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October 1-3, 2008
Ontario’s Digital Economy Conference
Rob Dowler
Corporate Chief Strategist, OCCIO
What does a Digital Future Look Like?
“New players, on a new playing field,
developing new process and habits
for horizontal collaboration.”
Thomas L. Friedman, The World is Flat
The digital society is driving demand
and changing expectations
• Faster service
• Information-rich and multi-media
websites
• User created content and self
expression
• File sharing and collaboration
• Uploading and downloading
Online customer support –
online chat with another person
via webcam and headsets
Broadband = Digital Economy
•
Ontario’s service producing industries, which include ICT,
financial services, new media and entertainment, contributed
$363 billion (in 2002 dollars) to Ontario’s GDP in 2007.
•
In 2005, Canada’s ICT sector accounted for nearly 6% of the
country’s GDP, with ICT services alone accounting for 5%.
•
Business access in Ontario has increased from 68 per cent in
2001 to 92 per cent in 2007.
•
A 2004 CIBC report identifies that small and medium
enterprises with broadband have more than twice the revenue
of others.
•
In 2007, 87 per cent of Ontario’s businesses had broadband
access to the Internet compared to 27 per cent in 2001.
Ontario’s Current Context
•
Ontario still has areas without access to high-speed
broadband technology.
•
Ontario’s urban centres are falling behind as capacity as well as
citizens’ and businesses’ demand for faster bandwidth and content-rich
applications grows.
•
Ontario risks being left behind in the wake of leading broadband
jurisdictions developing aggressive and interventionist broadband
public policy.
•
Government leadership and a coordinated response are critical to
regain lost ground and move forward.
Challenges in a
Digital
Economy
• Global competition for
investment, jobs and skilled
workers.
• Mobile investment and
workforce.
• Transitioning from an industrial economy to a knowledge economy.
• Moving to a “green” economy.
What is Ontario Doing?
 $40 million over the next five years to deploy broadband to rural
areas in southern Ontario:


$30 million was recently announced in the March 25, 2008 provincial
budget
$10 million was announced in 2007 and has been allocated to 18 rural
communities through the Rural Connections program and to strategic
research initiatives
 The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation has allocated $30
million over 3 years to address cellular ($15 million) and broadband
($15 million) access gaps in northern Ontario
 $1.5 billion over three years in the Government of Ontario’s Skills to
Jobs Action Plan
 Over $1 billion throughout the next five years in the Next Generation
of Jobs Fund
OMAFRA: 2007 Rural Connections
Program
Rural Connections …The Ontario Municipal Rural Broadband Partnership Program is making progress in closing
broadband infrastructure gaps by committing funding for selected unserved/partially served areas within the following
18 municipalities in rural southern Ontario.
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County of Elgin
County of Hastings
County of Perth
Regional Municipality of Durham
County of Peterborough
Township of Dawn-Euphemia
(Lambton County)
City of Kawartha Lakes
County of Grey
Huron County
Township of South Glengarry
Town of Georgina
Township of North Glengarry
County of Dufferin
Lanark County
City of Kingston
County of Haliburton
United Counties of Leeds & Grenville
Town of Milton
What does Ontario Need to Succeed
in a Digital Economy and Society?
Conditions for Success in a Digital Economy
Strategic
Research
Findings
Ontario’s
Digital Strategy
Digital Infrastructure
Capacity
1. Affordable,
accessible
broadband
Digital Skills and Literacy
4. Digital citizens and
businesses
5. Digital government and
2. Next generation
infrastructure
3. Innovation in a digital economy
communities
6. Digital inclusion
What is Digital Infrastructure Capacity?
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Broadband infrastructure that supports the growing
demands of a digital economy and society.
•
The use of information and technology to create
wealth and to innovate.
•
Strategic partnerships that leverage
telecommunications assets to plan for future needs.
Research Focus Area 1: Affordable and Accessible Broadband
To provide Ontarians with affordable, accessible and
reliable broadband
Digital Infrastructure Capacity
Canada Compared to Other OECD countries: Average download speed and cost per month
Country
2006 Average Residential
Speed Available (Mbps)
2006 Average Cost ($US)
Japan
48.8
$37.13
South Korea
29.0
$40.98
Sweden
16.4
$41.57
France
10.3
$35.35
Italy
10.1
$35.46
United States
7.8
$53.21
United Kingdom
6.0
$45.03
Canada
5.8
$50.83
Australia
5.6
$54.50
New Zealand
3.5
$49.17
[1] OECD, Communications Outlook, December 2007
Research Focus Area 2: Next Generation Infrastructure
To prepare Ontarians for the technological
changes that drive the digital economy
Digital Infrastructure Capacity
Research Focus Area 3: Innovation in a Digital Economy
To lever broadband technology to bring new ideas, products
and services to the market that create economic
opportunities for Ontarians and support a wide range of
competitive industries
Digital Infrastructure Capacity
• Supports world-class
research
• Strengthens Ontario’s ICT
industries
• Helps attract and retain
knowledge workers
What are Digital Skills and Literacy?
Digital Skills and Literacy
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Human capacity, behaviour and knowledge related
to broadband use.
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Confidence and trust using broadband technologies
and tools, e.g., the Internet and Web 2.0 .
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Skillful use of technology to play, learn, socialize and
work.
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An understanding of the social and economic
benefits of broadband.
Web 2.0 requires new skills and literacy
Web 3.0 is coming
Research Focus Area 4: Digital Citizens and Businesses
To create talented and skilled citizenry and workforce
with the confidence to use digital infrastructure to
achieve social and economic benefits
Digital Skills and Literacy
Research Focus Area 5: Digital Government and Communities
To improve public sector service delivery and the quality
of life for Ontarians
Digital Skills and Literacy
Research Focus Area 6: Digital Inclusion
To encourage full participation in the digital economy
by addressing critical socio-economic digital divides
Digital Skills and Literacy
Type of User by age group, 2005
Percentage
90
80
Non-Internet Users
70
Other Users
60
GOL Users
50
40
30
20
10
0
18 to 34 years
35 to 54 years
55 to 64 years
65 years and
over
A Digital Economy and Society
Needs Full Participation
• Governments, local communities, businesses,
citizens and community groups are also planning for
a digital future.
More effective if we all work together.
Digital Ontario Website