Current and past Data Innovation Program projects

In Care Network for Children and Youth in Care

Status: In progress

The Ministry of Children and Family Development is undertaking an integrated data project to better understand the needs of children and youth under the guardianship of the ministry, now and in the future. Descriptive statistics derived from the Ministry of Children and Family Development, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education data will be used to provide insight on children and youth’s needs. This insight will subsequently be used to better support populations of children and youth while they are in care by providing better informed services and supports, as well as improving access to appropriate services, where and when they are needed.

Project main contact: France Cormier, Director of Analysis, Ministry of Children and Family Development

Linked datasets:

• Ministry of Children and Family Development
• Ministry of Education and Child Care
• Ministry of Health

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Agreements with Young Adults Outcome Evaluation Project

Status: In progress

The project will evaluate the outcomes associated with the Ministry of Children and Family Development’s Agreements with Young Adults (AYA) program. The project team is aiming to use the findings from this project to support evidence-based decision making to better meet the needs of youth transitioning into adulthood. In addition, the findings will enable the ministry to assess the impact of AYA program and adjust it as necessary. Descriptive statistics derived from health, social and education characteristics will be used to assist in the evaluation of outcomes of Agreements with Young Adults program.

Project main contact: France Cormier, Director of Analytics, Ministry of Children and Family Development

Linked datasets:

• Ministry of Children and Family Development
• Ministry of Citizens' Services
• Ministry of Education and Child Care
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Social Development & Poverty Reduction
• Provincial Health Services Authority
• BC Housing

Increasing knowledge of DI Program datasets and developing tools for analyses

Status: In progress

Through this project, the ministry’s data scientists and data science fellows aim to learn more about the de-identified data collected and used under the Data Innovation Program so they can improve the program’s analytic concepts, policies, services and technology. The program supports government in understanding B.C.’s complex issues, helping to generate an evidence base for decision-making, which can ultimately lead to better programs and services for citizens. This project aligns with the ministry’s 2019/20 service plan: the strategy to establish and promote data-driven partnerships across government.

Project main contact: Lindsay Fredrick, Senior Data Scientist, BC Stats, Ministry of Citizens’ Services

Linked datasets:

• BC Housing
• Community Living BC
• Insurance Corporation of British Columbia
• Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training
• Ministry of Attorney General
• Ministry of Children and Family Development
• Ministry of Education and Child Care
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Municipal Affairs
• Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
• Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction
• Provincial Health Services Authority
• Statistics Canada

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Generation of the Annual Homeless Cohort

Status: In progress

This project will create and annually update a row-level homeless cohort research dataset (also referred to below as the derived product) using an analytical method “Preventing and Reducing Homelessness”. The analytic method identifies individuals who have experienced homelessness in B.C. using three administrative service use datasets :shelter use, social assistance payments, and the Health MSP central demographics file. The derived product will be made available as a net new DIP dataset for use in other projects wishing to conduct research into issues related to homelessness. This will improve access to this important dataset and encourage greater alignment in methods across DIP research projects.

BC Stats has committed to continue resourcing the creation and annual updating of the derived product since it will become a permanent data asset in the Data Innovation Program. This work to generate and update the homeless cohort is being “moved” to this new project in order to isolate the technical pipeline from the policy-driven research conducted in developing the “Preventing and Reducing Homelessness” analytical method and to give the BC Stats data scientist team more flexibility for resourcing this work and ensuring resiliency and redundancy in knowledge and skills around the codebase. Shifting the cohort generation work to this new project will also ensure that the derived product remains available as a DIP dataset even after research in 19-g07 is completed.

Project main contact: Kyle Armour, Data Science Partnerships Manager, BC Stats, Ministry of Citizens’ Services

Linked datasets:

• BC Housing
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction

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An Evaluation of the Strengths and Limitations of the BC Demographic Survey Data Available in the DI Program

Status: In progress

Investigating the statistical validity of the BC Demographic Survey dataset, including representativeness across key groups and regions, and determining the success of linking to other existing DI Program datasets.The BC Demographic Survey dataset is being ingested into the DI Program to link the demographic data to existing government program and service datasets. This will enable detailed analyses using de-identified data within projects aimed at addressing systemic racism and inequities in government programs and services for racialized groups, including distinctions-based approach to analyses. Our project will examine how effective the data collection and ingestion processes were in producing a reliable enough sample needed to identify systemic racism in government programs and services (e.g., Health, Education etc.). Evaluation will include how well the sample represents province-wide population based on key demographics from the latest Census data. Based on the records that link to the Central Demographics File, changes in the characteristics of those in the sample after ingestion into the DI Program will also be assessed. Understanding the limitations and applications of the BC Demographic Survey data will allow researchers to better interpret their findings and should lead to more complete and/or better quality and coverage of the underlying information used to conduct such analyses. This in turn will benefit the public by ensuring greater quality of research into the topic area of systemic racism and government services.

