Canadian Internet Usage in 2019

If you haven't noticed a heavy swing towards online everything, you're part of an ever-shrinking minority. The internet has brought freedom, accessibility, and time-saving tools right to our finger tips so it's little wonder that the uptake has been extraordinary. The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) and other sources have released some eye opening statistics on Canadian Internet usage in 2019. If you needed any more reasons to get your business online, we've compiled a list of the most interesting stats on Canadian Internet Usage in 2019 to help you along.

Canadian Internet Access & Usage

Before we dig into some of the meatier data of 2019, let's catch you up on how attached Canadians are to the internet and how prevalent it has become:

• 1 in 5 Canadians haven't gone more than 8 hours without using the internet
• 7 in 10 users would be unlikely to purchase a home in an area without high-speed internet
• 57% of users 55+ are surfing the web on mobile devices (an increase from 24% in 2015)
• 41% of Canadians report having unlimited data home internet packages

How Canadians Spend Time Online

The most common activities Canadians perform online include:

• 90% checking or responding to emails
• 71% performing online banking
• 60% engaging on social media
• 58% reading news
• 50% shopping online
• 48% surfing the internet
• 47% instant messaging
• 45% researching travel
• 44% researching products
• 40% consuming online video content

Device Usage & Access Points

Device usage to access the internet has remained stable with a steady rise in mobile usage. As websites become more mobile friendly, and smartphones become a larger part of Canadian's lives, we forecast mobile devices will eventually overtake Desktop/Laptop access.

• 51% of Canadians access the internet via Desktop or Laptop
• 34% of Canadians access the internet via Mobile or Smartphone
• 14% of Canadians access the internet via Tablet

Social Media Usage

Connecting with people and brands has been the bedrock of social platforms. These are the most common social platforms Canadians are accessing in 2019:

• 77% Facebook
• 35% Instagram
• 35% LinkedIn
• 26% Twitter
• 19% Snapchat

Further data reveals that 60% of time spent online by Canadians is used to engage on social media and 86% of Canadians interact with businesses through social channels.

Canadian Ecommerce Penetration

As online shopping is becoming a popular alternative, keep these stats in mind when considering a website for your brick-and-mortar B2C business:

• 87% have made a purchase online in the last year
• 67% feel more likely to do business with a company that has a website
• 64% of Canadians prefer purchasing online from a Canadian brand with a .ca domain
• 50% of Canadian's time spent online is dedicated to shopping
• 44% of Canadian's time spent online is dedicated to product research
• Desktop computers & laptops account for 78% of online purchases made in Canada
• 80% of Canadians compare prices online before making purchasing decisions

Canadian's reasons for making online purchases? Not surprisingly the top 3 are:

• 33% for cost savings
• 15% for convenience
• 10% for time savings

The most commonly purchased online goods are:

• 58% Apparel
• 52% Travel
• 41% Household Goods

Business Touch Points

Ever wonder how users are interacting with, or 'touching' businesses online? Here is a list of prevalent ways Canadians are interacting with brands online:

• 71% Website
• 46% Newsletter
• 37% Mobile
• 34% Like on Facebook

Conversations about brands happen at a secondary level where it was fond that the following platforms serve as a conversation channel:

• 21% Facebook
• 10% Instagram
• 9% Twitter
• 6% LinkedIn

Are you as floored by the data as us? You can read the full report here.

The biggest takeaway is that Canadians are increasingly spending time online and the internet has become an integral part of our lives. From communications to banking, shopping and keeping up-to-date, Canadians are using the internet more and more in their daily lives which makes having a business website and healthy online presence an integral part of your brand.

Are you ready to take your business online? Not sure where to start? Contact the professional team at Bloomtools Canada to help you reach your online goals. Our team of experts can help you not only build a presence that reflects your brand, but also one that works to get you consistent leads.