Thank you. My name is Jim Patrick. I'm the senior vice-president of the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association, and I'm very pleased to be here this afternoon on behalf of the CWTA and, more specifically, our partner foundation, the Mobile Giving Foundation of Canada.
As you know, CWTA represents cellular, PCS, messaging, mobile radio, fixed wireless, and mobile satellite carriers, as well as companies that develop and produce products and services for the industry. We are the authority on wireless issues, developments, and trends in Canada.
Wireless market conditions in Canada are well served to support charitable activities today in a number of ways. We say that because wireless coverage in Canada reaches 99% of the population, and 98% of the population has 3G or faster coverage. There are more of the fastest wireless networks in Canada than in any other country. There are more wireless connections than wired connections in Canada. Indeed, 78% of Canadian households have at least one wireless phone, and 13% of households are now wireless only. We're projecting 100% wireless penetration, if not more, by 2014.
We employ over 260,000 people in Canada and generate a total economic contribution to the country in excess of $41 billion.
Not surprisingly, given the strength of our networks, Canadians are among the world's fastest adopters of smartphones and tablets, which brings me to the potential of this innovative platform that we've developed to make a tremendous contribution to the charitable life of the country.
We're at the forefront of economic growth in Canada, at the forefront of technology, and also at the forefront of philanthropy. The Mobile Giving Foundation Canada is a prime example of this. It's a registered charity and its purpose is to enable the wireless channel to process text message donations for the convenience of Canadian mobile users and to the benefit of registered charities. This is made possible through the collaborative efforts of the wireless industry, which has resulted in a donation option that is free to the consumer.
Here is how it works. Donations are pledged, usually in $5 or $10 amounts, through a text message that contains a key word to a short code number. The amount donated by text is then added to the customer's wireless statement, and there is no additional cost to the donor apart from their $5 or $10 donation. Donors can make text donations up to a total of $30 per month per campaign or per phone number. All donations made through this text message channel are remitted to the Mobile Giving Foundation by the wireless providers at 100%. The funds are then remitted to the respective recipient charities at 100%.
Through this model, Canadians have the ability to contribute targeted micro donations to various charitable organizations over the course of the year and receive one single tax receipt through the Mobile Giving Foundation website. Donations are private, secure, convenient, and they're instantaneous.
Here are a few statistics on how popular a donation channel this has become in a very short time. Since 2010, the Mobile Giving Foundation has raised and transferred over $1.3 million in text message donations to charities. A good example is that recently le Club des petits déjeuners du Québec raised $21,800 in three weeks through $5 donations from over 4,300 listeners.
More than 200 registered charities in Canada have now run a mobile giving campaign through the foundation, and more than 90,000 mobile phone users made a text message donation in 2011, generating more than 550 tax receipts that were issued to Canadians who made one or more donation, with most making multiple donations, in 2011. The average total receipt was $30, meaning that they made between three and six donations over the course of the year.
In conclusion I would note that in keeping with the growth of this platform, in Toronto this afternoon is the first annual mobile giving forum. This is drawing together not-for-profit organizations, wireless carriers, corporate foundations, technology providers, and other stakeholders for discussions on how text-to-give campaigns can be more effectively utilized in the future.
We would be pleased to keep members of the committee and their colleagues abreast of any developments in this innovative use of wireless technology to facilitate charitable giving.
Again, I thank the committee and the chair for the opportunity to be here this afternoon and look forward to answering any questions you may have.