The way Canadians are using the internet is changing, according to new data from Statistics Canada.

Overall, internet use continues to rise, with 83% of Canadians over age 16 going online (from any location) for personal use, a 3% increase from 2010. But the bulk of that rise can be attributed to older folks getting in the game: internet use in the 65-plus demo is up 40% (to 48%) from 2010 to 2012.

The biggest increases were in the use of social media (67% in 2012 from 58% in 2010) and using the internet for phone or video calls through services like Skype or Facetime (43% in 2012 versus 24% in 2010).

Stats Can’s numbers also indicated that digital content consumption is on the rise. Stats Can reported that in 2012, 54% of internet users downloaded or watched movies or video clips online, up from 47% in 2010. And 39% of internet users watched TV online, as compared to 2010 when 33% watched TV online.

Canadians using the internet on the go rose to 58% in 2012, up from 33% who accessed the web through a handheld device in 2010.

According to the survey, Canadian shoppers are also increasingly looking to e-commerce. Overall, more than half of internet users in the country (56%) ordered goods or services online in 2012, versus 51% that did so in 2010. The age group most likely to purchase items online were people 25 to 34, with 69% of them doing so last year.

The Stats Can report measured individual internet use and e-commerce in 2012 and is based on a survey conducted in October and November last year. The sample included approximately 22,615 individuals aged 16 and over.