Application Overview & Process

How to apply for access to the COOL RDC

The COOL RDC is one of several centres that provide access to Statistics Canada master survey files at no charge to researchers. We encourage you to make application to work at the Centre, and would be pleased to help in any way we can.

Since the Centre houses confidential data, it is a secure site and permission to access the facility is granted only to researchers who have applied and whose work requires use of the master files. The application procedure is described below. Proposals are submitted through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC web site) but you should be aware that projects that have already gone through a peer-review process (e.g., a project that has SSHRC or other funding) requires no further peer review--only a determination by Statistics Canada that available survey files will support the proposed research and that the project needs access to master files (that is, could not be done with public use files). More information is available in the detailed application instructions.

SSHRC invites applications from individual researchers or from research teams led by a principal applicant. The principal applicant is responsible for submitting application forms on behalf of the team.

Applicants must complete the Web CV and Application Forms and include the attachments indicated below. Before you begin your on-line application, please ensure that you have prepared all required attachments. These attachments include research contributions (maximum five pages) and the Project Proposal (maximum five pages). To ensure a swift review of your proposal, applicants are encouraged to include all elements of the Project Proposal Template.

Project proposal template

The Project Proposal is a maximum of five pages and must include the following:

• Title of the Project
  • The project title
• Rationale and objectives of the study
  • Clearly identify the specific questions or objectives of the project
  • State how the research will contribute to the knowledge in the field of study
• Proposed data analysis and software requirements
  • What is the proposed statistical methodology? How is it suitable for this project?
  • What software will you use?
• Data Requirements
  • An explanation of why access to the confidential data (as opposed to public use microdata files) is necessary.
  • Which survey file/files or cycles are to be used?
  • Provide a statement that the confidential data file(s) identified is (are) in fact suitable for the proposed research.
  • What is the specific population of interest in the required data set(s)?
  • What are the variables to be used?
• Expected project start and end dates
  • Expected project start and end dates
• References
  • Sources used to cite your quotes used in the proposal or for specific analytical methods employed

Each Research Data Centre (RDC) employs an RDC Analyst who would be happy to advise you during the preparation of your proposal. The Analyst can assess your proposal to determine whether the required elements are present. The Analyst can also advise whether your project is appropriate for access to the detailed micro data. Also, the RDC Analyst can provide you with information about conducting research in the RDC environment and the data holdings of the RDC.