Average commute times rise 3 minutes: Survey

Global average 32.5 minutes compared to 25.8 in Canada

When it comes to commute times, the global average has increased five minutes each way since 2012 and the Canadian average has increased by almost three minutes, according to a survey by Regus, a workspace provider.

In Canada, the average one-way commute is now 25.8 minutes compared to 22.9 minutes in 2012.

Globally, the average one-way commute now takes 32.5 minutes compared to only 27 minutes two years ago, found the survey of 22,000 respondents in 100 countries.

Regus examined three separate regions in Canada and found Quebec faces the longest one-way commute time at 29.4 minutes, Central Canada at 26 minutes and Western Canada at 22.6 minutes.

Average Canadian one-way commute times:

•One to 15 minutes: 33 per cent

•15 to 30 minutes: 31 per cent

•30 to 45 minutes: 21 per cent

•45 to 60 minutes: 11 per cent

•More than 60 minutes: five per cent

“The daily commute represents a productivity drain and decreases work-life balance,” said Craig Townsend, marketing and partnerships at Regus Canada.

With a shift in the way people work, more forward-thinking companies are allowing employees work remotely to avoid long commutes to downtown headquarters, especially when it’s safer and more productive to work away from the downtown city centre, said Regus.

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