Canada is one of the most "wired" nations in the world.  All major cities are well-connected to a high-speed Internet backbone and, according to OECD figures, Canada has the lowest Internet access costs among G-8 countries.  The Government of Canada has made a priority of supporting high-speed research networks and Internet access for institutions and communities.

Software and services represent a significant portion, about 1.6  percent, of total Canadian GDP.  US companies are the dominant suppliers of computer software to Canada.  However, Canada's indigenous computer software industry, benefiting from the lowest manufacturing costs in the G-7, has developed strong companies that have achieved international recognition as market leaders in their respective product niches, including: data and document management; network management; customer relationship management (CRM); digital media; and middleware.
 
While demand for ICT products and services has dropped over the last couple of years, Canadian organizations are still spending on software applications that show a tangible ROI and that are essential to the core operational competencies.
 
Software applications that integrate front and back office functions to merge the value-creation side of the business with the value-counting side of the business are in demand, as are programs that align operations with customers' buying habits.  Specifically, applications such as CRM, enterprise resource planning, content management, website development, and maintenance applications that help reduce costs have good sales prospects.  Also, applications that enable customers to manage their corporate IT infrastructure more easily on their own and reduce the need for third party services should sell well.  Spending on mobile wireless applications also continues to increase.
 
PART III.            DATA TABLE (in millions of US dollars)
 
 
 
 		  
 		 2001
 		 2002
 		 2003
 
 
 		  
 		  
 		  
 		  
 
A.
 		 TOTAL MARKET SIZE
 		 5,192
 		 3,998
 		 4,954
 
B.
 		 TOTAL LOCAL PRODUCTION
 		 2,714
 		 2,087  
 		 2,586
 
C.
 		 TOTAL EXPORTS     
 		 1,879
 		 1,418
 		 1,768
 
D.
 		 TOTAL IMPORTS
 		 4,357
 		 3,330
 		 4,134
 
E.
 		 IMPORTS FROM THE U.S.
 		 3,336  
 		 2,544
 		 3,177
 
 
 (The above statistics are unofficial estimates.)

Canada's technological infrastructure is second only to that of the United States and ranks above or very close to the US in terms of number of internet users and computers per capita, as well as number of computer instructions sent per second.  Building a universal, leading-edge "Information Highway" remains a Canadian government priority.
 
In the hardware arena, major trends in the Canadian CPT market include the migration to Intel-based servers, away from UNIX servers, and the move by Canadian enterprises toward the use of wireless networking products and Wireless Area Networks (WANs).   On the horizon is the development and adoption of products that enable seamless transition between WANs and Local Area Networks (LANs).   American manufacturers of such technologies are well positioned to take advantage of trends in areas of the market where Canadian corporations are devoting investment dollars.
 
In the mature Canadian computer hardware sector, growth will come in the form of anticipated infrastructure replacement, which will provide a boost to the software, services and hardware markets.
 
American companies are expected to remain the primary suppliers of computer hardware and peripherals to Canada.  In fact, in this sector, Canada runs a trade deficit with the United States.  US companies with competitively priced products, effective distribution channels, and strong customer service programs can expect to profit from continued growth in the computer hardware and peripheral market in Canada.
 
PART III.            DATA TABLE (in millions of US dollars)
 
 

 
 		  
 		 2001
 		 2002
 		 2003
 
 
 		  
 		  
 		  
 		  
 
A.
 		 TOTAL MARKET SIZE
 		 8,847
 		 7,822
 		 8,686
 
B.
 		 TOTAL LOCAL PRODUCTION
 		 3,745
 		 3,410
 		 3,780
 
C.
 		 TOTAL EXPORTS
 		   1,458
 		 1,267
 		 1,466
 
D.
 		 TOTAL IMPORTS
 		   6,560
 		 5,679  
 		 6,372
 
E.
 		 IMPORTS FROM THE U.S.
 		 3,360
 		 3,002
 		 3,462
 
 
(The above statistics are unofficial estimates.)

 

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Internet users 16,840,000
Internet Users Rank 11
Internet Users Date of Information 2002
 Telephones - mobile cellular 8,751,300
Cell Phone Rank 14
Cell Phone Date of Information 1997
 Telephones - main lines in use 20,802,900
Telephone Rank 11
Telephones Date of Information 1999
GDP - real growth rate(%) 3.4
Growth Rank 87
Growth Date of Information  2002 est.
GDP - per capita $29,400
GDP/pc Rank 9
GDP/pc Date of Information  2002 est.
GDP $923,000,000,000
GDP Rank 13
GDP Date of Information  2002 est.
Population 32,207,113
Pop Rank 36
Pop Date of Information  July 2003 est.

in the office with Prime Minister Jean Chretien

 

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This site was last updated 27 March, 2007