Canada’s state of digital equity: the data

Now that we’ve laid out the benefits Canada will gain if it can improve digital equity, we need to take stock of where we stand today.

To do this, we drew from numerous international data sources (see Research approach) to identify data indicators that help us understand how Canada is performing compared to other countries across access, participation, and ecosystem.

Using our definition as a starting point, our data indicators paint a picture of Canada’s current strengths and challenges related to digital equity to answer the following questions:

Access

Do Canadians have access to

quality, affordable broadband and mobile data,
internet-enabled devices, and
digital applications and content that meet their needs?

Do organizations have access to

quality, affordable broadband,
internet-enabled devices, and
digital systems and tools that enable effective business operations?

Participation

Do Canadians have a range of digital skills

from foundational (such as the ability to safely use devices, search for information, and communicate online)
to advanced (such as the ability to identify skill gaps and create digital technologies)?

Do organizations have a range of digital skills

from foundational (such as the ability to build a website and protect against cyberthreats)
to advanced (such as the ability to upskill talent and develop new digital services)?

Ecosystem

Do Canadians have an ecosystem that

protects their personal data,
fosters a secure online environment free from bias

or unfair practices, and
ensures accessible and human-centred digital services?

Do organizations have an ecosystem that

incentivizes and removes barriers to digitalization,
levels the playing field for SMEs, and
ensures effective, secure data-sharing between organizations?

The data painted a mixed picture of Canada’s performance in relation to a wide variety of nations. At a country‑wide level, Canada performs at the front or middle of the pack on many indicators spanning access, participation, and ecosystem—a reflection of our nation’s wealth and advanced technological development.

Highlights of Canada’s country-wide dashboard

1. Access

2. Participation

3. Ecosystem

Highlights of Canada’s country-wide dashboard

Access
Participation
Ecosystem

Canada shows mixed performance on digital equity indicators in comparison to peer countries

1. Access

QUALITY

8th among OECD peers for number of fixed broadband subscriptions (per 100 inhabitants)

COST

2nd highest for broadband speeds >16 Mbps among G7 countries

INDIVIDUALS

94% of Canadians had access to the internet at home (2020)

SPEED

6th among OECD peers for number of fixed broadband subscriptions with ≥100 Mbps speed

BUSINESS

27th among OECD peers for businesses with a broadband connection (2019)

2. Participation

DIGITAL SKILLS

20th among peer countries (ranked by businesses) in digital skills , e.g., computer skills, basic coding, digital reading (2019)
37% of Canadian individuals (6% above OECD avg.) are proficient in using digital technology, communication tools and networks to acquire and evaluate information, communicate with others and perform practical tasks (2012)

SKILLS TRAINING

24th among OECD peers for businesses that provided training to develop ICT skills for persons not employed in ICT (2019)

ONLINE SERVICES

8th among OECD peers for individuals (76%) that used the internet for banking (2019)

3. Ecosystem

CURRENT STATE OF DIGITALIZATION

16th among peers based on the current state of the country’s digitalization

PACE OF DIGITALIZATION

81st among peers based on pace of digitalization over time (growth rate of the digitalization score over 12 years)

Highlights of Canada’s country-wide dashboard

Canada shows mixed performance on digital equity indicators in comparison to peer countries

1. Access

QUALITY

_8th

among OECD peers for number of fixed broadband subscriptions (per 100 inhabitants)

COST

_2nd

highest for broadband speeds >16 Mbps among G7 countries

INDIVIDUALS

_94%

of Canadians had access to the internet at home (2020)

SPEED

_6th

among OECD peers for number of fixed broadband subscriptions with ≥100 Mbps speed

BUSINESS

_27th

among OECD peers for businesses with a broadband connection (2019)

Highlights of Canada’s country-wide dashboard

2. Participation

DIGITAL SKILLS

_20th

among peer countries (ranked by businesses) in digital skills, e.g., computer skills, basic coding, digital reading (2019)

_37%

of Canadian individuals (6% above OECD avg.) are proficient in using digital technology, communication tools and networks to acquire and evaluate information, communicate with others and perform practical tasks (2012)

SKILLS TRAINING

_24th

among OECD peers for businesses that provided training to develop ICT skills for persons not employed in ICT (2019)

ONLINE SERVICES

_8th

among OECD peers for individuals (76%) that used the internet for banking (2019)

Highlights of Canada’s country-wide dashboard

3. Ecosystem

CURRENT STATE OF DIGITALIZATION

_16th

among peers based on the current state of the country’s digitalization

PACE OF DIGITALIZATION

_81st

among peers based on pace of digitalization over time (growth rate of the digitalization score over 12 years)

Source: Organisation for Economic Co operation and Development, Statistics Canada, Tufts University, World Economic Forum

However, digital equity isn’t about how a nation is doing as a whole—it’s about ensuring all its people and organizations are able to benefit equitably from the digital world.

