Statistical profiles of the seven host communities were constructed to provide insight into their local labour market and economic conditions, housing availability, and other aggregate socio-demographic characteristics. Most of the information used in these profiles was compiled from the 1991 and 1996 Censuses of Canada, which provide community-level data for a variety of indicators. Obtaining 1996 data for Fort McMurray was more difficult since Statistics Canada no longer includes this city in its community profiles. Instead, the data for Fort McMurray were released as part of a larger census tract (Wood Buffalo). However, the Calgary Statistics Canada office assisted the research team by constructing a special set of Fort McMurray tabulations. Some additional information was obtained from the Labour Force Survey conducted by Statistics Canada.
Aggregate-level information on refugees destined to Alberta in the 1990s (e.g., the number of refugees arriving in each year; their country of origin) was compiled by the research team using the Landed Immigrant Database supplied by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.