DATA SUPPLEMENT FUTURE OF CANADA CENTRE DIGITAL EQUITY CATALYST Data Supplement
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FUTURE OF CANADA CENTRE DIGITAL EQUITY
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Data Supplement
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To create a more digitally equitable Canada by 2030, we must act now.
This requires understanding the current state of digital equity and making bold changes today for the sectors of society that are more likely to fall behind.
To understand Canada’s current state of digital equity, Deloitte analyzed more than 50 data points
from secondary data sources, including Statistics Canada and the Organisation of Economic
Co‑operation and Development (OECD). Particular attention was paid to specific population‑level
statistics (where available) as well as comparisons with peer countries.
TO UNDERSTAND A COUNTRY’S STATE OF DIGITAL EQUITY, THREE COMPONENTS MUST BE ASSESSED.
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DATA SUPPLEMENT // INTRODUCTION // 03
TO UNDERSTAND A COUNTRY’S STATE OF DIGITAL EQUITY, THREE COMPONENTS MUST BE ASSESSED.
1. AccessDo people and organizations have the digital infrastructure, devices, and content they need to interact with the digital world?
2. ParticipationDo people and organizations have the ability to engage with, learn from, and develop new digital technology?
3. EcosystemDo we have a digital and policy ecosystem that enables people and organizations to succeed in the digital world?
• In measuring these components, we want to understand how specific demographic groups perform compared to Canada’s overall performance.
• The metrics were chosen to provide a contrast between overall statistics vs. population-level statistics. This enabled a clearer view of populations that tend to be disadvantaged.
Canadian data incomplete, particularly for population groups
Little to no Canadian data available
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THE ANALYSIS OF SECONDARY DATA SOURCES FOUND A TROUBLING LACK OF DATA WITH WHICH TO ASSESS THE STATE OF CANADA’S DIGITAL EQUITY.
MEASURE TYPE KEY DATA INDICATORS
ACCESS USAGE Internet use by gender, race, age, incomeQUALITY Internet speeds available/accessible by gender, race, age, income
Internet speeds available/accessible by Canadian businesses by size and other characteristicsINFR ASTRUCTURE Broadband subscriptions available/accessible by gender, race, age, income
Broadband subscriptions for Canadian businesses, by size and business characteristicsPRICE Broadband rates (adjusted for PPP)
% of income spent by household on internet by gender, race, age, incomeACCESSIBILITY Web accessibility score by size and industry
PARTICIPATION FORMAL EDUCATION ICT specialists by gender, race, ageDigital literacy scores by gender, race, age, income
DIGITAL SKILLS % of individuals with basic and above‑basic digital skills by gender, race, age, income% of individuals at high risk of job being automated by gender, race, age, income
TR AINING % of businesses providing training to employees to build digital skills, by size of business% of individuals accessing digital skills education
PARTICIPATION % of individuals able to access digital‑enabled services (e.g., internet banking or LinkedIn for job search) by gender, race, age, income
% of businesses adopting digital technologies, by size and other characteristics
ECOSYSTEM POLICY AND REGULATORY
E NVIRONMENT ON ACCESSIBILITY,
I NFR ASTRUCTURE, BUSINESS,
AND INDIVIDUAL PROTECTION
Digital evolution indexDARE indexPersonal information usage/cybersecurity/safety and trust
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DESPITE THE LACK OF DATA, IT’S EVIDENT CERTAIN POPULATION GROUPS ARE ALREADY FALLING BEHIND.
1. LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS/INDIVIDUALS*
Canada has among the highest costs of digital access in the world, which limits the ability of people from low‑income backgrounds to access the broadband, devices, and skills development needed to interact with the digital world.
2. SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES (SMEs)
Most businesses recognize the need for digital transformation and invest in data and analytics. However, most SMEs lack resources and so tend to lose out on accessing the tools and talent needed to keep up with larger businesses.
3. OLDER POPULATION GROUPS
The adoption of new technology can be more difficult for older segments of the population (not just seniors but people aged 45 and up) for various reasons, including lack of skills and access to timely training.
4. RACIALIZED CANADIANS
While data is not widely available, an intersectionality of data between low‑income households and racialized Canadians leads us to believe there is a lack of access to digital tools and skills for this group.
5. RURAL POPULATIONS
Despite improvements in broadband roll‑out in the last year, Canada’s geography and high costs mean that digital access remains a major barrier for many rural areas.
6. INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
The data on Indigenous peoples paints a clear picture of a group that has less access to, and participation in, digital society. We lack detailed data, however, including statistics on the divide between on‑reserve and off‑reserve Indigenous peoples.
*Note: Our qualitative discussions highlighted that persons with disabilities are also similarly disadvantaged but there is a severe lack of data, making it harder to draw any conclusions
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1. ACCESS
QUICK SUMMARY
Canada ranks high among peers in overall statistics regarding individual access–except in cost of services
Cost is likely to remain the main barrier to internet access for vulnerable populations
The federal government has therefore pledged to connect 98% of Canadians to high-speed internet by 2026, and all Canadians by 2030. This raises two questions: What about businesses? And, given current social and regional inequities, is this goal achievable?
Switzerla
nd
France
BelgiumU.K
.
Sweden
IcelandU.S
.
New Zealand
Australia
Denmark
Netherla
nds
Norway
Korea
Germany
Canada
50
40
30
20
10
0
<25/30Mbps≥100Mbps ≥25/30Mbps; <100Mbps
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CANADA RANKS IN THE TOP 10 AMONG OECD PEERS FOR BROADBAND CONNECTIONS, BUT ACCESS TO HIGH-SPEED SERVICE DEPENDS ON LOCATION.
Number of fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants in 36 countries (June 2020)
1st SWITZERLAND 47.6
9th CANADA 41.2
18th UNITED STATES 36.0
While most of the country’s fixed broadband subscriptions are
high-speed tiers (>100 Mbps), the service isn’t available to everyone.
In Nunavut, for instance, only >5 Mbps speeds are widely available.
Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, per speed tier (June 2020)
Broadband service availability, by province/territory, % of households with >100 Mbps speed (2019)
British Columbia 93.5%Quebec 90.5%Ontario 86.8%Alberta 83.6%
New Brunswick 81.1%Nova Scotia 78.4%
Newfoundland and Labrador 73.6%Manitoba 72.8%
Prince Edward Island 61.3%Yukon 60.8%
Saskatchewan 57.6%Northwest Territories 53.7%
Nunavut 0.0%
Sources: OECD, Statistics Canada
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IN CANADA, WHERE YOU LIVE DETERMINES YOUR ACCESS TO MINIMUM BROADBAND SPEEDS. RURAL RESIDENTS AND ON-RESERVE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES HAVE MUCH LESS.
While most Canadian households (87%) have access to the minimum speeds of at least 50 Mbps for downloads and 10 Mbps for uploads, such speeds are available to only 46% of rural households and 35% of First Nations reserves.
Availability of 50/10 Mbps broadband with unlimited data by % of households (2018-2019)
All Canadian households
2019 87%2018 86%
Rural households
2019 46%2018 41%
First Nations reserves
2019 35%2018 31%
OLMCOfficial Language Minority Household
2019 91%2018 89%
First Nations reserve broadband service availability by province/territory% of households with 50/10/Unlimited speed (2019)
BC 68%
AB 20%
SK 2%
MB 2%
ON 16%
QC 63%
NB 93%
NS 44%
PE 30%
NL 0%
YT 0%
NT 0%
Sources: Statistics Canada, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)
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MOST CANADIANS HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET AT HOME; THAT’S NOT THE CASE FOR OLDER PEOPLE AND LOWER-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.
Seniors in the lowest income bracket
63% Only 63% of seniors (aged 65+) in the lowest household income bracket (<$40,000) have access to the internet at home.
Canadians who have access to the internet at home by province (2020)
AB
96%
ON
95%
BC
95%
CA
N
94%
NL
93%
PE
I
93%
NB
93%
NS
92%
SK
92%
QC
92%
MB
91%
Access to internet at home by household income quartile (2018)
80.9%
Lowest quartile household income
≤ $40k*
95.1%
Second quartile household income
$40k – $80k
98.9%
Third quartile household income
$80k – $125k
99.6%
Highest quartile household income
>$125k
Access to internet at home by age group and household income quartile (2018)
Lowest quartile household income Highest quartile household income
Internet users aged 15 to 24 years
98.6% 100.0%
Internet users aged 25 to 44 years
93.4% 99.9%
Internet users aged 45 to 64 years
85.2% 99.5%
Internet users aged 65 years and over
63% 97.5%
Sources: Statistics Canada, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)
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BROADBAND PRICES IN CANADA ARE THE SECOND-HIGHEST IN THE G7. THIS HAS AN IMPACT ON DIGITAL ACCESS, AND THEREFORE EQUITY.
