PCensus Database Search Guides

PCensus contains census data from the 1981 census to the 2006 census for Canada, the Provinces and all Census Subdivisions. In addition, it contains 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2006 data for all BC Enumeration Areas to the Census Tract level;  for 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2006 to the BC FSA level; for 2006, to the dissemination block level. Population data from the 1990 and 2000 United States Census for the United States, States, MSA's, Counties, and places is also available. PCensus also contains sample data from the 1995 Statistics Canada Family & Food Expenditure Surveys

Location

PCensus is available on standalone computers at Bennett and Belzberg Library. The standalone computer at Bennett is bookable online; the Belzberg standalone computer is available on a first come, first served basis.

Advantages

PCensus provides all of the census data (both 100% and 20%) in one convenient list. Using PCensus, you can easily:

• compare two or more areas (ie. Vancouver and Victoria) and get the data in a side-by-side display.
• compare the same area across all census years (note: comparisons of different census years cannot be done in side-by-side display. You must do each census year separately)
• create your own area, by radius, polygon, or driving time.
• print your file or save it as an Excel file, an ASCII text file, an HTML file or as a comma-delimited ASCII file (for exporting into a spreadsheet).

When to Use Other Census Products

The Topic-based Tabulations, available on the web from Statistics Canada, prepackages several correlated variables down to the Census Tract level. For example, one package correlates Hours Worked , Immigrant Status, Period of Immigration, Age Groups and Sex. Use this when you want data which correlates several variables.

Use E-STAT when you want to create simple maps, when you want Census Tract level data for places other than in BC or when you want data for one variable for all census tracts in large municipalities such as Vancouver or Victoria.

Use Public Use Microdata Files (Research Data Library) when you want to manipulate non-aggregated information to conduct your own research down to the CMA level.  For example, if you want details of consumer spending by women in Vancouver on clothing, this is the product to use. Using this data, in conjunction with GIS products available in the Research Data Library, you can create sophisticated maps. [Note: Contact the Data Library Coordinator for assistance.]

For more help choosing the correct census product, see the guide Which Census Product Should I Choose?

How to Search

Help

Online help is available by clicking on Help on the menu bar.

Search Aids

PCensus User’s Guide  (Z699.5 C44 P34 2001– Bennett and Belzberg Reference Desk).

For more information on Canadian Census Products, Census Terminology, and Census Geography see the 2006 Census Dictionary . For information on US Census Geography, see the PCensus online help.

For BC Census Tract numbers, see Census Geography Reference Maps. Note: these are pdf files. It is helpful to enlarge these maps to 200% so that you can read street names.

For maps giving FSAs, see Allocation of Area Code Designators:  Postal Code Program  (HE 6653 C253 1997 – Bennett and Belzberg Reference Desk).

For Federal Electoral District numbers, see Census Geography Reference Maps - Federal Electoral Districts. A copy of this list is in the PCensus Database Guide binder at the Reference Desk.

Start

Belzberg Library:  Click on Start - Programs - PCensus MapPoint
Bennett Library:  Click on Start, PCensus.

Search I. (This example is for a simple one-area search)

1. Select New Project Wizard

2. Click on Select a Predefined Area and click on Next.

3. Fill in the Template:

2. Select a Custom Data Template (if required: this depends upon the Demographic Database chosen, for most searches you will select Canada 2006 Census: British Columbia).

3. Select a Predefined Area. This depends upon the demographic database chosen. For example, if you have chosen the Canada 2006 Census: British Columbia database, you may choose from Canada, Province, CMA/CA, CSD, DPL, CT, FSA, DA, DB...; if you have chosen the 2000 Census SF3T: US database, you may choose from US, State, MSA, County or Place.

4. Click on Next. A new template will appear

4. Fill in the 2nd template:

• Select your area from the list. To find it more easily on a long list, type in the first few letters (ie. Van to find Vancouver; Mas to find Massachusetts...). Click on your area to highlight it. If you have selected Census Tract, DA, FSA, or FED levels, you will now have to click on the little button next to the choice box. For example, if you want Census Tract data for Vancouver, you will highlight Vancouver on the list, then click on CT next to the choice box.
• Click Next, Finish and Search Now. Your data will display. (see More Search Samples #2 for how to create a custom area)

Search II. (This example uses MapPoint to find data for an area around a particular address)

1. Select New Project Wizard

2. Click in "Use a Map to define polygon, circle or drive time areas" Click on Next

3. Choose either circle, polygon, or drive time in the next menu and Click on Next (we are doing a circle). Note: circles and drive times are the easiest to do. Polygons are the most difficult, as it involves manipulating the map.