Project main contact: Lindsay Fredrick, Senior Data Scientist, Data Science Partnership, Ministry of Citizens’ Services.

Linked datasets:

• BC Family Maintenance Agency
• Community Living BC
• Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training
• Ministry of Children and Family Development
• Minitry of Citizens' Services
• Ministry of Education and Child Care
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Municipal Affairs
• Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction
• Statistics Canada

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Updating B.C.’s SEI

Status: In progress

Various ministries and external partners have requested one common methodology and tool that can compare B.C.’s regions using socioeconomic indicators. The proposed Socio-Economic Index (SEI) will provide key insights into regional socioeconomic disparities, building a tool to help decision-makers determine effective resource allocation and policy intervention.
This SEI will be an enhanced version of the discontinued SEI previously developed by BC Stats. The new SEI utilizes the increased breadth of data available through the BC Stats Data Innovation Program (DI Program), which can now be incorporated into one comprehensive index. This allows for a more precise assessment of B.C.’s socio-economic conditions, reflecting the diverse and dynamic nature of British Columbia’s population, that can be updated more frequently.

 A socioeconomic measure for each BC neighbourhood is the intended measure to be developed. The measures or variables used to derive this output will also be made available.
The annual outputs from this project will be:

1. Aggregated Census subdivision-level datasets made available through the BC Open Data Catalogue

2. A derived Census dissemination area level dataset to be re-ingested into the DI Program’s Secure Analytics Environment as a net new resource for other researchers to use and benefit from.

Project main contact: Jon Duan, Senior Data Scientist, Data Science Partnership, Ministry of Citizens’ Services.

Linked datasets:

• Ministry of Children and Family Development
• Ministry of Education and Child Care
• Ministry of Finance
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction

Assessing the effect of COVID-19 on mental health disorders in B.C.’s K-12 student population

Status: In progress

The Ministry of Education, in partnership with Simon Fraser University, is looking to improve our understanding of the relationship between students in the K-12 sector, their families, and mental health. This is to be done specifically within the context of COVID-19. In particular, we wish to address whether the pandemic has increased the prevalence or severity of serious and persistent mental health problems among vulnerable children and their families in British Columbia. We also wish to use this current pandemic experience as an opportunity to learn how the education system can support mental health during future pandemics. Through the Data Innovation Program, we will be able to look at data linkages between the B.C. student population, their families, and related mental health health services to see if we can identify the extent to which COVID-19 impacted student health.

Project main contact: Brett Wilmer, Director, Provincial Statistics, Ministry of Citizens' Services

Linked datasets:

• Ministry of Education and Child Care
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Children and Family Development
• Statistics Canada

Recent Publications:

• COVID-19 and the Mental Health of Adolescents in British Columbia - 
  https://edworkingpapers.com/ai23-805 
  https://utppublishing.com/doi/full/10.3138/cpp.2023-024 

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Numbers Speak: Experiences of Racialized K-12 Students in B.C.

Status: In progress

The Indigenous Governing Entities and the Anti-Racism Data Committee identified systemic racism in B.C.’s education as a problem based on existing reports and on what they hear from communities. Systemic racism is present when Indigenous and racialized students are consistently disadvantaged in the type, amount, and quality of services they receive. Systemic racism within our in education system has had an adverse impact on the well-being of students and learning outcomes. Understanding and raising awareness of the impacts of systemic racism is the first step towards eliminating it. Currently, there is a lack of publicly available reports describing K-12 experiences and outcomes of students impacted by systemic racism in B.C. This project will begin addressing this knowledge gap by producing statistics on graduation rates, diverse needs designation rates and self-reported inclusion experiences for racialized Indigenous, Métis and Inuit students. Students who are learning English will also be included in this project. The project will leverage the newly available BC Demographic Survey data to produce these statistics at a higher level of disaggregation than was previously available. The analysis will also consider other factors that may impact student experiences and outcomes, such as parental socio-economic status and students’ age and gender.

Project main contact: Stephanie Hazlitt, Director, Data Science Partnership, Ministry of Citizens’ Services.

