Postal Code Conversion File Plus [Canada], Version 3E, September 2000, Census of Canada 1996

The geographic coordinates, which represent the standard geostatistical areas linked to each postal codesOM 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.

The purpose of the PCCF+ is to provide a link between six-character postal codesOM 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 codesOM 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 codeOM 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 codesOM where more than one geographic code is possible.

PCCF+ also provides routines for institutional postal codesOM and for historic postal codesOM. The purpose of this product is not to validate postal codesOM or the PCCF.