Modeling Internet Penetration in Canada

Abstract

Internet penetration is an important measure for a knowledge-based economy as it indicates how connected it is to the internet. It does not spread evenly across regions and societies, which results in digital divides. Despite being one of the most connected countries, Canada suffers from uneven penetration rates across the country. In this research, we study the socio-economic factors that int1uence Internet penetration in Canada. We found that the int1uence of rurality has decreased between 2005 and 2007, which suggests that initiatives that took place in those two years were effective. We also analyze the differences among the regions of Canada and found that the regions least int1uenced by the demographic variables are not necessarily the ones with the highest penetration rates. Therefore, a mere look at the penetration rates across the regions is not enough to assess the connectivity of the region and the digital divide within.