Internet Non-user Segmentation Shifts Over Time

Looking at the non-user segmentation over time and within the context of all Canadians highlights an important trend. As overall usage increased from late 2001 to 2003, this growth was entirely drawn from “near users” with the proportion of “far users” remaining virtually unchanged [Figure 5].

These results indicate that Internet usage may be approaching saturation in the short term. That being said, changes in government approach to improving access, availability of new technologies, such as the re-introduction of web television, as well as generational shifts may lead to moderate growth in usage over the intermediate term.

• Only 6 per cent of Canadians are “near users” (3 per cent “new near users”, 3 per cent “re-joining/accelerating near users”), down 5-percentage points from late 2001 when they accounted for 11 per cent of Canadians.
• On the other hand, the one in five Canadians (19 per cent) who make up the “far user” segment has remained virtually unchanged in size from 2001 (4 per cent “drop-out/infrequent users”, 15 per cent “core non-users”).

Narrowing the focus to include only non-users, the proportion of “near users” has declined with “far users” comprising a growing majority of those Canadians who report they did not use the Internet in the past three months.

• 24 per cent of non-users are in the “near user” segment (12 per cent “new near users”, 12 per cent “re-joining/accelerating near users”), down from 33 per cent in 2001. By contrast, 76 per cent of non-users are “far users” (16 per cent “drop-out/infrequent users”, 60 per cent “core non-users”), up 8-percentage points from 2001.