Sample data

Statistical sample

The use of a sample facilitates the analysis of returns and reduces the costs of data collection. It also provides time and resources for additional data verification that ensures higher quality data.

In this publication, one taxfiler may represent as many as 1,000 other taxfilers with similar characteristics. The more unique the attributes, the lower will be the rate of representation.

To select the sample, we divided the entire filing population into 1,280 socio-economic levels (strata) developed from the possible combinations of primary source of income, place of residence, tax status, and total income range. An additional six special strata covering filers with unusual characteristics includes earners with total income greater than $250,000, outliers (taxfilers with exception claims and deductions) and non-residents.

Data Capture

A sample of 516,597 returns was used to produce this report and represents the 24,600,588 returns that were filed in 2008 for the 2007 tax year. We selected the sample data from returns,schedules, financial statements, and various information slips. Taxfilers used the following types of returns for the 2007 tax year:

• T1 General
• T1 Special (condensed and simplified version of the General)
• T1S-A (for seniors)
• T1S-C, Credit and Benefit Return
• T1S-D, Credit and Benefit Return (for Indians registered, or eligible to be registered, under the Indian Act).

Electronic filing

This years sample includes 309,500 returns (59.9% of the total) that were filed electronically.

Confidentiality procedures

To keep taxfiler information confidential, we suppressed data that referred to fewer than 10 taxfilers, but included these data in the totals and subtotals.

As well, we rounded counts of taxfilers to the nearest multiple of 10. For example, we rounded 104 to 100 and rounded 105 to 110. Dollar amounts have been rounded to the nearest thousand. We also rounded totals and subtotals separately.

Date modified:

2009-02-24