Canadians are less willing than their global counterparts to receive advertising in exchange for lower prices or free content on their PCs and mobile phones, a new study from KPMG reports.

The findings of the study, released today, indicate that while 56% of those polled globally said that they were okay with ads for cheaper or free content on their PCs, that figure dipped to 42% for mobile. Only 21% of Canadians, on the other hand, said they were okay with ads for free or cheaper content on their mobile phones, compared with 45% for PCs.

The study also found that 85% of Canadians said that they wouldn’t pay for access to mobile content and would try to find it for free elsewhere; globally, the average was 57%.

‘These findings underscore an opportunity for carriers, content producers and advertisers to work together. Companies in this sector are seeking new, profitable business models, which will help alleviate the loss in revenues from traditional models involving print advertising,’ Brendan Maher, national industry leader of KPMG’s Information, Communications & Entertainment practice, said in a release.

‘Collaboration between companies to deliver additional benefits to consumers in exchange for ads has already proven to be successful in several instances and ultimately proves rewarding for all stakeholders.’

The study also found that Canadians are more wary than their global counterparts about mobile security: 19% of Canadians said they felt comfortable using their phones for financial transactions, compared to 34% globally, and only 8% of Canadians said they’ve purchased something using their phone via a retail mobile website. The global average was 28%. Mobile banking rates were a bit higher, with 15% of Canadians reporting having banked through a mobile device – globally, the average was 45% and in China, mobile banking use reached 77%.

The KPMG survey included over 5,000 consumers in 22 countries, including 300 in Canada.