New Apple data reveals just how little Canadians are moving right now

Apr 15 2020, 2:20 pm

While spring is usually a time when people rush outdoors and life gets even more hustly and bustly, this year looks different.

Now, new data released by Apple is showing us just how different.

The times have changed, and current realities call for much less movement in cities and small towns, all across the country. The best thing individuals can do to support their communities — and themselves — during this time, is to stay home.

Offering some visual insight into movement, or lack thereof, during the pandemic, Apple’s Mobility Trend Reports are published online daily.

The data shows the baseline movements that dwellers of a specific region — be that country, or city — make each day, and graph them to show how those routines have changed in the last month.

For example, according to Toronto’s graph, the city’s transit use is down 83% from its baseline. Walking is down 71%, and driving, 64%.

Apple Maps Mobility Trend Reports – Toronto

Another busy Canadian city is Vancouver, and movement has dropped massively there too.

In fact, according to the data, transit use is down 81%, walking 51%, and driving, 55%.

Apple Maps Mobility Trend Reports – Vancouver

Overall, the country’s totals are in the same ballpark as these major cities.

Transit use is down 82% across Canada, while walking is down 58%, and driving is down 55%.

Apple Maps Mobility Trend Reports – Canada

The concept, while freaky, isn’t brand-new. Google Maps launched its own Community Mobility Reports earlier this month, intended to outline the same details.

Apple’s page explains that reports are published daily, reflecting requests for directions made via Apple Maps.

Maps does not associate the data with any particular Apple ID, and, the webpage says, “Apple doesn’t keep a history of where you’ve been.”

Kayla GladyszKayla Gladysz

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