Statistics Canada released its Household Expenditures Research Paper Series #1 in January, 2014.  The report includes expenditure data from their 2012 Survey of Household Spending. Communications expenditures included cell phone and Internet use.  These statistics were gathered from a sample of 17,557 households in 10 provinces.

Cell Phone DataCanadian Digital and Mobile Communications Expenditures Data

  • 81.4% of Canadian households reported having at least one cell phone in their home (up from 79.4% in 2011).
  • Alberta has the highest number of households with a cell phone at 90.1%, while Quebec has the lowest at 72.8%.
  • 15% of Canadian households use only a cell phone in their home with no landline phone (up from 12.8% in 2011).

Mobile penetration in Canada has been rapid in the past couple of years, to a point that 2012 data isn’t much of an indicator of today’s cell phone use.

Digital Data

  • 84.1% of Canadians have a computer in their home (holding steady with 2011 computer ownership at 84.5).
  • 81.5% of households have Internet access (up from 80.5% in 2011).
  • Canadian households in the West are more likely to have home Internet access, lead by Alberta at 87.3% and British Columbia at 84.3%.
  • Canadian households in the East had the lowest rate of  home Internet connection, with Prince Edward Island being the least likely at 75%, followed by New Brunswick at 76.6%.
  • 3.7% use regular “dial up” phone Internet access (down from 5.2% in 2011).
  • 27.5% use high-speed phone Internet access (down from 30.4% in 2011).
  • 36.8% use cable Internet access (up from 35.4% in 2011).
  • 13.3% use a wireless Internet connection (up from 8.1% in 2011).

We expect the scales to tip significantly towards wireless connections when more recent data is released.

Comment on Canadians Internet BusinessDo Canadian consumer statistics influence how you do business or marketing?  Please tell us about it in the comments below.

Source: Statistics Canada User Guide for the Survey of Household Spending, 2012

✔ You may also be interested in reading:
Canadians with an Internet Connection (Statistics)
Canadian Digital Behaviour for Businesses (Statistics)
Canadians Spending More Online Than Ever (Stat’s & Infographic)
Mobile Surpasses PC Use and Video Rules in Canada (Statistics) ©

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Digital Business & Marketing Manager at Online Business Canada | Website | + posts

Melody McKinnon is an internet entrepreneur with 25 years of experience in a wide range of online business models, backed by a formal business education and enhanced by training and mentorship. She has owned or managed both educational and ecommerce websites. Her book, 7 Recession Proof Online Businesses to Start From Home, is available from all major ebook retailers.

Melody has worked with many businesses & brands in a multitude of capacities. She can often be found on CanadianDigitalMedia.com, CanadiansInternet.com, CanadianFamily.net, and AllNaturalPetCare.com, as well as other quality digital publications. Her content has earned reference links from highly-respected websites, magazines and university textbooks.

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Renae Hagen

Mobile is something I need to learn more about. I’m still learning about the web for goodness sake LOL but I like to learn and it helps my employer because they’re a microbusiness.

Jill

Appreciate the info. I agree mobile &wireless are way higher now. It’ll be interesting to see 2013 stats if they hurry up and get them out. Online shopping is growing with it.

Loretta Fallon

Thanks! It’s good to know Canadians are prioritizing technology purchases.

Gerald L

Stats Canada needs to step up their game. If they release tech statistics a couple of years after the fact they’re all but irrelevant.