According to Statistics Canada (2019), the average one-way commute in the 2016 Census was about 34 minutes in Toronto and 30 minutes in Montreal, across all travel modes. That is a gap of roughly 4 minutes. The 2010 General Social Survey on time use showed a similar pattern, with 33 minutes in Toronto and 31 minutes in Montreal. The average alone does not show how commute times are spread across each city’s workers, so the share of long commutes and the gap between transit and driving also matter.
Average Commute Time: Toronto vs Montreal
| Indicator | Toronto | Montreal |
|---|---|---|
| Average one-way commute, all modes (2016 Census) | about 34 min | about 30 min |
| Average one-way commute, all modes (2010 time-use survey) | 33 min | 31 min |
| Workers with a commute of 60 min or more, all modes (2016) | 17% | 11.5% |
| Car commuters with a commute of 60 min or more (2016) | 11% | 7% |
| Gap between transit and car commutes (2010) | about 20 min | about 10 min |
Long commutes
A 60-minute commute is much more common in Toronto. In 2016, 17% of Toronto workers faced a one-way trip of at least an hour, compared with 11.5% in Montreal. The difference persists among drivers: 11% of Toronto car commuters had trips of 60 minutes or more, against 7% in Montreal. The longer-commute share in Toronto also appears among drivers, so it is not limited to transit users.
Transit versus car
Across Canada in 2016, the average one-way commute was about 26 minutes. Car drivers averaged about 24 minutes, while transit users averaged about 45 minutes. In the 2010 survey, the transit-to-car gap was about 20 minutes in Toronto and about 10 minutes in Montreal. The Statistics Canada sources consulted do not specify the reasons for these differences.
Comparing sources
The 2016 figures come from the census and the 2010 figures from a time-use survey, so the two use different methods. Compare cities within the same source, and treat the year-to-year change with caution.
Car or transit: where do commuters lose the most time?
The clearest difference between modes is the public transit penalty. According to Statistics Canada (2019), the national average one-way commute in 2016 was about 26 minutes, about 24 minutes for drivers and about 45 minutes for public transit users. Nationally, transit users therefore spent nearly twice as long commuting as drivers. The official sources consulted do not give a 2016 car-versus-transit breakdown for Toronto or Montreal, so the city figures below combine all modes unless stated otherwise.
| Indicator | Toronto | Montreal |
|---|---|---|
| Average one-way commute, 2016 (all modes) | about 34 min | about 30 min |
| Workers with a commute of 60 min or more, 2016 (all modes) | 17% | 11.5% |
| Drivers with a commute of 60 min or more, 2016 | 11% | 7% |
| Average one-way commute, 2010 (all modes) | about 33 min | about 31 min |
| Transit vs. car gap, 2010 | about 20 min | about 10 min |
The 2016 figures show that Toronto has a larger share of 60-minute commutes than Montreal, and the gap persists for drivers. The difference is therefore not only a transit effect. The 2010 transit-versus-car gap points the same way: in Toronto, choosing transit added roughly 20 minutes compared with driving, versus about 10 minutes in Montreal (Statistics Canada, 2011).
The two years come from different sources. The 2016 data is census-based, while the 2010 data is from the General Social Survey on Time Use, so they should not be read as a trend.
Which city has more long commutes?
Toronto has a larger share of long commutes than Montreal. In the 2016 Census, the average one-way commute by all modes was about 34 minutes in Toronto and 30 minutes in Montreal, according to Statistics Canada (2019). The national average was about 26 minutes. A long commute here means one of at least 60 minutes, and the gap between the two cities is clearer at that threshold than in the averages.
| Indicator (2016 Census, Statistics Canada 2019) | Toronto | Montreal |
|---|---|---|
| Average one-way commute, all modes | About 34 min | About 30 min |
| Workers with a commute of 60 min or more, all modes | 17% | 11.5% |
| Workers with a commute of 60 min or more, drivers | 11% | 7% |
The gap persists among drivers. Toronto’s share of drivers with a 60-minute-or-longer commute is roughly 1.6 times Montreal’s. The gap also appears among drivers, so it is not limited to transit users. The sources consulted do not explain the reasons for the difference.