3. Choose the way you want to select your centre point from the next menu - Address is the easiest. Click on Next.

4. Fill in the Address Menu with the Country (US or Canada), Street address, City, State (Province) and Zip (Postal) Code. The zip code is optional. Click Find, then OK. A map and a new menu will appear.

5. Fill in the Boxes. Several circles can be created, for example: 0-1 mile; 1-2 miles; and 2-3 miles. You can also change the unit of measurement to kilometers. When you are finished creating circles, click on Next.

6. Choose your Demographic Database (in this case Canada 2006 Census: British Columbia) and Data Template (Canada 2006 Census). Then click on Finish and Search Now. On the map, you will see little blocks appear. You can stop this by clicking in a box in the upper left of the screen. This box also indicates the progress of your search. Once it has finished, click on Continue.

7. Your data will appear in table form. 

Printing

• Select File, Print.  The print menu will appear.  You can change the title if you like.
• Choose your layout – portrait or landscape (note: up to 4 columns displays well in portrait, more than 4 columns should be printed in landscape).
• Click on Print Selected Categories, then select the categories you wish to print from the list provided, using the CTRL key to select more than one.Warning:  You can print all but each category prints on a separate page.  Some study areas can result in many pages of output and the entire file requires more than 75 pages.  If you wish to have all data, it is best to save to a file.
• Click on OK and your file will print.

Exporting

• Click on Export.
• Click on Export Profile Totals - a menu will appear
• If you want to save the entire census data, click the all categories radio button (the default is 'selected categories')
• Change the file format. You can choose 3 different formats:
  • Excel Spreadsheet
  • ASCII Comma Delimited (used when you want to load data into Excel and other Spreadsheet programs)
  • ASCII text
  • HTML (this is the very best choice for printing the data)
• Insert a USB key into the drive and click on Browse to change to the A drive.
• Change the User Files to A drive, change the filename to whatever you like and click on Save. You will go back to the menu again
• Click on OK and your file will save to the USB key. The default settings will show you a preview of what you have saved)
• Don't forget your USB key!

More Search Samples

I. Here is an example of a search comparing two Census Tracts - one in Vancouver and one in Victoria . Use the same instructions to compare two or more provinces, CMA's or any other census geographical area.

1. Select New Project Wizard
2. Click on Select a Predefined Area and click on Next.
3. Fill in the Template: Select Canada 2006 Census: British Columbia. Select Canada 2006 Census as your custom data template.
4. Select Census Tract in the Predefined Area box and click on Next.
5. Fill in template 2: type Van and highlight Vancouver. Click on the CT button next to the choice box. Choose your Census Tract from the list (we chose 022, which is Kerrisdale Village in Vancouver). Click Next, Finish and Search Now. The data will appear.
6. Click on Study Area on the Menu Bar, then select New Predefined Area. Follow steps 3-5 above - selecting Victoria instead of Vancouver and selecting the census tract from the list (we chose 101, which is Oak Bay Village). Click Next, Finish and Search Now. Your data will appear next to the previous data. (Repeat step 6 if you want to add more Census Tracts to your comparison).
7. Print or export as above. 

II. Here is an example of how to combine two or more Census Tracts to create your own custom area without using MapPoint. Note: it is probably easier to use MapPoint to create your custom area and you will be able to create a more particularly defined area - especially by using Polygons.

1. Select New Project Wizard
2. Click on Select a Predefined Area and click on Next.
3. Fill in the Template: Select Canada 2006 Census: British Columbia. It is not necessary to select a custom data template.
4. Select Census Tract in the Predefined Area box and click on Next.
5. Fill in template 2: type Van and highlight Vancouver. Click on the CT button next to the choice box. Choose your first Census Tract from the list and click Next.
6. Click on Add Another (button is on the right of the box displaying your first CT.
7. Select your second CT from the list and click Next.
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 until you have accumulated all the census tracts you want. Then click Finish and Search Now.
9. Your data will display.