Mobile internet usage in Canada - statistics & facts
The mobile revolution has visibly reshaped the digital ecosystem and telecommunications landscape in Canada. As web-enabled smartphones and tablets have also become a portable gateway to the rest of the world, mobile usage is rapidly increasing throughout Canada.
Despite laptops and computers being the most common ways to access the internet, smartphones and mobile devices have also increasingly become a popular choice for going online. As of March 2024, around seven in 10 Canadians used smartphones to access the internet, while over eight in 10 reported using laptops to connect to the internet. Additionally, Canada's 5G mobile connections are expected to account for approximately 95 percent of the country’s total infrastructure by 2030, ensuring an unprecedented reach and speed of mobile internet services.
In 2023, users in Canada spent 3.8 hours per day engaging with mobile apps, down by approximately one hour compared to the previous year, when the daily consumption among Canadian audiences was around 4.4 hours. Meta-branded apps have dominated the rankings of the most popular social media platforms in Canada. However, TikTok and YouTube overtook Facebook and Instagram in 2023, becoming the most engaging social media for Canadian online audiences. Users in Canada spent over 38 hours on average per month on the popular social video app, while YouTube occupied digital audiences in the country for approximately 20 hours per month.
Mobile internet consumption in Canada highlights how the country’s usage habits have been following global and North American trends. As Canada is not a mobile-first economy, laptops and computers were still the main devices users engaged with to surf the net. Smartphones have been finding their way into consumers’ hands more often than before, thus driving mobile internet usage and the app market economy. Despite Canadian users spending less time on apps in 2023 than compared to 2022, the time spent on social media platforms such as TikTok and YouTube occupied users for over 30 hours per month – crowning social video as one of users’ favorite activities in Canada.
Despite laptops and computers being the most common ways to access the internet, smartphones and mobile devices have also increasingly become a popular choice for going online. As of March 2024, around seven in 10 Canadians used smartphones to access the internet, while over eight in 10 reported using laptops to connect to the internet. Additionally, Canada's 5G mobile connections are expected to account for approximately 95 percent of the country’s total infrastructure by 2030, ensuring an unprecedented reach and speed of mobile internet services.
Cutting the cord: connectivity and mobile usage in Canada
As of 2023, the number of mobile internet users in Canada stood at 35 million digital users, and by 2028, Canada’s mobile population is projected to surpass 37 million users. The number of mobile subscribers in Canada has steadily increased over the last few years. In the third quarter of 2023, around 34.6 million Canadians were subscribed to wireless services. Canadians are also going wireless to browse the web: mobile internet user penetration in Canada currently stands at an all-time high of 95.2 percent, and this gradual switch from desktop to mobile is increasingly showing in Canada’s online traffic.What are the most popular mobile activities in Canada?
E-mail services, social media, and instant messaging were the most used smartphone apps in Canada at the end of 2023. Canada’s social media usage has seen particularly strong growth recently, as the ever-increasing selection of available apps and platforms continues to excite and engage online users of all ages.In 2023, users in Canada spent 3.8 hours per day engaging with mobile apps, down by approximately one hour compared to the previous year, when the daily consumption among Canadian audiences was around 4.4 hours. Meta-branded apps have dominated the rankings of the most popular social media platforms in Canada. However, TikTok and YouTube overtook Facebook and Instagram in 2023, becoming the most engaging social media for Canadian online audiences. Users in Canada spent over 38 hours on average per month on the popular social video app, while YouTube occupied digital audiences in the country for approximately 20 hours per month.
Mobile internet consumption in Canada highlights how the country’s usage habits have been following global and North American trends. As Canada is not a mobile-first economy, laptops and computers were still the main devices users engaged with to surf the net. Smartphones have been finding their way into consumers’ hands more often than before, thus driving mobile internet usage and the app market economy. Despite Canadian users spending less time on apps in 2023 than compared to 2022, the time spent on social media platforms such as TikTok and YouTube occupied users for over 30 hours per month – crowning social video as one of users’ favorite activities in Canada.