26%
of Canadians who had no
access to internet in 2020
cited cost as a reason.
In a 2019 study of 62 countries,
Canada was found to be in the top five
costliest places for 100-Mbps plans.
Canadian and US broadband rates
(adjusted for Purchasing Power Parity)
are higher for speeds above 16 Mbps
than other G7 countries (2019).
Average internet prices are even
higher in rural areas, with households
there paying about $7 more per month
for the same service as those living in
or near urban centres.
Average prices of 50/10 Mbps unlimited internet plans, urban and rural Canada (2019)
Urban $65.55
Rural $72.64
Sources: Statistics Canada, Picodi, Wall Communications Inc., Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)
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ACCESS
HEADING INTO THE PANDEMIC, 89% OF CANADIAN BUSINESSES HAD A BROADBAND CONNECTION – A DISMAL PROPORTION COMPARED TO OUR OECD PEERS.Even large Canadian businesses were less likely to be connected compared to large businesses in peer countries.
NetherlandsFinlandKoreaDenmark
100%
of businesses reported having broadband
United KingdomGermany
96%
of businesses reported having broadband
Canada
89%
of businesses reported having broadband
Canada ranked nearly at the bottom – 27th out of 30 countries–
for the number of businesses with broadband, fixed and mobile (2019).
Businesses without a broadband connection, including fixed and mobile (2019)
Canada
Australia
United Kingdom
Small(10 to 49 emplyees)
11%
1.1%
5.3%
Medium(50 to 249 emplyees)
10%
0.4%
1.1%
Large(250 emplyees and more)
7%
0.1%
1.0%
Sources: OECD, Statistics Canada
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IN 2019, JUST 82% OF CANADIAN BUSINESSES HAD A WEBSITE OR HOMEPAGE. SMALL COMPANIES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS LIKELY TO HAVE ONE.
Business size predicts online presence: while 5.5% of large organizations
lacked a website or homepage in 2019, this figure climbed to 8.4% for
medium-sized ones and 20.6% for small businesses.
Canadian businesses without a website or homepage, by size (2019)
Canada
Australia
United Kingdom
Small(10 to 49 emplyees)
20.6%21.2%
18.2%
Medium(50 to 249 emplyees)
8.4%
13.4%
6%
Large(250 emplyees and more)
5.5%4.2%
5.2%
NetherlandsJapanDenmark
>90%
of businesses reported having a website/homepage
United KingdomGermanyCanada
80–90%
of businesses reported having a website/homepage
FranceKorea
<80%
of businesses reported having a website/homepage
Canada is in the middle of the pack – 12th out of 29 countries –
for the number of businesses with a website or homepage (2019).
Sources: OECD, Statistics Canada
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BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, 28% OF CANADIAN BUSINESSES HAD A WEBSITE WITH ONLINE SALES OR E-COMMERCE CAPABILITIES, ABOVE THE OECD AVERAGE – BUT A RECENT SURVEY SHOWS THAT VERY FEW PLAN TO EXPAND THEIR DIGITAL CAPABILITIES.
Only 1 in 5 businesses said in a 2021 survey that they’re
likely to invest in building a website with online ordering,
reservation-making, or booking capabilities over the next
12 months, indicating that underinvestment in this area
will continue to affect digital equity for businesses.
Percentage of businesses that had a website capable of online ordering and booking (2019)
1st NETHERLANDS 34%
7th CANADA 28%
10th UNITED KINGDOM 24%
Canada ranked
7th out of 25 countries
Likelihood of investment by Canadian businesses in online sales and e-commerce capabilities over the next 12 months (2021)
Very unlikely/somewhat unlikely
73%
Neither likely nor unlikely
7%
Somewhat likely/very likely
20%
Sources: OECD, Statistics Canada
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CANADIAN BUSINESSES ARE EVEN LESS LIKELY TO INVEST IN ONLINE SALES AND E-COMMERCE CAPABILITIES IF THEY ARE SMALLER, OLDER, OR INDIGENOUS-OWNED – AND DISPARITIES ACROSS INDUSTRIES ARE TROUBLING.Just 12% of organizations with Indigenous ownership report they’re likely to invest in online sales and e-commerce capabilities over the next year, compared to 20% of all businesses.
