Canadians return to the road, as workplace commute continues to increase
Commuting data - Stats Can - August 2025
Write to: Minh Dang mdang@staffingjournal.ca
Statistics Canada revealed a telling reversal in how Canadians get to work: fewer people are working from home, while commuting keeps reclaiming its place in daily life although slowly. The labor landscape, and by extension the staffing industry, will need to adapt to a resurgence of the daily commute.
Since the early days of the pandemic, working from home became the new norm. But in May 2025, the share of Canadians working mostly from home fell to 17.4 percent, down from 18.7 percent a year earlier. For the fourth straight year, the proportion of people commuting to a workplace outside the home rose to 82.6 percent, reflecting a significant shift back toward traditional work environments.
This renewed embrace of the commute underscores a broader return to office life. Employers and staffing firms, refreshing talent strategies amid this shift, should take notice. It is not just a change in geography, it is a recalibration of operations, logistics, and candidate expectations.
In Ontario’s capital region, Ottawa–Gatineau, the shift is particularly dramatic. Its commuter share jumped nearly ten percentage points compared to the prior year, bringing it in line with Toronto and making it more comparable to Vancouver and Victoria. This signals potential hotspots for staffing demand: regional employers may need more on-site talent, more support with flexible schedules, and better coordination to accommodate commuting workers.
Despite recently peaking in popularity, driving remains dominant. In May, about 81 percent of commuters relied on cars, trucks, or vans, though that is a small decline from the year before. This modest dip may hint at growing interest (or at least necessity) in alternate ways of getting to work.
Public transit and “active” choices (walking or cycling) are beginning to gain traction. Together they account for 18.2 percent of commutes, a thoughtful increase over last year, but still below pre-pandemic levels. In cities like Toronto, Montréal, and Vancouver, nearly 30 percent of workers now rely on public or active transit, underscoring the importance of infrastructure and urban planning in shaping commuter behavior.
These trends have practical implications for staffing professionals. Employers in transit-rich urban centers may tap into broader candidate pools, drawing workers who prefer living downtown or who rely on mass transit. In more car-dependent communities, staffing firms might adjust job descriptions to highlight flexible parking, staggered shifts, or remote‑hybrid options.
Average commute times also offer a revealing backdrop. Canadians now spend roughly 26.7 minutes getting to work, up from the pandemic-era low of 23.9 minutes, though still similar to pre-pandemic norms. In mega-cities, Toronto remains the outlier, with average commutes of nearly 35 minutes, up a minute and a half from last year. Recruitment pitches may need to acknowledge this reality through flexible hours or remote-friendly scheduling.
The return to commuting reshapes candidate preferences, employer expectations, and workforce agility. Emphasizing job flexibility (even a partial remote option) can be a competitive advantage. Temporary staffing strategies may need to account for transit schedules, carpooling, or staggered staff arrival times. And in regions where commuting patterns have shifted dramatically like Ottawa–Gatineau—, there may be unanticipated demand for in-office coverage that requires nimble staffing solutions.
As Canada resumes its long commute, staffing firms and employers must recognize this as more than a traffic story; it is a story of workplace rhythms, human preference, and operational nuance. The road ahead might be busier, but understanding how and why Canadians travel to work can give staffing professionals a strategic edge.