INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY

New information and communications technologies (ICTs) are changing the way Canadians stay connected, both to each other and the rest of the world. They are also changing the way Canadians live and work. Only 10 years ago, concepts such as wired, wireless, the Web, e-commerce and e-mail were virtually non-existent. Now, they are part of our everyday lives.

Every sector of society is using ICTs to better produce and deliver products and services to Canadians. Trade with other countries has become easier, as our growing ability to 'get connected' enables the marketing and co-production of services with distant partners—key elements in the growth of Canada's international trade.

Canada's ICT sector industries—including telecommunications services, cable, and computer services—tend to be among our most innovative. ICT sector companies are improving the quality of a broad spectrum of products by integrating new technologies, and are at the heart of the ongoing conversion from analogue- to digital-based technologies and fibre-optic communications. Some of these ICT firms also provide the products and expertise that powers the evolution of the global communications infrastructure.

Despite the recent economic slowdown, industries that produce ICT goods and services continue to play a critical role in today's Information Society. The expertise and experience gained by knowledge workers in such high-technology hotspots as Calgary, Ottawa–Gatineau and Halifax represent an important source of human capital, and remain a driving force for the success of ICT firms in this challenging economic climate.

The ICT sector accounted for 4% of total economy employment in 2001, but contributed 6% to Canada's gross domestic product (GDP—the total value of all goods and services produced in Canada). In addition, there are many people working to produce and deliver ICT products and services who are not employed in one of the ICT sector industries.