Commuting Patterns and Places of Work of Canadians, 2006 Census: National, provincial and territorial portraits

Commuting patterns

Increase in proportion of workers using public transit or getting to work as a passenger in a car

In 2006, 11% of Canadian workers used public transit to get to work, compared to 10.5% in 2001 and 10.1% in 1996. Compared to 2001, this corresponded to a 216,100 increase in ridership for the public transit authorities across the country.

People getting to work as a passenger in a car represented 7.7% of commuters in 2006, compared to 6.9% in 2001. This is a significant increase of 22.6%, or 209,200 people. In contrast, the increase in the number of people getting to work as a passenger was only 24,600, or 2.7%, between 1996 and 2001. New carpool lanes in several urban areas across Canada and the increase in the price of gas, along with more environmental awareness, are among the factors that could account for this increase in the number of passengers.

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