Transit users face the longest trips in both cities. Across Canada in 2016, the average one-way commute was about 24 minutes for drivers and about 45 minutes for public transit users, according to Statistics Canada (2019). Earlier data from The Daily (Statistics Canada, 2011) show a transit gap of about 20 minutes over driving in Toronto and about 10 minutes in Montreal, based on the 2010 General Social Survey on Time Use. The average trip was 33 minutes in Toronto and 31 minutes in Montreal that year.
These figures measure different things, so compare them carefully: census commutes record usual trips to work, while the time-use survey records the time spent on a typical day.
What do the available figures cover, and what is missing since the pandemic?
The most recent commute figures available for Toronto and Montreal in the official sources consulted predate the pandemic. The sources do not specify post-2020 averages for either city, so the comparison below reflects 2010 and 2016 conditions. Any change in commuting since 2020, including the shift toward remote work, is not measured in these figures.
Statistics Canada (2019) reports that the average one-way commute in 2016, across all modes, was about 34 minutes in Toronto and 30 minutes in Montreal. The Canadian average was about 26 minutes. In 2010, Statistics Canada (2011) reported 33 minutes for Toronto and 31 minutes for Montreal. The 2010 and 2016 figures come from different sources, so they should not be read as a trend for either city.
The distribution of long commutes differs more than the averages. In 2016, 17% of Toronto workers had a 60-minute commute or longer, compared with 11.5% in Montreal. Among drivers only, the shares were 11% in Toronto and 7% in Montreal (Statistics Canada, 2019).
The transit-car gap also differs. In 2010, transit commutes ran about 20 minutes longer than car commutes in Toronto, and about 10 minutes longer in Montreal (Statistics Canada, 2011).
| Indicator | Toronto | Montreal |
|---|---|---|
| Average one-way commute, 2010 (all modes) | 33 min | 31 min |
| Average one-way commute, 2016 (all modes) | 34 min | 30 min |
| Commutes of 60 min or more, 2016 (all modes) | 17% | 11.5% |
| Commutes of 60 min or more, 2016 (drivers) | 11% | 7% |
| Transit vs. car commute gap, 2010 | about 20 min | about 10 min |
How are these averages measured?
The commute figures for Montreal and Toronto come from two Statistics Canada sources that use different methods. The 2016 Census reports average one-way travel time from home to work, calculated across all modes and then split by mode. The 2010 figures come from the General Social Survey on Time Use, which Statistics Canada published in The Daily on 2011-08-24. Because the collection methods and years differ, the two sources should be read separately rather than as a trend.
Canada-wide, the 2016 Census put the average one-way commute at about 26 minutes. Drivers averaged about 24 minutes, and transit users about 45 minutes. These national averages give a baseline for the city figures.
| Measure | Source (date) | Toronto | Montreal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average one-way commute, all modes | 2016 Census, Statistics Canada (2019-02-25) | About 34 min | About 30 min |
| Share of commutes of 60 minutes or more, all modes | 2016 Census, Statistics Canada (2019-02-25) | 17% | 11.5% |
| Share of commutes of 60 minutes or more, car drivers | 2016 Census, Statistics Canada (2019-02-25) | 11% | 7% |
| Average commute, all modes | General Social Survey on Time Use, Statistics Canada (2011-08-24) | About 33 min | About 31 min |
| Transit minus car gap | General Social Survey on Time Use, Statistics Canada (2011-08-24) | About 20 min | About 10 min |
To read these figures correctly:
- Check that the mode matches. An all-modes average can mask large differences between drivers and transit users.
- Look at the share of long commutes as well as the average. Two cities with similar averages can differ sharply in how many residents face one-hour trips.
- Treat “one-way” as home to workplace only. Round trips are roughly double these figures, before accounting for schedules or delays.
Do these figures measure travel between Montreal and Toronto?
