📊 Statistics Canada API MCP Server

What is 📊 Statistics Canada API MCP Server?

This MCP server and CLI provides structured access to Statistics Canada’s Web Data Service (WDS) and SDMX REST API. It enables any MCP client — Claude, Cursor, VS Code Copilot, Gemini — to search, retrieve, and analyze Canadian statistical data. The included statcan CLI allows direct downloads without an LLM.

How to use 📊 Statistics Canada API MCP Server?

Choose one of four options: Hosted (connect to https://mcp-statcan.onrender.com/mcp with no install), Self-host HTTP (run uvx statcan-mcp-server --transport http locally), Full local (stdio with optional SQLite storage), or the statcan CLI (run commands like statcan search "labour force"). Configuration snippets for Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, and VS Code are provided.

Key features of 📊 Statistics Canada API MCP Server

• Access Statistics Canada WDS and SDMX APIs via MCP
• Search, metadata, and download tools for statistical tables
• Standalone statcan CLI for terminal‑based data downloads
• Five built‑in MCP prompts for guided data lookup
• SQLite database support for local data storage (Option 3)
• Hosted public server available with no local setup

Use cases of 📊 Statistics Canada API MCP Server

• Retrieve Canadian economic indicators (CPI, unemployment, trade) for analysis
• Create interactive dashboards and visualizations from StatCan data
• Explore and compare multiple statistical series using vector pipelines
• Automate data extraction via CLI for scripting and reporting

FAQ from 📊 Statistics Canada API MCP Server

What data sources does this server use?

It uses Statistics Canada’s public Web Data Service (WDS) and SDMX REST API. No API key or authentication is required.

Do I need to install anything to use the hosted version?

No. The hosted server on Render works immediately; just point your MCP client to https://mcp-statcan.onrender.com/mcp.

Can I use the server without an LLM?

Yes. The statcan CLI lets you search, download, and inspect tables directly from a terminal. Install via pip install statcan-mcp-server or run with uvx.

What clients are supported?

Any MCP‑compatible client: Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), and Gemini.

How does the server handle large datasets?

On the hosted server, data is returned as a download URL rather than inline payload, keeping context windows small. The CLI outputs CSV/JSON to stdout.