Variance by Age Group

Though gauging perceived household importance, perception of the importance of home access does vary significantly across generational lines. Younger Canadians responding for their household attribute significantly greater importance to household access than seniors. This result is, however, dependant on whether or not the responding senior is an Internet user [Table 6b].

• 81 per cent of Canadians less than 25 years of age report that household access is “highly important” to “essential”, 5 to 7 on a 7-point scale.
• By comparison, a significantly fewer 43 per cent of seniors report the same.
• The number of seniors, who view household access as “highly important” to “essential”, 5 to 7 on a 7-point scale, rises to 81 per cent if they have used the Internet in the past three months.

Variance by Gender

Men and women have comparable views regarding the importance of household Internet access with neither sex differing significantly from the overall average [Table 6b].

• 31 per cent of men and 28 per cent of women report that household Internet access is “essential”, 7 on a 7-point scale.
• An additional 37 per cent and 36 per cent believe that household access to the Internet is “highly important”, 5 to 6 on the same 7-point scale.