The Digital Divide in Canada

Digital Divide

By: Devon Gray Photo: Lucasz via Flickr

Digital literacy and the Digital Divide have been identified as a cause for concern by the Canadian Government.

Photo: Katy Pang

As more services become available online, the ability to be connected and digitally literate becomes increasingly important.

Photo: 401(K) 2012 via Flickr

Photo: Jessica Duensing, Opensource.com via Flickr

The Digital Divide in Canada has been identified as being largely the result of income

and education.

Photo: Svilen Milev Source: Misty Harris, Financial Post

Among Canadians between the ages of 16 and 54, researchers found a stronger relationship between education and online activities.

Photo: Ann Arbor District Library via Flickr

Source: Misty Harris, Financial Post

For Canadians 55 and older, income was a determined to be a more important predictor of Internet proficiency.

Photo: Mosman Council via Flickr Source: Misty Harris, Financial Post

The increased use among youth has been identified as primarily the result of job-seeking and participation in the digital economy.

Source: Misty Harris, Financial Post

Individuals with post-secondary education have internet-use rates of 10% higher than those with a high school diploma and 50% higher than those without a diploma.

Photo: Gadgetdude via Flickr Source: Misty Harris, Financial Post

A 2010 survey by Statistics Canada found that 1 in 5 Canadians had not used internet in the past year, 2009.

Photo: John Dodge Source: Misty Harris, Financial Post

Only 60% of households in the lowest income bracket had used internet in the

past year.

Photo: Roderigo Argenton Source: Misty Harris, Financial Post

Why is this important?

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission Chairman noted that over half of today’s jobs require technology skills…

Photo: Nasa Goddard Photo and Video via Flickr Source: Jane Levere, NY Times

and nearly 80% of jobs in the next decade will require digital skills.

Photo: Rubin Starset via Flickr Source: Jane Levere, NY Times

In order to combat the Digital Divide, Canada aims to have high-speed internet access

available to over 98% of all Canadians by 2017 as part of the Digital Canada 150 campaign.

Photo and Source: Government of Canada

The Canadian Government will provide $305 million to extend and enhance high-speed internet access in rural and remote areas

for 280000 households.

Photo: Jerome Lessard Source: Government of Canada

Government funding through the Broadband Canada: Connecting Rural Canadians Program has already provided broadband internet

access to 218000 rural and remote households.

Source: Government of Canada

In order to bridge the technological gap…

Photo: Pawel Loj via Flickr

we must continue to educate ourselves and others in information and communication technologies.

Photo: Juan Cristobal Cobo via Flickr

Changes in technology mean that this will always be an on-going process, however…

Photo: Juan Cristobal Cobo via Flickr

striving for national digital literacy will ultimately lead to a successful economic,

social and engaged population.

Photo: FutUndBeidl via Flickr

Image Attributions All attributed images are Creative Commons License 2.0. All other images are Public Domain.

Slide 1: Lucasz via Flickr Slide 2: Katy Pang Slide 3: 401(K) 2012 via Flickr and Jessica Duensing, Opensource.com via Flickr Slide 4: Svilen Milev Slide 5: Ann Arbor District Library via Flickr Slide 6: Mosman Council via Flickr Slide 8: Gadgetdude via Flickr Slide 9: John Dodge Slide 10: Roderigo Argenton Slide 11: Nasa Goddard Photo and Video via Flickr Slide 12: Rubin Starset via Flickr Slide 13: Government of Canada Slide 14: Jerome Lessard Slide 16: Pawel Loj via Flickr Slide 17: Juan Cristobal Cobo via Flickr Slide 18: Juan Cristobal Cobo via Flickr Slide 19: FutUndBeidl via Flickr

Sources

• http://business.financialpost.com/2013/03/21/digital-divide-persists-in-canada-both-in-access-and-internet-fluency/?__lsa=a962-6b3d

• http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/21/business/a-campaign-to-help-

people-learn-internet-skills.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1399226466-rQtvTT6+KfVehBCR4PSvIQ

• https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/028.nsf/vwapj/DC150-

EN.pdf/$FILE/DC150-EN.pdf