Northerners can now access census data for the years 2001 to 2011 via an online interactive data portal.
The website, Northbynumbers.ca, is a joint venture of the Northern Policy Institute, North Superior Workforce Planning Board, and the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre.
The interactive map allows users to search census data using a variety of search topics and characteristics. Some of the search topics include dwelling characteristics, Aboriginal identity, education, income, labour force, mobility, population, and age.
Users can then define a variable, year, and geographic region based on the search topic. Geographic regions are divided into census divisions (districts), census subdivisions (communities), and dissemination areas (neighbourhoods).
“Northbynumbers.ca brings together all the census data for Northern Ontario and presents it using an easily readable, easily accessible, and easy-to-learn tool,” Northern Policy Institute president and CEO Charles Cirtwill said in a release. “This new tool will be an invaluable resource to researchers, policymakers, public officials, students, and anyone looking for data on Northern Ontario.”
“Accessibility to data is imperative to allow analysis, understanding and dissemination of labour market indicators for use in the development of our annual Local Labour Market Plan for the Thunder Bay District,” said Madge Richardson, executive director of the North Superior Workforce Planning Board. “Northbynumbers.ca makes that data available to everyone at any time and will add value to all of our strategic planning.”
Launching alongside Northbynumbers.ca is Northern Policy Institute’s new website. Developed by Sencia Canada in Thunder Bay in conjunction with Northern Policy Institute, the new website includes all publications released by Northern Policy Institute, as well as a new searchable publication database. The new website will also pave the way for an online library currently under development, as well as an interactive Arc GIS map of Northern Ontario infrastructure.
“As Northern Ontario’s own independent think tank, Northern Policy Institute strives to not only conduct research, but to make that research and data available to the people of Northern Ontario,” Cirtwill added. “Northbynumbers.ca and our new website, as well as some exciting features to come, will make it easier to gain access to important data about the north, which we believe will help spearhead even more research and create more informed decisions for moving the north forward.”