Percentage of businesses reporting they’re somewhat likely or very likely to invest in online sales and e-commerce capabilities over the next 12 months, by industry (2021)
Most likely to invest
41.8% Information and cultural industries
37.8% Retail trade
36.1% Wholesale trade
Least likely to invest
8.4% Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
6.3% Construction
6.2% Health care and social assistance
% of businesses that reported they are somewhat/very likely to invest
18%Businesses with 1 to 4 employees
16% Businesses more than 20 years old
12% Businesses with First Nations,
Métis, or Inuit majority ownership
Sources: Statistics Canada
CANADA RANKS HIGHLY IN TERMS OF WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY, BUT WE’RE OUTPERFORMED BY SEVERAL PEER COUNTRIES.Industry-specific data reveals that improvements are needed, especially in manufacturing, retail, and tourism and hospitality. The same is true for government website accessibility: Canada scores well but trails the top performers.
DCI accessibility scores by industry (2019) Canada United States
Education
6769
Financial services
64
71
Government
6771
Health care
68
63
Manufacturing
6163
Retail
6064
Tourism and hospitality
60
68
DCI accessibility scores for government websites (2019)
United Kingdom
73
United States
71
Australia
71
Canada
67
New Zealand
64
Siteimprove Digital Certainty Index™ (DCI) digital accessibility score (2019)
Sources: Siteimprove
ACCESS
Uni
ted
Stat
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Uni
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Kin
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Nor
way
Net
herl
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Japa
n
Icel
and
Swed
en
Est
onia
Den
mar
k
Can
ada
Aus
tral
ia
Port
ugal
Bel
gium
Spai
n
Finl
and
Aus
tria
Mex
ico
New
Zea
land
Swit
zerl
and
Ital
y
Ger
man
y
Rus
sia
Indi
a
Bra
zil
Fran
ce
Sout
h A
fric
a
Chi
le
Uni
ted
Ara
b E
mir
ates
Mos
t ac
cess
ible
100
0L
east
acc
essi
ble
64
67
59
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2. PARTICIPATION
QUICK SUMMARY
At a national level, Canada ranks well in digital skills compared to its peers. But that doesn’t hold true for groups that are already facing equity challenges.
It’s difficult to get an accurate picture, however, since there’s a troubling lack of data about skills for specific population groups (especially race) and little data on a standardized form of measuring these skills, which is important for digital literacy.
Businesses have a role to play in improving equity for these groups, but they aren’t making the investments required to do so.
Sources: OECD, World Economic Forum
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MORE THAN HALF OF CANADIAN WORKERS ARE EMPLOYED IN SECTORS OF HIGH AND MEDIUM-HIGH DIGITAL INTENSITY, BUT THE AVAILABILITY OF WORKERS WITH ENOUGH DIGITAL SKILLS HAS DECLINED OVER THE YEARS.
Businesses reporting the active population in their country
possess sufficient digital skills (e.g., computer skills, basic coding,
digital reading): Canada’s ranking has been falling
2017 2018 2019
UNITED STATES 1st
2nd
12th
FINLAND 4th
3rd
1st
CANADA 15th
18th
20thAUSTR ALIA 19th
23rd
24th
Canada’s ranking in a measure of number of workers
with sufficient digital skills fell from 15th to 20th in just
two years. This is especially concerning since more jobs
are moving into sectors that require greater digital skills.
Share of total employment of high and medium-high digital intensity sectors, 2016 (% of jobs)
Australia
46.7%
Canada
52.5%
United K
ingdom
52.6%
United S
tates
53.1%
Netherla
nds
53.5%
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THE RISK OF BEING DISPLACED BY AUTOMATION IN CANADA IS NOT EVENLY DISTRIBUTED – AGE, INCOME, RACE, AND FIRM SIZE DETERMINE WHO IS AT HIGHER RISK OF LOSING THEIR JOB.Older workers and workers in the lowest employment income percentile are the most vulnerable. To create a digitally equitable Canada, digital training for these groups will be essential.
