Canada is highly connected, but “almost everyone is online” can hide the people for whom digital life remains difficult.
Employment and Social Development Canada estimates that about 1.8 million Canadians did not use the internet in 2022. Most non-users were older adults, people outside the labour force and people living alone. Even among people who are technically online, some use only a narrow range of services because of limited confidence, accessibility barriers, fear of scams or the cost of devices and connectivity.
That distinction matters. Today, the digital divide is not simply a question of whether a home has an internet connection. It is whether a person can use digital services safely and confidently enough to participate in modern life.
Why digital inclusion matters for older adults
Banking, appointment booking, government forms, travel information, prescription services and family communication increasingly assume digital access. When an interface changes or an organization moves a service online, a person with limited digital confidence can lose practical independence.
Technology can also support connection. Video calls, messaging and community groups can help people stay in touch with family and friends. Digital health portals can make results and appointments easier to manage. Online learning can open new interests.
But the benefit appears only when technology is usable. Giving someone a tablet without training, accessibility settings or ongoing help may simply create another object they are afraid to touch.
The barriers are more than age
Skills and confidence. People who did not use digital tools in their working lives may need more time and repetition. Fear of “breaking something” can discourage experimentation.
Security and scams. Fraud targeting older adults makes caution rational. Digital-literacy programs need to teach how to recognize suspicious messages, protect passwords and verify requests without turning every online interaction into a source of fear.
Accessibility. Vision, hearing, dexterity or cognitive changes can make small text, low contrast, complex menus and time-limited forms difficult. Accessible technology and accessible website design are both part of the solution.
Cost. A reliable device, broadband service, mobile data and repairs can be expensive, especially for people on fixed incomes.
Loss of in-person alternatives. Digital services are useful when they expand choice. They become exclusionary when organizations remove telephone or face-to-face options before everyone can use the digital replacement.
What works
One-to-one support
Digital learning is often most effective when a learner can bring a real problem: setting up video calls, booking an appointment, organizing photos or spotting a phishing email. A patient tutor can watch what is confusing and adapt the pace.
Repetition without embarrassment
Confidence grows by doing. Programs should expect people to ask the same question more than once and should avoid language that makes basic questions feel foolish.
Intergenerational learning
Student volunteers can be effective digital mentors, while older adults bring context, patience and life experience to the exchange. Well-designed programs turn this into mutual connection rather than a stereotype of young people “rescuing” seniors.
Accessible-by-default services
Training individuals is not enough if the websites they must use are poorly designed. Governments, banks, health systems and charities should use plain language, readable typography, clear navigation, accessible authentication and alternatives for people who cannot complete a task online.
Five organizations helping close the gap
- Connected Canadians
Connected Canadians is a national registered charity that provides free technology training and support to older adults. Its volunteers offer one-to-one help and group workshops, and the organization supports learners in multiple languages.
The model is valuable because it starts with what the learner actually wants to do rather than teaching technology as an abstract curriculum. - Cyber-Seniors
Cyber-Seniors connects older adults with young technology mentors and offers training, webinars and tech support. The intergenerational model combines digital skill-building with social connection.
Programs like this can be especially useful when the obstacle is not access to information but the confidence to ask a real person for help. - HelpAge Canada
HelpAge Canada’s Let’s Connect initiatives have supported community organizations with digital education, devices, connectivity and training for older people. HelpAge works through local partners, which can help reach people who may never search for an online digital-literacy class themselves. - ABC Life Literacy Canada
ABC Life Literacy Canada is a national charity providing free learning resources, including digital-literacy materials through programs such as ABC Connect for Learning. Its work is not limited to older adults, but it gives community organizations practical tools for teaching foundational digital skills. - CanAge
CanAge is a national seniors’ advocacy organization rather than a direct tutoring service. It has advocated for digital inclusion, affordable connectivity, accessible services and alternatives for people who face digital barriers. Including policy advocacy matters because no amount of tutoring can fix a public service that is inaccessible by design.
Volunteer as a digital mentor. A few patient hours can help someone gain confidence with tasks they have been avoiding for months.Donate devices carefully. Before giving an old laptop or tablet, make sure it is secure, supported, reset and genuinely usable. Community programs are often better positioned to refurbish and distribute devices than informal handoffs.Teach safety without creating fear. Show people how to pause, verify and ask for help when a message seems suspicious. Avoid telling older adults that the internet is simply dangerous; that can reinforce exclusion.Keep non-digital channels open. If you run a service, ask what happens to someone who cannot scan a QR code, receive a text message or complete an online form.
Design accessibly. Larger type, strong contrast, plain language, clear error messages and simple authentication help many people, not only seniors. Connected Canadians and Cyber-Seniors offer direct learning support. ABC Life Literacy Canada provides free educational materials. HelpAge Canada works with community organizations, while CanAge advocates for systemic improvements. Canada’s federal research on internet use provides useful context on who remains offline or minimally connected. The goal is not to make every older adult enthusiastic about every new platform. It is to make sure people can choose how they participate in services and relationships that increasingly have digital components. Digital inclusion works best when technology adapts to people as much as people adapt to technology. A patient tutor, an accessible website and a reliable offline alternative can sometimes matter more than the newest device.
- Employment and Social Development Canada – Typology of internet users in Canada
- Connected Canadians
- Cyber-Seniors
- HelpAge Canada
- ABC Life Literacy Canada
- CanAge
