A recently released study by Ipsos Reid says that half of Canada’s multi-tasking multi-platformers are online.

The syndicated Inter@ctive Reid Report, which surveyed 2,644 Canadian adults through the Ipsos I-Say Online Panel between Oct. 21 and 26, reveals that, on average, online Canadians spend almost equal amounts of time – approximately 15 hours a week – on major media platforms like TV and the Internet, a stat that’s remained unchanged since early 2007. An additional 10 hours each week is spent listening to the radio, says the report, and less than 30 minutes a day reading the newspaper. It also found that 40% of online Canadians do not read magazines, 19% don’t read a newspaper and 15% don’t listen to the radio.

The findings are particularly interesting from an advertiser’s perspective, according to Calgary-based study author Mark Laver. With such a high degree of multi-tasking among online Canadians, he points out, advertisers and media companies need to look at appropriate tracking mechanisms and multi-channel strategies to ensure their message is breaking through the clutter.

With the 18-to-34 ‘net generation’ segment of the population spending significantly more time online – 18.4 hours each week – and significantly less time watching television than their older counterparts (who, at 35 to 54, are spending 13.6 hours a week, and at 55+, 14.2), ‘companies need to understand how the Internet is affecting their business and build strategies on how to deal with this change,’ says Laver, adding that ‘the consequences for those that fail will be severe.’