Brock joins CRDCN: local access to Statistics Canada’s Virtual RDC for campus researchers
Brock University signed a collaboration with the Canadian Research Data Centre Network (CRDCN) to give campus researchers access to Statistics Canada’s Virtual Research Data Centre (vRDC). About 80% of RDC microdata can now be accessed remotely, though individual projects must still be approved by Statistics Canada.
Under the new agreement, Brock is a CRDCN Collaborating Institution, enabling researchers to work with high-security Statistics Canada microdata from campus rather than traveling to an external RDC. The effort, led by Assistant Prof. Samantha Hajna with support from the Brock Library, opens detailed household, business and individual records to approved projects across disciplines such as social sciences, economics, business and health. Brock will host an information session on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026 (noon–1 p.m., RFP 214/215) covering available datasets and the Statistics Canada application process.