Linked datasets:

• Minitry of Citizens' Services
• Ministry of Education and Child Care
• Ministry of Health

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Take a Hike QED Study

Status: In progress

For the past 20 years, the Take a Hike Youth Mental Health Foundation has served and supported youth struggling with mental health, providing more comprehensive support than mainstream schools. Specifically, students in Take a Hike have access to a full-time mental health clinician who offers support both in the classroom and in one-on-one therapeutic settings, as well as family support and counseling. Given the rise in youth mental health challenges in Canada and beyond, it is imperative to have programs that effectively support youth mental health. While these programs are crucial, it is essential to ensure their effectiveness in achieving positive outcomes.
The proposed study builds on previous work by the Take a Hike Youth Mental Health Foundation, including its annual program evaluation initiated in 2018, a 2020 social return on investment report, and a 2018 report by the Ministry of Education that examined graduationrates among Take a Hike students, students in other alternative education programs, and the general student population. This study aims to provide further insights into how well the program meets its outcomes, whether there are long-term benefits for youth who participate in Take a Hike, and how outcomes differ when comparing Take a Hike students with those who have similar characteristics in other alternative education and mainstream programs. With this information, the Take a Hike Youth Mental Health Foundation can ensure that public and foundation funds are used efficiently and effectively to address youth mental health and support the thriving of youth in their programs.

This project has key benefits including:

• Providing evidence for the effectiveness of the Take a Hike model.
• Replicating, validating, or challenging existing research or statistics collected by Take a Hike and from other external reports.
• Assessing the degree to which long-term benefits exist for youth as they transition to adulthood, which has implications for cost savings for society resulting from earlier intervention via youth programs.

Project main contact: Jeremy Higgs, Executive Director, Ministry of Education and Child Care

Linked datasets:

• BC Housing
• Ministry of Children and Family Development
• Minitry of Citizens' Services
• Ministry of Education and Child Care
• Ministry of Finance
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
• Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction
• Statistics Canada

Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety Study (PCSS)

Status: In progress

The Ministry of Health is undertaking this study to better understand the circumstances surrounding injuries and deaths to pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users who are outside of a motor vehicle such as persons who use e-scooters, mobility devices, are employed as flag persons and others. By utilizing a large number of linked datasets across government, this study involves an unprecedented type of investigation into the safety of the most vulnerable road users. The project team intends to use detailed information across a number of datasets to identify road infrastructure, road types, speed limits, road rules, driver errors, vehicle types and other elements that create either protective or risk factors in terms of these collisions. At the same time, information about income, education and other available equity-related indicators will be used to help quantify the extent to which sub-populations are disproportionately impacted by traffic accidents and trauma outcomes.

Project main contact: Andrea Godfreyson, A/Director, Injury Prevention & Healthy Settings, Ministry of Health

Linked datasets:

• Insurance Corporation of British Columbia
• Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training
• Ministry of Children and Family Development
• Ministry of Education and Child Care
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction
• Statistics Canada

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Using routinely-collected data to understand experiences of care and promising points of intervention for community-living older adults with higher needs

Status: In progress

This program of research relates to research needs for the Higher Needs program that is funded by the Ministry of Health and run by the United Way British Columbia (UWBC). This research will provide information on the target population of these programs, namely higher needs older adults living in the community in British Columbia (BC), including their health and sociodemographic characteristics, health service use, and changes over time. This research complements evaluations of the Higher Needs program that are being undertaken separately.

Project main contact: Victoria Schuckel, Executive Director, Research and Technology, Ministry of Health

Linked datasets:

• BC Housing
• Ministry of Health
• Community Living BC

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Health Outcomes Across BC Patient Subpopulations

Status: In progress

The Indigenous Governing Entities and the Anti-Racism Data Committee identified systemic racism in B.C.'s healthcare system as a problem based on existing reports and on what they hear from communities. Systemic racism is present when Indigenous or racialized people are consistently disadvantaged in the type, amount, and quality of services they receive. Systemic racism in healthcare adversely impacts access to health care services and health outcomes and needs to be eliminated. Understanding and raising awareness of systemic racism and its impacts is the first step towards eliminating it. Currently, there is a lack of publicly available reports describing health service use and outcomes for Indigenous and racialized people in the province. This initial project will begin addressing this knowledge gap by producing statistics on the prevalence of chronic conditions based on related health service use. This information will help improve understanding of racial differences in chronic disease prevalence and act as a basis for future phases of research on chronic disease prevention and management. The Anti-Racism Data Committee and the Indigenous Governing Entities will have an opportunity to review the results before public release.

Project main contact: Brett Wilmer, Director, Provincial Statistics, Ministry of Citizens' Services

Linked datasets:

• Minitry of Citizens' Services
• Ministry of Health

Preventing and reducing homelessness

Status: In progress

This project will link data from the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and BC Housing to identify the cohort of people who have experienced homelessness or are at risk of becoming homeless in B.C. This includes demographic information, pathways into homelessness, and the cross-government interventions that helped them exit homelessness. Establishing this integrated data set supports government’s homelessness and poverty reduction strategy, TogetherBC. Insights from this project could help government evaluate the effectiveness of its policy and program decisions and improve services for British Columbians.

