OTTAWA – Nearly every Canadian household who can afford it had Internet access in 2010, Statistics Canada reported today.
While many like to concentrate on the gaps in broadband availability in urban regions versus rural, the StatCan topline data seems to suggest that those who can afford it will generally find a way to get online at home. Over 97% of Canadian households in the top income bracket ($87,000 annual income and above) have internet access at home.
“This compares with a rate of 54% of households in the lowest quartile, those with incomes of $30,000 or less,” says today’s release.
Overall, 79% of Canadians reported home Internet access when the survey was done in the fall of 2010. Over one-half of connected households used more than one type of device to go online.
But, “(a)mong the one-fifth (21%) of households without home Internet access in 2010, over one-half (56%) reported they had no need for or interest in it,” says StatCan.
“Other reasons for having no access included the cost of service or equipment (20%), or the lack of a device such as a computer (15%). About 12% of households reported they lacked confidence, knowledge or skills.
“Relatively more households in the lowest income quartile reported the cost of service or equipment (24%) as a reason.”
In those connected households, most used a desktop computer (71%) or a laptop computer (64%) to get online while over one-third (35%) used a wireless handheld device to access the Internet from home. A majority (54%) of connected homes used more than one type of device to go online in 2010, says StatCan.
And, most of those surveyed say they do have a broadband connection. “Based on the type of Internet connection and its self-reported speed, about 96% of households with home Internet access reported a high-speed connection. This means that, among all Canadian households, about three-quarters reported home high-speed Internet access in 2010,” says the report.
– Greg O’Brien
