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--• C��mprchcn�i�c Ncis�hb�xtrh<u,�l S�u�iir�� Ciiarirteriiin� I�c�liiic directories listing the names, addresses, and types of business establishments throughout the country. 4.1.1. Secondary Data Obtaining data from existing sources, referred to as secondary data, is often less costly than collecting original data, but secondary data may be limited in scope and content. The main distinction is that, with secondary data, there is no control over how the data were originally collected. Secondary data have a number of advantages over primary data (Tatian 2000): • Secondary data is usually less costly to obtain. • Using secondary data from a particular source may help create a demand for that data and thereby maintain the data source for future use. • Using the data can help build relationships between the data provider and the community that will benefit both groups. Some disadvantages to secondary data include (ibid.): • Because there is no control over how the information was collected, the data may not cover exactly the population or topics needed. • The data also may not be very current or may contain errors. If the data are based on a one-time survey, then it may not be possible to get access to comparable data in the future. ■ There may be restrictions placed on the use of the information by the collecting body. There are several key issues that must be addressed when considering whether a particular source of existing data is appropriate. The first issue is that of ownership of the data. Most data collected by Statistics Canada are in the public domain and, therefore, are free to be used by anyone. Data from some other sources, such as commercial or local government agencies, may be private or proprietary. In this case, it might be a problem to obtain all of the data that the provider collects, or there may be a licensing fee to get access to the data. The provider may put certain restrictions on how the data can be used and whether they may be shared with others. Other concerns associated with the use of data for neighbourhood indicators include (ibid.): Confidentiality of the data. Some information collected by government agencies for administrative purposes may be sensitive and, to protect the privacy of their clients, not releasable to the public. In this case, there are two options. The provider can simply omit the sensitive information (names, addresses, social security numbers) from the data before releasing it to others. Alternatively, the provider can summarise the data so that it is not possible to identify individual cases. For example, welfare caseloads could be summarised at the neighbourhood level. These approaches solve the confidentiality issue, but can make the data less useful. A second option is for the researcher or community group to enter into a confidentiality agreement with the provider. In this case, the researcher would get access to the complete, uncensored version of the provider's data, but certain restrictions would be placed on their use. 28