These figures measure daily commutes within each city, from home to work. They do not measure travel between the two cities. According to Statistics Canada (2019), based on the 2016 Census, the all-modes average one-way commute was about 34 minutes in Toronto and 30 minutes in Montreal, compared with about 26 minutes across Canada. The official sources consulted do not specify travel time between Montreal and Toronto themselves.
| Indicator | Toronto | Montreal |
|---|---|---|
| Average one-way commute, all modes (2016) | About 34 min | About 30 min |
| Commutes of 60 minutes or more, all modes (2016) | 17% | 11.5% |
| Commutes of 60 minutes or more, drivers (2016) | 11% | 7% |
| Average commute, 2010 General Social Survey on Time Use | About 33 min | About 31 min |
Long commutes
Toronto has a larger share of very long commutes. In 2016, 17% of Toronto workers had a one-way trip of at least 60 minutes, compared with 11.5% in Montreal. The gap persists among car commuters, at 11% in Toronto and 7% in Montreal. An average hides this difference, so the 60-minute commute share is the more useful indicator when comparing neighborhoods or workplaces.
Transit and driving
Nationally in 2016, transit users averaged 45 minutes one way, against 24 minutes for drivers. The 2010 survey showed a transit-car gap of about 20 minutes in Toronto and about 10 minutes in Montreal, according to Statistics Canada (2011, The Daily).
How to Choose a Neighbourhood Based on Your Commute?
Start with the commute mode you will actually use, not the city-wide average. Commute times vary sharply between driving and transit, so an all-mode average can hide the trip you will make every day. Statistics Canada (2019) reports that the 2016 census put the average one-way commute at about 34 minutes in Toronto and 30 minutes in Montreal, across all modes. Nationally, drivers averaged about 24 minutes and transit users about 45 minutes.
1. Set Your Baseline by Mode
- Decide whether your daily trip is by car, transit, or a mix.
- Use the figure for that mode, not the all-mode average. Nationally, the gap between transit users (about 45 minutes) and drivers (about 24 minutes) is larger than the gap between the two cities’ averages.
2. Measure the Transit-to-Car Gap
The gap between transit and car times is often more useful than the average. Statistics Canada (2011), using 2010 time-use data, estimated that transit trips took about 20 minutes longer than car trips in Toronto and about 10 minutes longer in Montreal. Because the gap depends on the route, check whether a candidate address is close to the transit line you would take. The 2010 gap is a citywide figure, so it does not show what the transit-to-car gap would be for a given address. Check the transit line you would actually take.
3. Check the Long-Commute Share
Long commutes are less common in Montreal than in Toronto. In 2016, 17% of Toronto workers had a commute of at least 60 minutes, compared with 11.5% in Montreal, all modes combined. Among drivers, the shares were 11% and 7%. If 60 minutes is your limit, these shares show how often such trips occur citywide.
4. Test Addresses Before Deciding
| Metric | Toronto | Montreal | Source (year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average one-way commute, all modes | about 34 min | about 30 min | Census (2016) |
| Commuters at 60+ min, all modes | 17% | 11.5% | Census (2016) |
| Commuters at 60+ min, drivers | 11% | 7% | Census (2016) |
| Average commute, all modes | about 33 min | about 31 min | General Social Survey on time use (2010) |
| Transit vs. car gap | about 20 min | about 10 min | General Social Survey on time use (2010) |
The official sources consulted do not give commute times for individual neighbourhoods. City averages are therefore a starting point only. Test each shortlisted address at your real departure time with a routing tool. The 2016 and 2010 figures also come from different surveys, so they should not be read as a trend.
Frequently asked questions
Is the average commute really longer in Toronto than in Montreal?
Yes, but only by a few minutes. According to Statistics Canada (2019), the average one-way commute across all travel modes was about 34 minutes in Toronto and 30 minutes in Montreal in the 2016 Census.
How many workers face a commute of an hour or more?
The share is noticeably higher in Toronto. In 2016, 17% of Toronto workers had a 60-minute commute or longer, compared with 11.5% in Montreal, according to Statistics Canada (2019). Among car commuters, the figures were 11% and 7%.
Does the choice between transit and driving change the picture?
It does. In the 2010 time-use survey, the transit-to-car gap was about 20 minutes in Toronto and about 10 minutes in Montreal, according to Statistics Canada (2011). Because the 2010 and 2016 figures come from different surveys, the gap should be compared only within the same source.
