This factsheet looks at data on commuting to work released by Statistics Canada as part of the 2016 Census.
February 2018
This pie chart shows modes of transportation to work in Ontario in 2016, which included driving (single driver, no passenger) at 65.6%, carpool at 12.3%, bus at 8.0%, subway and elevated rail at 4.5%, commuter train, light rail, streetcar and ferry at 2.1%, walk at 5.3%, cycle at 1.2% and other at 1.0%.
This bar chart shows public transit and active transportation in selected Canadian CMAs in 2016. In total, Toronto had the highest share of residents using public transit and active transportation to go to work at 31.0%, followed by Montreal at 29.5%, and Vancouver at 29.4%.
This bar chart shows public transit and active transportation in Ontario CMAs in 2016. In total, Toronto had the highest share of residents using public transit and active transportation to go to work at 31.0%, followed by Ottawa-Gatineau at 29.2% and Kingston at 16.3%. The lowest shares were in Windsor at 7.6%, Brantford at 7.7% and St. Catharines-Niagara at 8.1%.
This pie chart shows travel time to work in Ontario in 2016. 24.0% of workers took less than 15 minutes to get to work, 32.2% took between 15 and 29 minutes, 21.3% took between 30 and 44 minutes, 10.1% took between 45 and 59 minutes, and 12.4% took more than an hour.
This bar chart shows average commute time by mode of transportation in Ontario in 2011 and 2016.The average commute time by car, truck or van, was 25.7 minutes in 2011 and 26.3 minutes in 2016. The average commute time by bus was 42.3 minutes in 2011 and 44.5 minutes in 2016. The average commute time by subway or elevated rail was 47.4 minutes in 2011 and 49.2 minutes in 2016. The average commute time by commuter train, light rail and streetcar was 57.4 minutes in 2011 and 60.1 minutes in 2016. The average walking commute time was 13.6 minutes in 2011 and 14.4 minutes in 2016. The average cycling commute time was 20.2 minutes in 2011 and 20.9 minutes in 2016.
This bar chart shows travel time to work for selected Canadian CMAs in 2016. The CMA with the longest travel time was Toronto at 34.0 minutes, followed by Montreal at 30.0 minutes, and Vancouver at 29.7 minutes.
This bar chart shows travel time to work for Ontario CMAs in 2016. The longest travel time was in Toronto at 34.0 minutes followed by Oshawa at 33.5 minutes and Barrie at 30.7 minutes. The shortest travel times were in Thunder Bay at 17.5 minutes, Windsor at 18.9 minutes, and Belleville at 19.7 minutes.
This bar chart shows 2016 work commuting patterns in the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Toronto (97%) and St. Catharines-Niagara (87%) had the highest share of commuters who worked within their CMA’s boundaries. Oshawa (42%) and Barrie (29%) had the highest share of commuters working in the Toronto CMA.
This pie chart shows the time at which commuters leave home to go to work in Ontario in 2016. 6.8% left between 5:00am and 5:59am, 17.1% left between 6:00am and 6:59am, 25.8% left between 7:00am and 7:59am, 22.2% left between 8:00am and 8:59am, 12.2% left between 9:00am and 11:59am, and 16.0 % left between noon and 4:59am.
Contact: Alex Munger (416) 325-0102
Office of Economic Policy
Labour Economics Branch