Project main contact: Annik Foreman, Director, Research, Policy and Evaluation, Ministry of Housing

Linked datasets:

• BC Housing
• Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training
• Ministry of Children and Family Development
• Ministry of Education and Child Care
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry Public Safety and Solicitor General and Emergency B.C.
• Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction
• Statistics Canada

Recent publications:

• Phase One Findings: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/affordable-and-social-housing/homelessness/homelessness-cohort

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Using BC Administrative Data to Prevent Youth Homelessness

Status: In progress

The Ministry of Housing is partnering with the University of British Columbia and PolicyWise for Children & Families on this project, which is part of a movement to ‘make the shift’ from crisis- to prevention-based responses to youth homelessness. It uses linked data from multiple provincial ministries, Statistics Canada and BC Housing to understand which children become homeless as young adults, and predict risk factors for experiences of homelessness in young adulthood. It seeks to inform policy and programs around the prevention of youth homelessness. The project works with community service providers and youth with lived experience.

Our project aims to improve the lives of British Columbian youth and prevent costs that are born by society from homelessness. It leads future work across Canada aiming to prevent youth homelessness.

Project main contact: Robert Rivers, Manager, Policy and Research, Homelessness and Supportive Housing Policy Branch, Ministry of Housing

Linked datasets:

• BC Family Maintenance Agency
• BC Housing
• Community Living BC
• Ministry of Children and Family Development
• Ministry of Education and Child Care
• Ministry of Finance
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Municipal Affairs
• Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction
• Public Safety & Solicitor General & Emergency B.C.
• Statistics Canada/BC Statistics

Status: In progress

People with substance use disorders (SUD) are overrepresented in prisons. Upon release, people with SUD are more likely than those without SUD to return to prison (and to do so more quickly and more often), and they are at high risk of injury, hospitalization, mortality, and overdose. The purpose of this project is to evaluate BC's first and only prison based therapeutic community - Guthrie Therapeutic Community (GTC), located at Nanaimo Correctional Centre - which has been in operation since 2007. The main objective of GTC is to provide a therapeutic environment where residents can prepare for successful community reintegration. The program is designed to support residents to acquire the skills to reduce substance use; improve relationships; desist from crime; engage in employment and training; and use community and health care resources. Our study will examine the impact of GTC on improved health and reduced criminal justice engagement post-release including: reincarceration, charges, hospitalization, emergency department visits, drug toxicity deaths, and connection to primary care and community based mental health care.

Project main contact: Leigh Greiner, Director, Research & Strategic Planning, Ministry of Public Safety and Soliciter General

Linked datasets:

• BC Housing
• Ministry of Education and Child Care
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction
• Ministry Public Safety and Solicitor General
• Statistics Canada

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Status: In progress

Individuals with complex needs, including serious mental health disorders, substance use disorders, acquired brain injury, and developmental disabilities, are overrepresented in the correctional system. These individuals often experience barriers to accessing necessary services, both during and after incarceration, which can contribute to repeated interactions with the justice system. The purpose of this project is to estimate the prevalence of people with complex needs within the BC Corrections population by linking correctional services data with health, mental health, and substance use information. This study will examine how these complex needs impact repeated justice system involvement and service utilization, including reincarceration, charges, hospitalizations, and emergency department visits. The findings will inform practice, program, and system improvements to better address the needs of individuals within the correctional system, with the goal of improving health outcomes and reducing reoffending. This research will provide critical insights into how services can be tailored to support successful reintegration and reduce the burden on both the justice and healthcare systems.

Project main contact: Leigh Greiner, Director, Research & Strategic Planning, Ministry of Public Safety and Soliciter General

Linked datasets:

• Ministry of Health
• Ministry Public Safety and Solicitor General

How do secondary school experiences, pathways, and outcomes influence engagement with WorkBC Skill Development programs?

Status: In Progress

Our project seeks to understand how experiences and achievements during secondary school impact British Columbians’ engagement with WorkBC, including skills training and employment programs. By linking data from BC K-12 students with WorkBC participant data, we aim to identify gaps and opportunities in program accessibility and coherence, helping future policy and program design.
Key objectives include documenting how high school completion, course enrollment, and achievement relate to participation in WorkBC programs. For example, we plan to look at:

• On-time or delayed completion of the Dogwood diploma
• Age/grade of last secondary school enrollment for non-completers
• Participation in Evergreen certificate programs
• Enrollment and achievement in grade 10 academic courses, including STEM
• Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA) scores

We will explore clusters of high school experiences that predict WorkBC participation and examine interactions between demographic characteristics and school experiences. This will help identify individuals who might benefit from WorkBC programs but are not currently participating.
There are several public benefits of our research, including:

• Accessibility: Identifying gaps in service and suggesting strategies to increase program take-up among British Columbians who face employment barriers.
• Methodology: Developing a cost-effective evaluation strategy by identifying comparison groups for rigorous impact evaluation.
• Efficiency: Providing insights into the skills profiles of WorkBC participants to ensure resources are directed towards the most impactful services.

