Project to set up Service for Seccure Remote Access to Files from Data File Linkages

With a view to promoting research while ensuring privacy, the Institut de la statistique du Québec, the Québec government's official statistics agency, has undertaken, in partnership with researchers and other government agencies, to set up a service that will provide researchers with secure remote access to microdata files resulting from the linkage of various administrative or survey data files already available. This new service features a number of advantages for researchers, privacy authorities and the agencies holding administrative data files: nbsp;easier and faster information searching using a web-accessible integrated data dictionary; a standardised procedure for authorising and obtaining data files that is recognised by all interested parties; linkage of administrative data files that do not have the same identification number using proven statistical methodologies; masking of data files from the linkage to prevent spontaneous recognition; remote access by researchers using anbsp;highly secure mechanism, which ensures confidentiality