Toronto ACORN is looking to close the gap in the digital divide this week by hosting an Internet Café outside Bell Canada’s Toronto office.

As a part of its ACORN Canada’s National Day of Action to end the digital divide in Canada, Toronto ACORN will set up an Internet Café at Trinity Square at the end of James Street North of Queen at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 21.

A lot of time, study, and money has been spent making sure lower-income kids receive a good education.

But a new barrier threatens to divide the haves from the have-nots at school — and later on in their careers.

It’s a lack of access to home computers and affordable, fast connections to the Internet. In 2012, almost 98 per cent of the top income households were connected to the Internet, compared to only 58 per cent of those earning less than $30,000.

Check out Operation Maple's new video Disconnected: The Sacrifices We Make for This Human Right - ACORN members Natalie Hundt, Marva Burnett and Kelly Lalonde talk about why we need affordable and reliable high-speed internet in our homes, and how ACORN Canada members are fighting to make that happen.

Ottawa Community Housing has written a letter in support of ACORN Canada's Digital Access to Opportunities campaign. 

Many of us have the Internet in our pocket; an instant connection to news, email and, during an emergency, information that can even save lives.

For others, the Internet is a distant concept. And not just in Third World countries - here in Ottawa too.

The cost of an Internet connection is more than some people can afford, despite the fact that highspeed connections are literally at their front door. Information is power, as well as a key element of a modern education. Without a decent connection to the worldwide web, people who are already behind the rest of Canadian society are destined to fall further behind.