Overall, our research aims to improve the effectiveness of human capital investment programs by tailoring outreach services and strategies based on a deeper understanding of secondary school experiences.

Project main contact: Jeff Dorion, Director of Business Modernization and Analytics, Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction

Linked datasets:

• Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training
• Ministry of Education and Child Care
• Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction

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Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction - British Columbia Dental Association Research Project

Status: In Progress

This project will link data from the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction’s (SDPR) dental supplement and Healthy Kids programs with the Ministry of Health’s (MoH) public health care system usage relating to dental services, to develop evidence-based options for consideration by the Province. Specifically, this project will:

• Identify options for the Province to improve current publicly-funded dental care programs to better meet patient needs and improve overall health, social inclusion, and economic outcomes;

• Provide an understanding of health care system usage by SDPR clients seeking urgent dental care in acute care or other medical settings; and

• Ensure efficient use of public funds for dental care while improving dental care outcomes for some of the most vulnerable individuals in British Columbia.

Many individuals either seek treatment or prescriptions through walk-in clinics or the emergency rooms or go without treatment due to lack of dental coverage. This places an unnecessary burden on a health care system that is not equipped to provide dental treatment. 
The research project will provide a system wide overview of the state of dental supports currently available in BC, identify gaps and areas where improvements could be made. A final report will be provided to the ministry with the goal of assisting with the development of evidence-based options for consideration on ways to ensure an efficient use of public funds while improving dental care for some of the most vulnerable individuals in BC.  

Project main contact: Chelsea Bowen, A/Director of Policy, Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction

Linked datasets:

• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction

Insights for enhancing policy and services for children and youth who experience mental health problems

Status: Closed

The Ministry of Citizens’ Service and the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions are undertaking a cross-government partnership to use integrated data to understand population-level patterns in how children and youth who experience mental health challenges access services across government and how those services affect them into adulthood.

Project main contact: Dan MacKenzie, Director of Data Insights, Digital Platforms and Division, Ministry of Citizens' Services

Linked datasets:

• Ministry of Education
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
• Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction

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Impacts of Significant Climate-Related Events on Use of Government Services – A Feasibility Project

Status: Closed

The Province of British Columbia is developing a Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy to ensure that communities have the support they need to be prepared and adapt to climate change. Similar to other jurisdictions, there is currently a lack of region-specific data or information on the physical and mental health or economic impacts of climate change for different populations within British Columbia. This feasibility project will explore the development of an analytical method using integrated British Columbia administrative data to characterize the impact of a significant climate-related event on the use of government services related to health and well-being. The project will fill identified data gaps in understanding the needs of all populations within British Columbia (youth, women, elders) with the goal of supporting new or improved policy development aimed at ensuring all people in British Columbia are supported in preparing for and adapting to B.C.’s changing climate.

Project main contact: Bonnie Robert, Senior Data Scientist, Data Science Partnership, Ministry of Citizens’ Services.

Linked datasets:

• BC Housing
• Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training
• Ministry of Children and Family Development
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction
• Statistics Canada

Linking K-12 education to adult outcomes

Status: Closed

The Ministry of Education is undertaking a series of research projects to understand how a student’s experience in school (kindergarten to Grade 12) impacts their life afterwards, such as interacting with labour market programming or apprenticeship training. At a glance, the path looks different for everybody. But can a pattern be found in how students experience K-12 and their outcomes as adults? In this project, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General seek to understand population-level patterns between students’ demographics and educational experience (including academic performance and attendance) and their later-in-life outcomes, starting with time spent in the corrections system. If a pattern does emerge from the data, it may be possible for educators and policy-makers to put supports, resources and services in place to better help direct students/children to a healthier path in life, away from the criminal justice system.

The project team includes staff from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General.

Project main contact: Brett Wilmer, Director, Education Economics Branch, Ministry of Education

Linked datasets:

• Ministry of Education
• Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General

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Identification of students with special needs by schools and healthcare data

Status: Closed

The Ministry of Education and Child Care is undertaking an integrated data project to investigate the relationship between a school district's special needs diagnosis and students’ administrative health records. Insights from this study will benefit the public by informing whether predictive insight into the incidence of new students coming into the education system with special needs is available through using administrative data from the health system.

