How to Cite a Government or Organisational Report in Harvard
Complete guide with examples for citing reports from government agencies and organisations using Harvard referencing.
Basic Format: Government Report (Online)
Use the government department or agency as the author. Include the year, report title (italicized), and access details. A report number may be included in round brackets after the title.
Reference List Entry
Government Agency (Year) Title of report (Report no. xxx if available). Available at: URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).
Example: Statistics Canada
Citation
Statistics Canada (2024) Labour force characteristics by province, monthly, seasonally adjusted (Catalogue no. 71‑001‑X). Available at: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/71-001-x/71-001-x2024001-eng.htm (Accessed: 8 April 2026).
In‑Text Citation (Parenthetical)
(Statistics Canada, 2024)
Report from an International Organisation
Example: WHO
World Health Organization (2023) Global status report on road safety 2023. Available at: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240080860 (Accessed: 8 April 2026).
White Paper or Policy Brief
Example
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (2025) A just transition for fossil fuel workers. Available at: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/just-transition (Accessed: 8 April 2026).
Report with Individual Authors
Example
Tremblay, M.-S. and Colley, R. C. (2025) Physical activity of Canadian adults: Accelerometer results from the 2022 Canadian Health Measures Survey. Statistics Canada. Available at: https://www.doi.org/10.25318/82-003-x202500400002-eng (Accessed: 8 April 2026).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to include the report number?
Include the report, catalogue, or publication number in round brackets after the title when available.
What if the report has no publication date?
Use 'n.d.' (no date) in place of the year. Always include an access date for online reports.