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Data request pricing

CIHI responds to data requests on a cost-recovery basis. The total cost is typically broken down into 2 categories:

  1. Data preparation cost (applicable to both aggregate and record-level data requests)
    • Price A clients: $170 an hour for Canadian health care facilities, media (data requests only), governments, not-for-profit health agencies, universities (except for students through the Graduate Student Data Access Program [GSDAP]), health professionals and researchers from the public sector
    • Price B clients: $340 an hour for private commercial operations (including but not limited to software vendors and consultants), foreign clients and others not qualifying for Price A

This cost includes the number of hours needed to review the data request, consult on and develop specifications, manipulate and/or analyze data, seek advice from CIHI’s support areas, perform data quality assurance activities and prepare data for release.

The first 2 hours of production time for Price A clients are free. For media, 10 free hours of staff time are provided per topic per 12-month period.

  1. Secure Access Environment (SAE) access fee (applicable to record-level data requests only)
    • SAE access fee for up to 3 users: $2,500 per year
      • For GSDAP requests: free for up to 2 users, for a maximum of 2 years
    • Each additional user: $1,500 per year 

If applicable, GST/HST will be added to the invoice.

CIHI’s Secure Access Environment (SAE)

What is CIHI’s SAE?

The SAE gives authorized individuals secure and controlled remote access to customized record-level data sets and analytical tools. It is hosted in CIHI’s cloud-based environment. Access to the SAE is facilitated via secure and encrypted remote desktop connection and use of multi-factor authentication.

What type of data can be accessed via the SAE?

Currently, the SAE provides access to de-identified record-level CIHI data only.
Disclosures of personal health information (PHI) by CIHI are subject to the specific jurisdictional legislation and agreements under which the data was originally collected and shared with CIHI. The SAE does not currently support access to PHI.

What security features does the SAE have?

  • The SAE is protected by a firewall. No internet access is permitted from within the SAE.
  • The SAE provides central administration of project and user accounts.
  • Access to the SAE requires multi-factor authentication, which ensures the privacy of the connection and prevents unauthorized access.
  • Through contractual obligations, users are prohibited from accessing the SAE from outside Canada.
  • Only aggregate outputs that adhere to CIHI’s vetting rules may leave the SAE. This prevents inadvertent disclosure of confidential personal health information.
  • Record-level data cannot be copied or removed from the SAE.
  • The SAE provides secure storage and back-up for authorized project data.

What user features does the SAE have?

Project team members can

  • Share data and code
  • Collaborate and view each other’s results
  • Access SAS, R and Python, as well as Microsoft Office utilities

Requesting data for research purposes

Are you a researcher or part of a research team affiliated with a Canadian health facility, university or other public research body? Learn more about the types of disclosures of health data and possible conditions restricting or prohibiting disclosure of certain types of data. See Requesting Data From CIHI for Research Purposes (June 2021) (PDF).

Requests for Indigenous-identifiable data

CIHI supports and respects principles of Indigenous data sovereignty such as the First Nations principles of OCAP® (Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession). Requests for data that can identify Indigenous people or communities must be accompanied by approval from appropriate First Nations, Inuit or Métis authorities.

Learn more about CIHI’s work with First Nations, Inuit and Métis

If you have a disability and would like CIHI information in a different format, visit our Accessibility page.