Project main contact: Brett Wilmer, Director, Education Economics Branch, Ministry of Education and Child Care

Linked datasets:

• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Education and Child Care
• Ministry of Children and Family Development

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B.C. Kindergarten Index

Status: Closed

The Ministry of Education is undertaking a research project using administrative data to help in developing a census-based indicator of the current well-being and vulnerabilities of B.C.’s kindergarten student cohorts year by year. The ministry has been using data available through its Education Data Warehouse to build a baseline kindergarten index. Measures such as student demographic information, neighbourhood-level census data, as well as student EDI scores, Early Learning/Strong Start data, and student report card information have been integrated as predictors of various outcomes. Through the Data Innovation Program, external data sources will be linked to this data to see if the predictive accuracy of these indices can be improved upon.

Project main contact: Brett Wilmer, Director, Education Economics Branch, Ministry of Education and Child Care

Linked datasets:

• Ministry of Attorney General
• Ministry of Children and Family Development
• Ministry of Education and Child Care
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
• Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction
• Statistics Canada

Health trajectories

Status: Closed

The Ministry of Health is undertaking an integrated data project that examines the relationship between citizens’ characteristics at birth and educational attainment. The findings of this work will help inform decisions on health intervention policies to better support at-risk children and youth.

Project main contact: William Warburton, contractor, Ministry of Health

Linked datasets:

• Ministry of Education
• Ministry of Health

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Improving health outcomes through attachment to a primary care provider

Status: Closed

This project will link Ministry of Health data with socio-economic data from other ministries in order to learn more about the characteristics of people who do not have a primary care provider (“unattached”). This analysis will guide the development of processes and policies that support and encourage primary care relationships – helping to improve health outcomes for British Columbians. This project aligns with the ministry’s commitment to advancing B.C.’s health services to ensure British Columbians are supported in their efforts to maintain and improve their health. The project also helps deliver a current government initiative to implement primary care networks to improve access to and the delivery of primary care across the province.

Project main contact: Eric Larson, Executive Director, Integrated Analytics: Primary Care, Acute Care and Workforce, Health Sector Information Analysis and Reporting, Ministry of Health

Linked datasets:

• Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training
• Ministry of Children and Family Development
• Ministry of Education and Child Care
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction
• Statistics Canada

Investing in programs that expand youth mental health care and addictions services

Status: Closed

As part of the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions’ “A Pathway to Hope,” project, we learn more about the need for mental health and addictions services across the province. The main focus will be looking at the impact that Foundry has on a community. Foundry provides young adults ages 12-to 24 with access to health and wellness resources, services and supports – online and through their integrated service centers. This project will help us learn more about how access to a Foundry centre can meet the needs of youth who use mental health care and social services. Analysis will be restricted to communities where Foundry services are available – Campbell River, North and West Vancouver, Kelowna, Prince George, Victoria, Penticton and Abbotsford. This work will help will guide the expansion of Foundry services across the province.

Project main contact: Dr. Ashley Pullman, Mitacs Science Policy Fellow, Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions

Linked datasets:

• Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training
• Ministry of Child and Family Development
• Ministry of Education
• Ministry of Health
• Statistics Canada

Vulnerable target populations under the Workforce Development Agreement Programs (WDA)

Status: Closed

The Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training is developing a performance measurement and evaluation framework to create skills training programs that meet the needs British Columbians. This project will help create accessible, affordable and equitable education and skills training opportunities. Specifically, this project will help us learn how to improve education and training services for youth, including youth at risk and victims of target populations. This work will look at the factors that may play a part in how vulnerable youth experience the workforce such as level of education, health and wellness (including mental health), and their involvement with government-funded services and programs.

Project main contact: Tatiana Kim, Performance Evaluation Analyst, Workforce Innovation and Skills Training, Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training

Linked datasets:

• Community Living BC
• Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training
• Ministry of Children and Family Services
• Ministry of Education
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions
• Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction
• Statistics Canada

Basic Income Study

Status: Closed

The Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction is undertaking an integrated data project to characterize the income, health and other outcomes for groups in or near poverty. The data will also be used to examine the effectiveness of previous policies in B.C. that share elements of a basic income.

