From home to work: Commuting in Canada’s cities, May 2024

Release date: February 3, 2025
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Infographic: From home to work: Commuting in Canada’s cities, May 2024
Description: From home to work: Commuting in Canada’s cities, May 2024

The effects of the pandemic on commuting were felt in many census metropolitan areasNote 1 across Canada, whether by car, public transport, walking or biking.

In May 2024, average commute times were shorter in Victoria, Calgary, Winnipeg and Ottawa–Gatineau, and longer in Kitchener–Cambridge–Waterloo, Hamilton, London and Halifax than in May 2016.

Table 1
Average commute times, in minutes Table summary
This table displays the results of Average commute times, in minutes , calculated using (appearing as column headers).
  May 2016 May 2024
Hamilton 28.4 30.6
Kitchener–Cambridge–Waterloo 22.9 27.2
Canada 26.3 26.4
Ottawa–Gatineau 27.3 26.1
Halifax 24.0 25.6
Calgary 26.6 25.3
London 21.9 23.6
Winnipeg 24.1 22.9
Victoria 22.2 20.5
Table 2
Vancouver and Montréal were the only large cities where the proportion of public transit commuters was similar to its pre-pandemic level, while in Ottawa–Gatineau, it lagged behind. Table summary
This table displays the results of Vancouver and Montréal were the only large cities where the proportion of public transit commuters was similar to its pre-pandemic level, while in Ottawa–Gatineau, it lagged behind. , calculated using (appearing as column headers).
  May 2016 May 2022 May 2023 May 2024
Toronto 24.4% 17.7% 20.6% 22.7%
Montréal 22.4% 16.8% 16.4% 21.3%
Vancouver 20.5% 16.3% 22.5% 20.5%
Calgary 14.5% 5.8% 8.8% 12.3%
Edmonton 11.4% 8.5% 6.5% 9.6%
Ottawa–Gatineau 18.3% 8.5% 9.4% 11.7%
Table 3
While the proportion of commuters in Canada as a whole who walked or biked to work fell from May 2016 to May 2024, it rose in Halifax, Québec and Montréal. Table summary
This table displays the results of While the proportion of commuters in Canada as a whole who walked or biked to work fell from May 2016 to May 2024, it rose in Halifax, Québec and Montréal. , calculated using (appearing as column headers).
  May 2016 May 2024
Canada 6.8% 6.0%
Halifax 9.2% 12.3%
Québec 7.7% 9.7%
Montréal 7.2% 8.3%

Note: All estimates are for commuters aged 15 to 69 who were living in the provinces.

Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2016, Labour Force Survey and Labour Market Indicators, May 2022, May 2023, and May 2024.

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Published by authority of the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada.

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2025

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Catalogue no. 11-627-M

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