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ACCESS TO BASIC INTERNET TECHNOLOGY AT HOME IS CRITICAL FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES!

• In Halton Region, more than 1 in 10 children (at least 18,000 at last count) are living in either poverty or low income households, and Halton Region is considered affluent!
  
• Almost half of Canadian households with an annual income below $35,000 do not have internet access at home, a huge disadvantage for both education and employment
  
• Teens without access to technology will fall behind in school, resulting in diminished skills, social isolation and limited employment opportunities
  
• 2/3 of teachers in Ontario middle and high schools routinely assign homework that requires internet access, computer hardware at home and on-line research
• The vast majority of computer upgrades are driven by "newer, faster and bigger", not that the computer is worn out, most devices last 5-7 years, often a decade.
  
• The average each Canadian produces about 20KG of E-waste a year.
  
• The computer manufacturing process consumes huge amounts of natural resources, a desktop computer and monitor requires at least 1.5 tons of water, 48 pounds of chemicals, and 530 pounds of fossil fuels to produce
  
• "E-waste" is the fastest growing sector of landfill waste today and it is expected to be the biggest sector within 10 years.