Project main contact: Robert Bruce, Executive Director, Research Branch, Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction

Linked datasets:

• Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training
• Ministry of Education and Child Care
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Children and Family Development
• Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
• Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction

Recent publications:

• Basic income report: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/about-the-bc-government/poverty-reduction-strategy/basic-income-report
• Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) of the Current System of Income and Social Supports in British Columbia: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3781918
• Cross-ministry data on service use and limitations faced by children in special education: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1936657421000649
• COVID-19 Implications for Disability Assistance Clients:  https://www.proquest.com/openview/f7539a8017dd36e3388a05753123cd9f/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=4361689
• How and When to Pay? Income Assistance (or Basic Income) as a System of Financial Transactions and Services:  https://bcbasicincomepanel.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/How_and_When_to_Pay_Income_Assistance_or_Basic_Income_as_a_System_of_Financial_Transactions_and_Services.pdf
• Basic Income: Characteristics Related to Presence in and Absence From the Tax System: https://bcbasicincomepanel.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Basic_Income_Characteristics_Related_to_Presence_in_and_Absence_from_the_Tax_System.pdf
• Claims Made For or About a Basic Income: https://bcbasicincomepanel.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Claims_Made_For_or_About_a_Basic_Income.pdf
• The Effect of Asset Thresholds on Income Assistance Flows in British Columbia: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/110447/1/MPRA_paper_110447.pdf
• BC Income Assistance Trends and Dynamics: Descriptions and Policy Implication: https://bcbasicincomepanel.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/BC_Income_Assistance_Trends_and_Dynamics_Descriptions_and_Policy_Implications.pdf
• The transition to adult income supports for youth that received special education in British Columbia, Canada: A cohort study: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/hsc.13829
• Income assistance use among young adults who were in British Columbia special education: A longitudinal cohort study: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0274672 

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Historical profile of government service utilization related to poverty and homelessness in Vancouver and the Downtown Eastside neighbourhood.

Status: Closed

Through this project, the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction will learn more about the homeless and low-income populations in Vancouver and the Downtown Eastside neighbourhood. Specifically, data will be collected to understand how the homeless and low-income populations use government services and how their service use has changed over time. This work will help the Province improve service delivery in the Downtown Eastside, guide effective social policy development, and promote evidence-based decision-making to reduce poverty and revitalize the Downtown Eastside. This project aligns with the numerous ministry priorities by addressing housing, mental health and addictions.

Project main contact: Dr. Craig Hutton, Data Science Fellow, Data Science and Analytics branch, Office of the Chief Information Officer.

Linked datasets:

• BC Housing
• Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training
• Ministry of Children and Family Development
• Ministry of Education and Child Care
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction
• Statistics Canada

Every maternal death counts: driving safety in pregnant and post-partum women

Status: In progress

Motor vehicle crashes are a common reason why Canadian women die in pregnancy or shortly after delivery. Yet, these deaths aren't counted in most efforts to track and prevent maternal deaths, because the conventional definition of "maternal death" excludes deaths due to accidents. There is growing recognition, however, that we should try to monitor and prevent all deaths to new mothers, not just those that fit into the conventional definition of a maternal death.

The first step towards preventing maternal deaths from motor vehicle crashes is to understand if, when, and which women are at increased risk of motor vehicle accidents in pregnancy or shortly after delivery. We will do this by linking British Columbia motor vehicle collision claims records with the province's population health databases, including the British Columbia Perinatal Data Registry, which will provide us with pregnancy-related information. We will compare a woman's risk of being in a motor vehicle crash during pregnancy compared with other women in the province who weren't pregnant, and to the same woman a year prior to her pregnancy to determine if women are more likely to have a motor vehicle accident when pregnant. We will examine if certain pregnancy-related conditions, such as twin pregnancies or anemia (both of which could make a woman more fatigued) increase the risk of a motor vehicle crash.

Project Main Contact: Dr. Jennifer Hutcheon, Canada Research Chair in Perinatal Population Health, Associate Professor, Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Linked Datasets:

• ICBC
• Ministry of Attorney General
• Ministry of Health
• Provincial Health Services Authority
• Statistics Canada

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Family and Intergenerational Impacts of Poverty and Income Assistance

Status: In progress

Preventing and mitigating the consequences of poverty is of central interest in policy-making focused on social supports, health, and education. Our research proposal comprises numerous questions related to poverty and policies that may alleviate it. In particular, many of our research questions focus on the role of Income Assistance (IA) in influencing adult and child well-being. IA is the main cash transfer program in BC, as well as being a portal through which other supports such as extended health benefits are accessed. The other set of questions relates to how educational attainment and health policies can prevent the next generation from entering poverty. Our goal is to provide concrete evidence on policy domains that may help policymakers in decision-making that could affect poverty for both the current and future generations.

Project Main Contact: David Green, University of British Columbia, Professor

Linked Datasets:

• BC Family Maintenance Agency
• Community Living BC
• Ministry of Children and Family Development
• Ministry of Education and Child Care
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction
• Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
• Provincial Health Services Authority
• Statistics Canada

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The Effect of Virtual Care Adoption on Access to Care and Health Outcomes

Status: In progress

Efficient allocation of health resources and improving access to care are central to health policy. Our project examines the impact of the expansion of virtual care following the outbreak of Covid-19. In particular, we examine how increased access to virtual care affects healthcare utilization and health outcomes. In addition, we examine the impact on individuals with limited access to primary care physicians, focusing on healthcare utilization and emergency room usage. Our goal is to assess the overall impact of virtual care, which can help policymakers reduce inequities in access to care and health disparities.

