Legal Research

2007 Canadian Internet Use

The 2007 Canadian Internet Use Survey was released on June 12th.

Statistics Canada reveals new 2007 data from the Canadian Internet Use Survey. Interesting findings include:

"Almost three-quarters (73%), or 19.2 million Canadians aged 16 and older, went online for personal reasons during the 12 months prior to the survey. This was up from just over two-thirds (68%) in 2005 when the survey was last conducted. For the first time, the survey covered young people aged 16 and 17. They accounted for almost one of the five percentage point increase in Internet use between 2005 and 2007."

"Among people who used the Internet at home, 68% went online every day during a typical month and 50% for five hours or more during a typical week. On average, men were online more often and for longer periods than women."

"High-speed connections are becoming far more prevalent. An estimated 88% of people who accessed the Internet at home did so with a high-speed connection in 2007, up from 80% two years earlier. This growth was driven by new users and by existing users switching from a slower service.

Over 9 in 10 urban home users reported using a high-speed connection, compared with just over 7 in 10 home users in rural areas. More than one-half of rural and small town residents using a slower service reported that a high-speed telephone or cable service was not available in their area."

Digital divides in Internet use persist, specifically on the basis of income, education and age.
High-speed connections are becoming far more popular.

The vast majority of Internet users aged 16 or older, 94%, reported personal Internet use from home during 2007, while 41% said they used it from work, 20% from schools and 15% from libraries."

More Canadians are participating in blogging, chatting and downloading.
Internet use rates are highest in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.

Stephen

Full post as published by Stephen's Lighthouse on June 24, 2008 (boomark / email).