Canadian Commuting Patterns Shift as More Return to Workplaces in 2024

As Canada transitions further from the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, the landscape of commuters has evolved. According to Statistics Canada, in May 2024, the number of Canadians traveling to work outside their homes reached 16.5 million, marking a considerable increase of 585,000 commuters compared to May 2023. This uptick reflects not only the growing employment figures but also a shift in work locations as more people return to physical workplaces.

Commuters have seen their numbers swell due to a combination of factors. A key driver is the 1.9% increase in employment, adding 373,000 more people to the workforce. The data also underscores a decline in the share of employees working from home, which, while still above pre-pandemic levels, has been steadily decreasing since 2021.

By May 2024, only 18.7% of employed Canadians were working mostly from home, down from 20.1% the previous year and a sharp decline from the 24.3% peak in 2021. This shift has been most pronounced in provinces like Quebec, Saskatchewan, and Ontario, where the proportion of home-based workers has dropped significantly.

The commuting patterns across Canada’s provinces and metropolitan areas vary widely. Saskatchewan, for instance, had the lowest proportion of home-based workers at 10.1%, while Ontario reported the highest at 21.7%. In major urban centers, Ottawa–Gatineau led the nation with 34.2% of its workers primarily working from home, a stark contrast to cities like Toronto, Vancouver, and Montréal, where the rates are considerably lower.

In terms of transportation modes, cars remain the dominant choice for commuters. However, the share of Canadians commuting by car, truck, or van has declined slightly, dropping to 81.5% in May 2024 from 82.6% the previous year. This trend was particularly noticeable in provinces like Nova Scotia and Ontario, where fewer people are opting to drive alone to work. Nevertheless, in provinces like Manitoba and Saskatchewan, the reliance on personal vehicles for commuting has increased.

Public transit usage is gradually rebounding but remains below pre-pandemic levels. The share of commuters using public transit rose to 11.4% in May 2024, continuing an upward trend from the pandemic lows. Despite this increase, public transit ridership has yet to fully recover to its 2016 levels, particularly in cities like Ottawa–Gatineau and Winnipeg, where the decline has been more pronounced.

Interestingly, some cities, such as Kitchener–Cambridge–Waterloo and Hamilton, have seen an increase in public transit usage compared to pre-pandemic levels. This suggests that while overall transit numbers are down, certain regions are experiencing a localized resurgence in public transit as more people return to their offices.

Active transportation, including walking and biking, has held steady since 2021, with 6.0% of commuters choosing these modes in May 2024. This figure, however, is lower than the 7.1% reported in 2016. Smaller cities like Victoria and Halifax lead the nation in active transportation, where their size and climate may encourage residents to opt for these healthier and more environmentally friendly commuting options.

The rise of hybrid work arrangements has introduced a new dynamic to commuting patterns. Hybrid workers, who spend most of their time working from home but commute on certain days, now make up nearly 30% of those who primarily work from home. These workers have distinct commuting habits, with a higher reliance on public transit and longer average commute times compared to regular commuters.

In Toronto, almost half of the hybrid workers used public transit on their commuting days, reflecting the city’s extensive transit network and the growing preference for public transportation among this group. On average, hybrid workers faced a commute time of 40.8 minutes, significantly longer than the 26.4 minutes reported by regular commuters.

As the commuting landscape evolves, so too do the challenges associated with longer travel times. In May 2024, 9.2% of commuters reported a commute of 60 minutes or more, a figure that has been steadily increasing over the past three years. Cities like Oshawa and Toronto have some of the highest proportions of long commuters, with one-fifth of Oshawa’s commuters facing an hour or more of travel time each day.

Canada’s commuting patterns in 2024 reveal a nation gradually returning to pre-pandemic norms, yet with new complexities introduced by the rise of hybrid work and shifting regional dynamics. As more Canadians hit the road again, the implications for urban planning, public transit, and work-life balance are profound. The ongoing evolution of how Canadians commute will undoubtedly continue to shape the country’s economic and social landscape in the years to come.