Computer and Library Learning (Archived)

Statistics Canada released its 2010 Canadian Internet Use Survey today. 79% of Canadian households had internet access in 2010 with 54% of those households using more than one type of device to go online (71% used desktop computers, 64% used laptop computers, and 35% used a wireless handheld device (i.e. smartphone, tablet etc.) to access the internet at home.). Of the 21% of households with no internet access, 56% of those households had no interest in or need for the internet, while 20% stated the cost of equipment/service as an issue. 15% of the non-internet households cited the lack of a device to access the internet such as a computer, while 12% lacked confidence, knowledge, and skills towards accessing the internet.

81% of households in census metropolitan areas (CMAs) and 76% of households in census agglomerations (CAs) had internet access at home. 71% of households in rural areas (outside of the CMAs and CAs) had home internet access. British Columbia had the highest rate of home internet access at 84%, followed by Alberta at 83% and Ontario at 81%. The remaining provinces and their home internet access rates were Nova Scotia (77%), Saskatchewan (76%), Newfoundland and Labrador (74%), Manitoba, Prince Edward Island and Quebec (all at 73%), and New Brunswick (70%). The territories were excluded from the survey as were full-time members of the Canadian Armed Forces, residents of aboriginal reserves, and prisoners. The Government of Canada introduced a 3-years $225 million “Broadband Canada” Connecting Rural Canadians” program in November 2010 to bring more high-speed internet access to rural areas with lower connection rates.

97% of households in the top income quartile (with an annual household income of $87,000 or more) had home internet access, compared to a 54% rate amongst households in the lowest income quartile (with an annual household income of $30,000 or less). 93% of households comprising 3 or more people had home internet access in comparison to 58% of one-person households.

Statistics Canada surveyed 30,770 households and 22,623 individuals in October and November 2010. The survey was completely redesigned for 2010 so the results should not be compared with previous surveys; it also questioned Canadians about their online behaviour but those results will be available later in 2011.