During May 2003, 52.9% of online Canadians visited a government website, ten per cent greater penetration than in the United States. In Australia, the comparable figure was 29.7%, and only 24.2% in Japan. The survey was conducted by comScore Media Metrix Canada of Toronto, which measures Internet users and their surfing behavior.
The company says between October 2002 and May 2003, government websites saw a 27.2% increase in traffic.
"eGovernment is about getting services to the Canadian people. The Internet is not only being used by most Canadians but it is also one of the most fiscally responsible way to deliver pertinent information to the relevant constituents," according to company president Brent Lowe-Bernie.
Canadians also tend to spend more time on government sites, and dig deeper for information, than surfers in other countries. Canadians spent an average 34.6 minutes per month on government sites and viewed 63 pages. On the other end of the scale, the average Japanese user spent just over 10 minutes a month on government sites, and viewed just 20 pages.
Federal and provincial websites tend to dominate the survey. The most popular federal sites are the main government site, along with those from HRDC, Environment Canada and the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency. Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia had the most popular provincial sites.
Quelle: Ottawa Business Journal
