JANUARY 16, 2002

Statistics Canada's Social policy simulation database and model

Statistics Canada's Social policy simulation database and model (SPSD/M) is a static microsimulation model. It is designed to analyze the financial interactions of governments and individuals or families in Canada. It allows estimation of the income redistributive effects or cost implications of changes in the personal taxation and cash transfer system. The SPSD/M helps researchers examine the potential impacts of changes in taxes, earnings, demographic trends and many other factors. It can be used to study federal and provincial tax and transfer changes from 1988 through 2005.

According to Statistics Canada, the SPSD/M allows to answer "what-if" questions. What if there were a change to the taxes Canadians paid or transfers they received-who would gain and who would lose? Would single-parent households in a particular province be better off? By how much? How much extra money would federal or provincial governments collect or pay out?

(extracted from Statistics Canada's Daily)

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