Who's+Connected?

Are All Canadians Online?

We cannot talk about the Internet without discussing the tremendous impact it has on the people of Canada. According to 2005 statistics, only 67.9 percent of the Canadian population were described as Internet users, with over 90 percent of these people using e-mail at least once a week. This is an increase of 72 percent since 2000. The user group with the highest frequency of use is young people, ages 15 to 17. Of the total households connected, an estimated 66 percent were connected via broadband (cable/ADSL). However, many of these users access the Internet from school or work. Not all users, including students, have a home connection.

In 2005, 67.9 percent of Canadians were considered Intern users.

67.9% Internet users 32.1% Not Internet users

What are the factors that influence whether a household has an Internet connection? According to research, the four factors include the following:

● household income

● age of the head of the household

● level of education of the head of the household

● family type (i.e., with/without children)

Location has a lot to do with it as well. People who live in urban locations are far more likely to use the Internet at home than are rural users. Non-users of the Internet face a number of barriers that might prevent them from gaining access, regardless of the location. These factors include cost, lack of skill in using information and communication technology (known as digital literacy), inability to get to locations that have access to the Internet, and lack of interest.

THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

The digital divide is the gap between Canadians who have Internet access and those who do not. As more information and services are being delivered electronically, it is becoming increasingly important to ensure access for all Canadians. For example, many health care service providers are using the Web to deliver services and information. However, one of the largest user groups for health care services is the elderly, and they are one of the least likely groups to be online due to limited technological skills and low digital literacy levels.

It is not only the elderly who are not using the Internet. Many Canadians have simply never used the Internet and are completely unprepared to use it for any purpose. Why? They do not see the need. This is tied directly to the literacy rate (the percentage of people who can read and write at a level that will allow them to cope with today's knowledge society). Recent studies indicate that people who do not have access to computers also have much lower literacy skills than computer users. As the literacy rate rises, so does the perceived need to use computers and the Internet. Individuals with low literacy skills could benefit greatly from the opportunities that come with new technologies. Ironically, they are the ones who are not using them. These disconnected individuals are not able to access job, education, e-commerce, health, entertainment, or government resources available only online.

Will the Internet be like the telephone? Will it be available in virtually every household at some point in the future? It depends on whether people see the need to get online and whether the cost barrier is reduced or eliminated. A number of initiatives have been launched to help bridge the digital divide in Canada.

Not very many elderly people use the Internet because of their limited technological and digital literacy skills. However, the number of seniors using the Internet at home is growing steadily.

GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE INITIATIVES

The Canadian government has sponsored a number of initiatives to help get more Canadians connected to the Internet. Over $12 billion has been committed to developing information technology infrastructure since 1993. Industry Canada and Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) have installed hardware in countless locations across the country, including libraries, community centres, and other public-access locations. Partnerships between government and private companies have also been responsible for developing and providing broadband access to remote locations, including Aboriginal communities in Canada's Far North. The government will spend an additional $5 billion by 2010 to help develop Canada's ICT infrastructure in all locations across the country.

HRDC has made it possible for Canadians in remote and rural Locations to use the Internet at their local libraries or community centres

The investment has not only been in the ICT infrastructure required to get online. These initiatives include training programs to help people acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to participate in today's knowledge-based society. Technology can be intimidating to people who have never had to use it before. Just think about the first time you used an ATM or a digital camera. Once people acquire the basic skills to use the Internet, they can adapt and upgrade as new advances in technology are introduced. The key is to help people get started in a non-threatening way.

ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES AND THE INTERNET

First Nations communities in Northern Ontario have benefited tremendously from such programs as the Smart Communities initiative. The Kuh-ke-nah Network (K-Net) of Smart First Nations is one such example, connecting six First Nations communities-Deer Lake, Fort Severn, Keewaywin, McDowell Lake, North Spirit Lake, and Poplar Hill. Broadband Internet access has been installed, giving residents access to distance education and telehealth services. A full Grade 9 program is now being delivered at the local high school, eliminating the need to travel to Thunder Bay or Sioux Lookout. Down the road, there are plans to offer a full secondary program.

The telehealth services are also of vital importance to these communities. Visits to the local clinic might also involve a virtual visit to a specialist or other distant doctor. This has helped to treat countless numbers of residents with asthma, diabetes, lung cancer, and hypertension who would not otherwise be able to access such specialized care. Training for local health practitioners is being offered through the K-Net links to help keep local doctors and nurses up to date, and information to help prevent illness will also be made available.

K-Net gives First Nations communities in Northern Ontario access to distance learning.

All of these initiatives will help to bring the world to communities that were previously isolated from mainstream society in Canada.

Members of K-Net are working with other First Nations communities to help them establish their own local networks. However, it is a costly initiative. Consider the harsh climate and vast distances that such a network must cover. With support from public and private funding partners that understand the challenges of providing access in such remote regions, other such initiatives are sure to be undertaken.

Do the following questions, using the FIND function of your browser (Control+F on a PC Command+F on a Mac) to find KEYWORDS for each question, helping you find the information that you need. DON'T waste your time by NOT using this function.

1. What percentage of Canadians are considered to be users of the Internet? What is the most popular use for the Internet?

2. What percentage of households connected to the Internet use broadband technology (cable/ADSL)?

3. What are the four factors that influence whether a household will have an Internet connection?

4. What other factors influence whether a person is likely to get connected at home?

5. What challenges do people with disabilities have that other persons do not have to consider in using the Internet?

6. What is the digital divide? What factors contribute to this gap?

7. What are the Canadian government and private institutions doing to try to bridge this divide?

8. What else is needed to bridge the gap in addition to installing computers and other ICT infrastructure? Why?

9. How have Aboriginal communities benefited from the introduction of ICT and Internet connectivity?