Data Dictionary
Learn about our data sources, field definitions, and scoring methodology
Data Sources
Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada official data including census, crime statistics, economic indicators
Update frequency: Annual / Quarterly
CMHC
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, providing rent, vacancy, housing starts data
Update frequency: Quarterly
CREA MLS
Canadian Real Estate Association, providing HPI, sales data, market trends
Update frequency: Monthly
Bank of Canada
Bank of Canada, providing interest rates and monetary policy data
Update frequency: Real-time
Field Definitions
| Field | Description | Data Source | Update Cycle |
|---|---|---|---|
| price | MLS HPI Benchmark Price | CREA | Monthly |
| detached_price | Detached Benchmark Price | CREA | Monthly |
| condo_price | Condo Benchmark Price | CREA | Monthly |
| rent_1br | Avg 1-Bedroom Monthly Rent | CMHC | Quarterly |
| vacancy_rate | Rental Vacancy Rate (%) | CMHC | Quarterly |
| crime_index | Crime Severity Index (CSI) | Statistics Canada | Annual |
| population | City Population | Statistics Canada | Annual |
| median_income | Median Household Income | Statistics Canada | Annual |
| unemployment | Unemployment Rate (%) | Statistics Canada | Monthly |
| school_count | School Count | Provincial Education Ministry | Annual |
| hospital_count | Hospital Count | CIHI | Annual |
| safety_score | Safety Score (0-100) | Calculated from CSI | Dynamic |
| investment_score | Investment Score (0-100) | Calculated from Rent Yield | Dynamic |
| family_score | Family Score (0-100) | Based on Education Resource Density | Dynamic |
| economy_score | Economy Score (0-100) | Based on Income and Unemployment | Dynamic |
| cost_score | Cost Score (0-100) | Based on Tax and Commute | Dynamic |
Scoring Methodology
Safety Score
Based on the Crime Severity Index (CSI), formula: <code>100 - (CSI - 40) × 0.7</code>, deducting flood/wildfire risk. Lower CSI yields higher safety score.
Investment Score
Combines rent yield, rent-to-price ratio, and annual price growth, each with different weights.
Family Score
Based on school density per 10,000 people, hospital density per 100,000 people, and climate comfort.
Economy Score
Based on median household income, unemployment rate, and population growth rate.
Cost Score
Based on property tax rate and average commute time. Lower tax and shorter commute yield higher score.