How Vancouver commute times compare to the rest of Canada
Vancouver has one of the longest average commute times in Canada, according to some interesting data from Statistics Canada (StatCan).
StatCan looked at various aspects of work and travel and how Canadians have been commuting since the pandemic.
In addition to average commute times, StatCan also observed the number of people who work from home regularly and how the lack of commuting impacts them.
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StatCan defines commuters as “employed people who work most of their hours outside the home, either with a usual fixed place of work or with no fixed work location.”
During the pandemic, the number of commuters declined. As of May 2024, the number of commuters in Canada reached 16.5 million. That’s up by about 585,000 since May 2023.
Ontario led the way for the longest average commute times:
- Toronto (33.3 minutes)
- Ohsawa (32.6 minutes)
- Barrie (30.7 minutes)
- Hamilton (30.6 minutes)
Vancouver rounded out the top five, with an average commute of 30.5 minutes.
StatCan noted that folks in places like Abbotsford-Mission would likely have a long commute.
Daniel Avram/Shutterstock
StatCan also found that the typical vehicle is still the preferred commuting vessel, with four in five commuters travelling to work in a car, truck, or van. That’s 81.5% of commuters, down from 84.2% in May 2022.
The proportion of public transit users is up across Canada, but it’s below pre-pandemic levels. TransLink revealed similar findings last year, stating that ridership recovery reached 90% of pre-pandemic volumes.
Across Canada, public transit commuters increased by 1.3% to 11.4% from May 2023 to May 2024.
Creative Lab/Shutterstock
The number of people who work from home has fallen every year since May 2021. This May, 18.7% of employed people mainly worked from home, 3.7% lower than in May 2022.
The data from StatCan includes insights into why people choose to work from home and the benefits they gain, including spending more time with children, engaging in leisure activities, sleeping, or doing household chores.
It also found that hybrid workers who primarily work from home and have longer commutes are likelier to take public transit.
How do you fit into all these stats, and what’s your average commute time in Metro Vancouver or the Fraser Valley? Do you transit, bike, or drive? Let us know in the comments.