système statistique du pays du Conseil consultatif canadien de la statistique (CCCS) peut être consulté en ligne. Céline Le Bourdais, directrice fondatrice du CIQSS, siège au Conseil consultatif. Dans son rapport, le Conseil réitère l'importance de l'accès aux microdonnées afin de mener des analyses sur les enjeux urgents de notre société, et plaide pour une accélération du processus de modernisation vers de nouveaux modes d'accès aux microdonnées. Le CCCS appelle à combler les lacunes statistiques, notamment en matière de données pertinentes, complètes et de qualité sur la santé et les soins de santé. Le Conseil recommande aussi de s'attaquer au manque de données détaillées sur les personnes racisées et les Autochtones, lequel limite leur capacité à surmonter les obstacles auxquels ces groupes font face.

Dans son Budget déposé le 10 mars 2020, le gouvernement du Québec prévoit des investissements de 30 millions de dollars dans le cadre du budget 2020-2021 afin de (1) bonifier le processus d’accès aux données pour la recherche (2) optimiser l’infrastructure informatique liée à l’accès aux données et (3) soutenir la Commission d’accès à l’information du Québec.

Le Budget prévoit l'expansion du réseau des Centres d'accès aux données de recherche de l'ISQ (CADRISQ) notamment en milieu universitaire à l'Université de Sherbrooke et à l'Université McGill. D'autres CADRISQ seront mis en place dans certains centres hospitaliers universitaires. Ces centres d'accès aux données de recherche en milieu universitaire s'ajouteront à celui situé dans les locaux du CIQSS à l'Université de Montréal.

Le plan budgétaire est accessible ici.

Benoit Dostie, Academic Director of the Quebec inter-University Centre for Social Statistics (QICSS), and Sébastien Sauvé, Vice-Dean of Research in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences of Université de Montréal, are pleased to announce the appointment of Carole Vincent as Executive Director of the QICSS. Carole Vincent holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Université Laval. She brings to her new role more than 20 years of experience conceiving and overseeing a vast array of research activities focusing on a variety of issues relating to economic and social policy.

Over the course of her career, Carole Vincent has occupied key positions in multiple research organizations, notably with the Social Research and Demonstration Corporation in Ottawa and the Institute for Research on Public Policy in Montreal. She has acted as an expert advisor for several government bodies, including the Secrétariat à la condition féminine du Québec, Employment and Social Development Canada, and the Commission d’examen sur la fiscalité québécoise, on which she was a commissioner. 

"The QICSS is an excellent environment for me to pursue my commitment to utilizing evidence-based methods to inform debate on the big questions facing our society, and to promote a wider use of research findings by governments, in practice settings and in communities," she says.

"I am pleased to be taking over from Jean Poirier, who has contributed in a major way to making the QICSS an indispensable actor in the scientific research landscape of Quebec."

The whole QICSS team wishes a happy retirement to its Executive Director, Jean Poirier. In office since the opening of the QICSS in 2001, Jean made a very substantial contribution to the development of our infrastructure and the promotion of research in social statistics in Quebec. Ever attentive to promote access to data for researchers and to ensure the transfer of knowledge from their research, he was a valued ally and collaborator for the entire community.

Jean, we wish you well on your retirement! 

Pour plus d'information.

Combating Poverty: Quebec's Pursuit of a Distinctive Welfare State
By Axel van den Berg, Charles Plante, Hicham Raïq, Christine Proulx, and Sam Faustmann

In partnership with CEFRIO, Professors Daniel J. Caron and Christian Boudreau submitted reports as part of the NETGouv open data project. You can read them here (in French).

We are pleased to announce that the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) has awarded $5.9 million to the Canadian Research Data Centre Network (CRDCN) over the next five years from its Major Science Initiatives Fund. For more details, read the news release.