And time and again, when we zeroed in on specific demographic groups and business types within Canada, we found deep divisions between them and the broader national numbers.Specifically, we looked at secondary data points from surveys, census data, and research studies to understand how various demographic groups perform on:

Measures of access, such as broadband subscriptions, high-speed internet prices, and usage of basic services (e.g., online banking)

Measures of participation, such as individuals’ basic digital skills and ability to solve problems in a digital environment,³⁷ and organizations’ ability to create a website or invest in digital technology

Measures of ecosystem, such as global rankings on barriers to digital trade, and policies that protect privacy, intellectual property, and accessibility rights

Across all these measures, we consistently saw a gap between the national average and specific sub-groups in Canada. In particular, people above the age of 45, rural residents, low-income households, and Indigenous peoples experience below-average rates of digital access and participation, while SMEs and Indigenous-led businesses experience below-average rates of business access and participation. In other words, as Canada becomes more digital, we’re leaving groups behind.

Highlights of Canada’s dashboard
for specific sub-groups

1. Access

2. Participation

Highlights of Canada’s dashboard for specific sub-groups

Access
Participation

The data reveals a stark divide in specific demographics that are falling behind within Canada

1. Access

LOW INCOME

18.7% fewer households in the lowest income quartile have access to internet at home in comparison to the top quartile

FIRST NATIONS

52% fewer households that reside on First Nations reserves have basic broadband services available

RURAL

$7 more on average (per month) in rural Canada for basic broadband services

LOW-INCOME SENIORS

34.5% fewer people in the 65+ age group from the lowest income quartile had access to internet at home in comparison to the top quartile

SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES

15.4% fewer small businesses (10-49 employees) reported that they have a website or homepage than large businesses (250+ employees)

2. Participation

LOW INCOME

~4x more likely to be in a job that is at high-risk of automation for people in the 10th income percentile, compared to 50th+ percentile

OLDER CANADIANS

23% fewer people aged 55-74 used the internet for banking in comparison to 25 to 54-year-olds
20% fewer 45 to 55-year-olds were found to be proficient at problem solving in technology-rich environments, compared to 25 to 35-year-olds

SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES

31% fewer small businesses (1-49 employees) provided training to develop ICT related skills for non-ICT specialists

INDIGENOUS

8% fewer businesses with First Nations, Métis, or Inuit majority ownership are somewhat/very likely to invest in building online capabilities

Highlights of Canada’s dashboard for specific sub-groups

The data reveals a stark divide in specific demographics that are falling behind within Canada

1. Access

LOW INCOME

_18.7%

fewer households in the lowest income quartile have access to internet at home in comparison to the top quartile

FIRST NATIONS

_52%

fewer households that reside on First Nations reserves have basic broadband services available

RURAL

_$7

more on average (per month) in rural Canada for basic broadband services

LOW-INCOME SENIORS

_34.5%

fewer people in the 65+ age group from the lowest income quartile had access to internet at home in comparison to the top quartile

SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES

_15.4%

fewer small businesses (10-49 employees) reported that they have a website or homepage than large businesses (250+ employees)

Highlights of Canada’s dashboard for specific sub-groups

2. Participation

LOW INCOME

_~4x

more likely to be in a job that is at high-risk of automation for people in the 10th income percentile, compared to 50th+ percentile

OLDER CANADIANS

_23%

fewer people aged 55-74 used the internet for banking in comparison to 25 to 54-year-olds

_20%

fewer 45 to 55-year-olds were found to be proficient at problem solving in technology-rich environments, compared to 25 to 35-year-olds

SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES

_31%

fewer small businesses (1-49 employees) provided training to develop ICT related skills for non-ICT specialists

INDIGENOUS

_8%

fewer businesses with First Nations, Métis, or Inuit majority ownership are somewhat/very likely to invest in building online capabilities

Source: OECD, Statistics Canada, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

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data supplement
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The story told by the data is clear: the digital transformation of Canada’s economy and society has not been equitable. And that puts us at real risk of not just deepening social and economic disparities, but also holding back Canada’s competitiveness on the global stage. If the country’s performance across these indicators remains constant or worsens by 2030, we’ll see exacerbated inequality across society, SMEs that are unable to grow in the digital world, and businesses of all sizes that are unable to compete internationally.

Our analysis also revealed that Canada suffers from a troubling lack of data. While data collection has improved during the pandemic—and Statistics Canada has committed $172 million over five years to improve data on race, gender, and sexual orientation—we still lack visibility into how specific demographic groups are performing on digital equity.³⁸ We also lack a clear view of how Canada compares to other countries in terms of fostering a digitally equitable ecosystem. We know from past Deloitte research that what gets measured gets done.³⁹ And without better data, be it quantitative or qualitative, we cannot begin to accurately measure and address the digital equity gaps that Canada is facing.