Vancouver was declared one of the worst cities in the world for traffic, and the third-worst in Canada, in a report focused on the congestion drivers face.
The analysis comes from the INRIX 2025 Global Traffic Scorecard.
INRIX is a global tech firm specializing in real-time traffic data, analytics and vehicle services. It features over 900 cities from around the world on its scorecard.
“Traffic congestion occurs when demand for roadway travel exceeds the supply of roadways. As vehicular traffic builds, drivers, freight movers and bus riders lose time and spend fuel unproductively. That ‘lost time’ has a value that we analyze in the 2025 Global Traffic Scorecard,” Inrix notes.
The report “provides travel delay comparisons, costs of congestion to drivers and regions, and commuting trends based on the unique travel patterns within each metro area.”
Vancouver ranked 79th worst in the world, just behind Dubai, with INRIX data showing that 46 hours were lost in congestion in 2025. That number reflects no change from 2024 and a 6 per cent drop compared to 2023.
Vancouver drivers fared better than some of their Canadian counterparts, as Montreal and Toronto both ranked worse. Toronto came in at #34 with 59 hours lost to congestion, while Montreal ranked #28 with 63 hours lost to congestion.
Clicking on the Vancouver section of the scorecard reveals a deeper and more detailed look at the worst commute areas.
Peak speeds for the “worst portion of the morning and afternoon commute” in Vancouver reached around 37 km/h.
Istanbul ranked worst in the world with 118 hours lost to congestion, followed by Chicago with 112 hours lost and Mexico City with 108 hours lost.
This report comes just after several roadways in B.C. were declared the most dangerous for crashes in Canada over the holidays.
Share your thoughts about your experience with congestion in Vancouver in the comments.
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