Conclusions
- In only a few years, the Internet has become an important part of
Canada’s cultural experience. A large majority of Canadians have
used the Internet in the past three months, many doing so daily. Still
others have had at least some direct experience using the Internet.
Even a large number of those with no personal experience using the Internet
indicate they often experience it by proxy through their interactions
with friends and family.
- Many of those least likely to have access at home or at work do not
view public access sites as a viable alternative. The household is the
central hub for Internet usage for all Internet users regardless of
geographic, demographic, income or employment profile and is synonymous
with connectivity. Even workplace usage, the second most pervasive usage
location, trails the home by 47-percentage points in terms of recent
usage. Public access site usage is limited, reaching only a small minority
of Internet users from even targeted disadvantaged subgroups. Further,
a lack of a home computer is cited as a principle barrier for non-users,
with public usage tends to hold little appeal for potential late-adopters.
- To remain in step with Canada’s rapidly changing information
society, public access sites must re-evaluate the role they play in
making Canada the most connected nation in the world. Emphasis must
be adjusted to place priority on the continued availability of strategically
located public access sites to ensure all Canadians can access government
and community information/services and skills development and training
programs. Given the lower likelihood non-users and late adopters are
able to develop computer and Internet skills at school or the workplace,
public access sites are in a position to fill the existing skills gap
and provide programming to these target populations at risk of marginalization.
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