Postal Code Conversion File Plus [Canada], Version 3G, June 2001, Census of Canada 1996

<p>The PCCF+ is a SAS© control program and set of associated datasets derived from the PCCF, a 1996 postal code<sup>OM</sup> population weight file, the Geographic Attribute File, Health Region boundary files, and other supplementary data. PCCF+ automatically assigns a range of Statistics Canada standard geographic areas and other geographic identifiers based on postal codes<sup>OM</sup>.</p>
<p>PCCF+ differs from the PCCF in that it:</p>
<ul>
<li>Uses population-weighted random allocation for many postal codes<sup>OM</sup> that link to more than one geographic area.</li>
<li>Options are available for institutional postal codes<sup>OM</sup>.</li>
<li>Procedures are included to link partial postal codes<sup>OM</sup> to geographic identifiers where possible.</li>
<li>Problem records and diagnostics are provided in the program output, along with reference information for possible solutions.</li>
</ul>
<p>The geographic coordinates, which represent the standard geostatistical areas linked to each postal codes<sup>OM</sup> on the PCCF, are commonly used to map the distribution of data for spatial analysis (e.g., clients, activities). In April 1983, the Geography Division released the first version of the PCCF, which linked postal codes to 1981 census geographic areas and included geographic coordinates. PCCF+ was first created using the 1986 census and has been updated regularly with population weight files calculated for each census from 1991 through 1996.</p>
<p>The purpose of the PCCF+ is to provide a link between six-character postal codes<sup>OM</sup> produced by the Canada Post Corporation (CPC), standard 1996 Census geographic areas (such as dissemination areas, census subdivisions, and census tracts) produced by Statistics Canada, and supplementary administrative areas and neighbourhood income quintiles. Postal codes<sup>OM</sup> do not respect census geographic boundaries and so may be linked to more than one standard geographic area, or assigned to more than one set of coordinates. Therefore, one postal code<sup>OM</sup> may be represented by more than one record. The PCCF product, produced by Statistics Canada, provides links between postal codes and all recorded matches to census geography. PCCF+ uses the PCCF but provides additional functionality in that it uses a population-weighted matching process for some residential postal codes<sup>OM</sup> where more than one geographic code is possible. PCCF+ also provides routines for institutional postal codes<sup>OM</sup> and for historic postal codes<sup>OM</sup>. The purpose of this product is <i>not</i> to validate postal codes<sup>OM</sup> or the PCCF.</p>

PCCF+是一款SAS©控制程序及配套数据集，其源自PCCF（1996年邮政编码^OM人口权重文件）、地理属性文件、健康区域边界文件及其他补充数据。PCCF+可基于邮政编码^OM自动分配一系列加拿大统计局(Statistics Canada)标准地理区域及其他地理标识符。

PCCF+与PCCF的区别如下：
- 针对多个关联地理区域的邮政编码^OM，采用人口加权随机分配法；
- 为机构邮政编码^OM提供可选配置；
- 内置处理流程，可在可行情况下将部分邮政编码^OM关联至地理标识符；
- 程序输出中包含问题记录与诊断信息，并附带可行解决方案的参考资料。

PCCF中与各邮政编码^OM关联的标准地统计区域对应的地理坐标，常被用于绘制空间分析所需的数据分布（如客户分布、活动分布等）。1983年4月，加拿大统计局(Statistics Canada)地理分部发布了首个版本的PCCF，该版本将邮政编码与1981年人口普查地理区域关联，并附带地理坐标。PCCF+最初基于1986年人口普查构建，并随1991至1996年各次人口普查生成的人口权重文件定期更新。

PCCF+的核心用途是建立加拿大邮政公司(Canada Post Corporation, CPC)生成的6位邮政编码^OM、加拿大统计局(Statistics Canada)发布的1996年标准人口普查地理区域（如普查分发区、普查细分单位、普查地段）及补充行政区域与邻里收入五分位组之间的关联。邮政编码^OM并不遵循普查地理边界，因此可能关联至多一个标准地理区域，或被分配至多组坐标。因此，单个邮政编码^OM可能对应多条记录。加拿大统计局出品的PCCF产品可提供邮政编码与所有已记录的普查地理匹配项的关联关系。PCCF+沿用PCCF的基础功能，但新增了针对存在多个地理编码可能的住宅邮政编码^OM的人口加权匹配流程。此外，PCCF+还为机构邮政编码^OM与历史邮政编码^OM提供处理程序。本产品的设计目的并非用于验证邮政编码^OM或PCCF本身。