A 2020 study of automation and job transformation in Canada found that:
10.6%
of workers were at
high risk (probability
of 70% or higher) of
automation-related job
transformation in 2016
29.1%
of Canadian workers
were at moderate risk
(probability of 50 to 70%)
of automation-related job
transformation in 2016
Canadian workers at high risk of automation-related job transformation (%)*
*A recent study by RBC also found that Indigenous workers are at a higher risk of automation than the rest of the population
By age
13.3%18‑ to 24‑ year‑olds
7.6%25‑ to 34‑ year‑olds
10.1%35‑ to 54‑ year‑olds
14.6%>55 years old
By employer size
14.9%1‑10 employees
8.6%11‑50 employees
11.2%51‑250 employees
9.8%251‑1K employees
By employment income percentile
26.8%<10th
16.6%10th to 25th
13.7%25th to 50th
5.5%50th to 75th
Sources: Statistics Canada, Longitudinal and International Study of Adults, Wave 3 (2016)
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CANADA PERFORMS WELL IN COMPARISON TO OECD PEERS IN TERMS OF PROBLEM-SOLVING IN TECHNOLOGY-RICH ENVIRONMENTS, BUT OLDER ADULTS ARE FALLING BEHIND.
A 2012 survey of adult workers’ ability to problem-solve
in technology-rich environments found that Canada
performs above the OECD average
37%
of Canadians scoring at a proficiency Level 2 or 3 in problem-solving
31%
of individuals in the OECD are, on average, at Level 2 or 3 in problem-solving
Percentage of the Canadian population scoring Level 2 or Level 3 in problem-solving in technology-rich environments, by age (2012)
16 to 24 years old 51.6%
25 to 34 years old 49.9%
35 to 44 years old 42.9%
45 to 54 years old 28.8%
55 to 65 years old 16.7%
Canadians aged 45 and older are less likely to be proficient.
Many in this age cohort will still be part of the workforce 10 years from
now, so—without targeted intervention—this skills gap will persist.
Sources: Statistics Canada, Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) (2012, 2015)
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CANADIAN BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY SMALLER ONES, ARE NOT INVESTING ENOUGH IN ICT SKILLS TRAINING FOR THEIR WORKERS.
Percentage of Canadian businesses that provided any type of training to develop ICT-related skills for persons not employed as ICT specialists, within the last 12 months, by size (2019)
Small (10 to 49 employees) 8%
Medium (50 to 249 employees) 19%
Large (250 employees and more) 39%
Larger companies were more likely (39%) to provide information and
communications technology (ICT) related skills training for their workers
who were not directly employed in ICT than medium-sized businesses
(19%) and small businesses (8%) in 2019.
Canada ranked nearly in the bottom – 24th out of 25
countries – in the percentage of businesses that had
provided ICT training within the past 12 months for
persons not employed in ICT (2019).
10%of Canadian businesses
43%of Norwegian businesses
Sources: OECD, Statistics Canada
PARTICIPATION
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
10th
11th
12th
13th
14th
15th
16th
17th
18th
19th
20th
21st
22nd
23rd
24th
25th
26th
27th
28th
29th
30th
31st
32nd
33rd
34th
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ALTHOUGH MOST CANADIANS ARE BANKING ONLINE, THIS VARIES GREATLY BETWEEN DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS.
In 2018, Canada ranked
8th out of 34 countries in
the percentage of citizens
who banked online.
Germany 59%
Canada 76%
Iceland 94%
Canadians who used the internet for online banking in 2018, by age group
25 to 54 years old
86%
55 to 74 years old
63%
75+ years old
27%
Sources: OECD, Statistics Canada
PARTICIPATION
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
10th
11th
12th
13th
14th
15th
16th
17th
18th
19th
20th
21st
22nd
23rd
24th
25th
26th
27th
28th
29th
30th
31st
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CANADIANS ARE ONLY AVERAGE IN USING THE INTERNET TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION FROM PUBLIC AUTHORITIES, WITH MAJOR GAPS BETWEEN AGE GROUPS.Seniors are much less likely to look for information from public authorities.
In 2018, only 47.4%
Canadians used the
internet to find public
information— ranking
16th out of 31 countries.
