The use of the Internet in households, businesses and schools continues to grow in Prince Edward Island according to three national surveys.
The growth rate in the number of households using computer communications was highest in Prince Edward Island in 1998 (37.2 per cent) followed by Alberta (33.9 per cent) as cited in the First Quarter Services Indicators Report of Statistics Canada (1999). Prince Edward Island also boasted Canada's largest percentage increase in home use (62.7 per cent).
In the use of the Internet in small and medium businesses, Prince Edward Island is also among the strongest users along with British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Nova Scotia. In all provinces, about two-thirds of small and medium business owners are connected (Canadian Federation of Independent Business Survey, 1999).
However, the same survey indicated that the percentage of Prince Edward Island small and medium sized businesses with their own Web site is low at less than 10 per cent.
In response to this situation, Prince Edward Island Business Development Inc. and the Department of Technology and Environment introduced the Web Presence Program and the E-Commerce for Export Program in late March. Since that time, significant interest has been expressed by Island businesses in these initiatives and take up is expected to be strong.
Prince Edward Island students have the advantage of full connection to the Internet for educational purposes. At the time of a 1999 Statistics Canada survey, all Prince Edward Island schools were connected to the Internet. The survey further indicated that use of the Internet among Island students is high. For example, about 65 per cent of students had used e-mail during the last school year compared with 40 per cent nationally. Island students also led the country in developing their own Web sites (46 per cent).
Prince Edward Island is Canada's smallest province with the infrastructure, resources and ambition to become Canada's Smart Province.
"These surveys show that Prince Edward Island households, businesses and schools have dramatically increased their access to and use of computer communications," said Mitch Murphy, Minister of Technology and Environment. "These statistics are valuable as governments, industries and corporations are recognizing that Islanders are connected and see our province as a model test bed for developing IT programs and services."
For more information, contact Technology PEI at (902) 368-6665, 1-877-686-7458 (toll-free) or send an e-mail to tpei@gov.pe.ca.