Project Main Contact: Kisho Hoshi, PhD Student, Vancouver School of Economics, University of British Columbia

Linked Datasets:

 

• Ministry of Education and Child Care
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction
• Statistics Canada

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Short and Long Term Pathways into Homelessness

Status: In progress

Homelessness is one of the worst forms of economic hardship. Its consequences include social isolation, psychological distress, loss of access to basic needs like shelter and healthcare, and heightened vulnerability to violence and abuse. Being homeless also limits a person’s opportunities to improve their situation. Our study aims to improve our understanding of the risk factors that increase the likelihood of becoming homeless. We study both immediate entry points into homelessness and longer-term characteristics, such as family background, that are associated with eventual homelessness. The potential entry points include – but are not limited to – youth aging out of care, health changes such as head trauma and substance use, discharge from correctional facilities, and divorces. The longer-term factors we will investigate include childhood health and educational outcomes, interventions in the household by MCFD, and parental outcomes. Both the short and long-run characteristics can help in targeting policy to help people immediately at risk of homelessness and as part of longer-term goals of reducing the intergenerational transmission of poverty.

Project Main Contact: David Green, Professor,  Vancouver School of Economics, University of British Columbia

Linked Datasets:

• BC Family Maintenance Agency
• BC Housing
• Ministry of Children and Family Development
• Ministry of Education and Child Care
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction
• Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
• Statistics Canada
• University of British Columbia

ACCESS: Assessing the Continuum of Care and Eligibility for Services and Supports for Children with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities and their Families

Status: In progress

Persons with a neurodevelopmental disability (NDD) are a vulnerable population who experience more mental health problems and poorer health outcomes relative to those without disability. For the 1 in 11 youth in Canada with NDD, a multitude of services are provided (primarily by provincial governments) to address activity limitations, improve health outcomes and facilitate full participation in society. Unfortunately, many youth and families struggle to access needed services. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities highlighted that realized access (actual use of services provided) is particularly low in Canada -- 20-30 percent utilization by those eligible. Project ACCESS: Assessing the Continuum of Care and Eligibility for Services and Supports for Children with  Neurodevelopmental Disabilities and their Families aims to co-design policy recommendations to improve realized access to services for youth with NDD, by measuring realized access and describing experiences of youth and caregivers applying to services, across ministries and the life course. We have partnered with youth and family advisors to identify challenges to realized access to services. We aim to evaluate different cross-ministry priorities and mandates, inconsistent policies and a lack of data on service use provided across the continuum of care.

Project Main Contact: Jennifer Zwicker, PhD, MPP, Director, Health Policy, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Kinesiology, Canada Research Chair (II) Disability Policy for Children and Youth

Linked Datasets:

• Community Living BC
• Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training
• Ministry of Attorney General
• Ministry of Children and Family Development
• Ministry of Education and Child Care
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction
• Provincial Health Services Authority
• Statistics Canada

Intergenerational transmission of health and health care use: Identifying untapped potential to improve the economic outcomes of parents and children

Status: In progress

Mental health plays an essential role in the lives of people of all ages. Nevertheless, there is limited evidence on the types of policies that positively impact people living with mental health issues. Research shows that access to mental health services can improve health and economic outcomes. However, it also finds substantial disparities in access to these services.
Intergenerational correlation in health and, by extension, in the need for mental health services, may offer untapped opportunities for better policy-making. Research shows that parental participation in various government programs has a causal impact on children’s participation in these same programs. Interventions with children are also found to trickle up to their parents through information transfer. The purpose of this project is to determine whether improved access to mental health services in one generation leads to better access in the other and, if so, how this impacts parents’ and children’s outcomes.
Our analysis will consider mental health services across a variety of providers and investigate effects on a broad range of parent and child outcomes. Moreover, we will use quasi-experimental methods to disentangle downward and upward intergenerational transmission mechanisms.
This study will produce findings relevant for policy makers, who must meet growing needs for mental health care in fiscally sustainable ways. By showing how within-family dynamics can be leveraged to improve access to appropriate services, evidence from this project will be helpful to diminish the human costs of mental health issues, health care expenditures, and indirect costs from lost earnings.

Project Main Contact: Gaëlle Simard-Duplain,  Assistant Professor, Carleton University

Linked Datasets:

 

• BC Family Maintenance
• BC Housing
• Community Living BC
• Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training
• Ministry of Children and Family Development
• Ministry of Education and Child Care
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction
• Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
• Statistics Canada
• University of British Columbia