Italy 20%
Canada 47%
Denmark 89%
Canadians who used the internet for obtaining information from public authorities in 2018, by age group
25 to 54 years old
55%
55 to 74 years old
38%
75+ years old
12%
Sources: OECD, Statistics Canada
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PRIVATE BUSINESSES HAVE FEW ONLINE INTERACTIONS WITH THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT. Except for tax declarations and document downloads, private businesses don’t tend to use the internet to do such things as renew permits or licences, apply for grants or subsidies, or register a business name. And small businesses are even less likely than large ones to interact with the government online.
Canadian private businesses: percentage of online interactions with the federal government (2019)
File a patent or other intellectual property application
1.2%
Other activity 2.6%
Submission linked to a request for proposal (RFP)
3.2%
Business did not perform any activities over the Internet
8.5%
Apply for grants, subsidies, benefits, or government‑provided insurance
10.3%
Business doesn’t know 11.1%
Register or change a business name, number or tax account
12.2%
Obtain data 14.4%
Apply for or renew business permits or license 22.2%
Other online payments to government organizations
28.2%
Download documents or forms 60.4%
Tax declaration 61.7%
Online interactions with the Canadian federal government by size of enterprise (2019)
Large enterprises (>100 employees)
Medium‑sized enterprises (20 ‑ 99 employees)
Small enterprises (0 to 19 employees)
File a patent or other intellectual property application
4%3%
1%
Other activity2%
4%2%
Submission linked to a request for proposal (RFP)
9%5%
3%
Business did not perform any activities over the Internet
3%6%
9%
Apply for grants, subsidies, benefits, or government‑provided insurance
17%15%
9%
Business doesn’t know21%
14%10%
Register or change a business name, number or tax account
17%14%
12%
Obtain data28%
17%13%
Apply for or renew business permits or license
25%24%
22%
Other online payments to government organizations
30%33%
27%
Download documents or forms67%
66%59%
Tax declaration58%
64%61%
Sources: Statistics Canada
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•
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•
3. ECOSYSTEM
QUICK SUMMARY
Canada’s regulatory ecosystem ranks near the top among its peers, but we risk slipping if regulations don’t keep up with the rapid changes occurring in the digital space.
Investments in the digital space by Canadian businesses lag significantly now and don’t currently show any increase is likely in the future, especially in digital transformation and policies.
Data that tracks the outcomes of certain digital policies and investments for specific population groups is lacking.
ECOSYSTEM
Digital momentum rank
Dig
ital e
volu
tion
rank
United Kingdom
United States
Canada
Australia
DIG
ITA
L E
QU
ITY
// FU
TU
RE O
F CA
NA
DA
CE
NT
RE
DATA SUPPLEMENT // ECOSYSTEM // 25
1st
90th
CANADA’S CURRENT STATE OF DIGITALIZATION IS HIGH, BUT WE’RE LOSING MOMENTUM.
Digitalization: Canada vs. 90 countries (2020)
Evolution: current state of digitalization Momentum: pace of digitalization over the past 12 years
Demand conditions
13th
43rd
Innovation and change
15th
67th
Supply conditions
20th
75th
Institutional environment
13th
83rd
Out of 90 countries ranked in one study on
digitalization, Canada scores high on evolution
(16th) but poorly on momentum (81st). We risk falling
behind by 2030 if we don’t address the problem now.
Sources: The Fletcher School, Tufts University, HBR
ECOSYSTEM
1st
1st
DIG
ITA
L E
QU
ITY
// FU
TU
RE O
F CA
NA
DA
CE
NT
RE
DATA SUPPLEMENT // ECOSYSTEM // 26
CANADA’S E-GOVERNMENT SERVICES RANKING IS FALLING ON A GLOBAL SCALE, BUT WE’RE IMPROVING WHEN IT COMES TO UPTAKE OF EXISTING ONLINE SERVICES.Canada ranks well below its peers on the UN’s most recent measurement of the readiness and capacity of national institutions to use information and communications technology to deliver public services, but has made progress on boosting public participation.
E-government rank (2020)
1st DENMARK
5th AUSTR ALIA
28th CANADA
Canada’s position among 193 countries
in the UN’s 2020 e-government ranking,
well below the United States, United
Kingdom, and other peers.
Canada’s e-government ranking has been falling, underscoring
the need to improve its digital services delivery.
2018
23rd
2020
28th
Meanwhile, Canada’s e-participation ranking has been improving,
highlighting the success of effective public communication
campaigns to inform people of the benefits of digital services and
to ensure more widespread use of online platforms.
2018
27th
2020
16th
Sources: UN
ECOSYSTEM DIG
ITA
L E
QU
ITY
// FU
TU
RE O
F CA
NA
DA
CE
NT
RE
DATA SUPPLEMENT // ECOSYSTEM // 27
CANADA SCORES WELL AS AN OPEN ECONOMY WITH FEW BARRIERS TO SUPPLYING SERVICES DIGITALLY, BUT LAGS IN CREATING REGULATIONS THAT, ULTIMATELY, SUPPORT INCLUSION AND EQUITY GOALS.The adoption of specific initiatives, like open-banking, can advance inclusion and equity. Canada’s regulatory environment holds progress back nationally.
Ope
n ec
onom
y Canada
United States
Mexico
Netherlands
France
Germany
Clo
sed
econ
omy
Korea
From 2015-2020, Canada
was consistently ranked the
most open economy, among
the 44 countries measured,
in digital services trade*.
*measures barriers to trade—including infrastructure and connectivity, electronic transactions,
e-payment systems, intellectual property rights, and others—in digitally enabled services
Open-banking readiness ranking (2018)
Overall ranking
Regulatory environment
Adoption potential
Consumer sentiment
Innovation environment
UNITED KINGDOM 1st 1st 1st 7th 3rd
UNITED STATES 4th 9th 6th 2nd 1st
CANADA 8th 10th 10th 8th 5th
SPAIN 10th 6th 7th 5th 9th
Sources: OECD, EY
500
ECOSYSTEM DIG
ITA
L E
QU
ITY
// FU
TU
RE O
F CA
NA
DA
CE
NT
RE
DATA SUPPLEMENT // ECOSYSTEM // 28
CANADA SCORES IN THE TOP 25% OF COUNTRIES ON MEASURES OF DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, BUT WE LACK POLICIES IN KEY AREAS, INCLUDING EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, AND INDEPENDENT LIVING.While our laws and regulations get top marks and we have strong capacity for implementation, the absence of specific policies on digital accessibility drags down our overall ranking. In addition, lack of action in these areas is contributing to a fall in rankings.
Digital Accessibility Rights Evaluation (DARE) Index scores (out of 100), 2018 and 2020
2018
2020
Canada
57 56
US
75 71.5
Australia
71
80
UK
7366.5
In 2020, Canada ranked 32nd (out of 137 countries) on the
DARE Index Score 2020, which measures countries’ progress
in commitments, capacity to implement, and actual outcomes
related to digital accessibility for persons with disabilities.
However, Canada’s DARE Index
global ranking has fallen since
2018 because it has yet to adopt
and implement specific policies
related to digital accessibility.
2018
27th
2020
32nd
DARE Index 2020: Level of implementation score (0-50)
United Kingdom 29
Australia 30
United States 29
Canada 11
Sources: The Global Initiative for inclusive ICTs (G3ict)
ECOSYSTEM DIG
ITA
L E
QU
ITY
// FU
TU
RE O
F CA
NA
DA
CE
NT
RE
DATA SUPPLEMENT // ECOSYSTEM // 29
CANADIANS FEEL THEY HAVE LITTLE TO NO CONTROL OVER HOW THEIR PERSONAL INFORMATION IS BEING USED BY EITHER COMPANIES OR BY GOVERNMENT, AND THIS VARIES BY AGE AND PROVINCE.
Canadians feel they have not very much or no control at all over how their
personal information is used by companies (61%) or by government (65%),
while older population groups and people from BC were more likely to
echo this sentiment about companies.
Respondents reply to “How much control do you feel you have over how your personal information is being used by governments and companies”? (2020, N=1,516)
Great deal of control Moderate amount Not very much No control at all
Governments6% 29% 35% 30%
Companies7% 31% 37% 24%
Differences by age and province as to who feels they have control over their personal information given to companies (2020)
33%of those aged 55 and older said they have a great deal or a moderate amount of control (compared to 53% of 16 to 24 year olds and 36% of 35 to 54 year olds)
26%of respondents from British Columbia said they have a great deal or a moderate amount of control (compared to 43% from the Prairies, 41% in Atlantic Canada, and 40% in Ontario)
Sources: Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
DIG
ITA
L E
QU
ITY
// FU
TU
RE O
F CA
NA
DA
CE
NT
RE
DATA SUPPLEMENT // 30
EN
DN
OT
ES
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