Commuters in Calgary spend more time travelling than average Canadian.
Posted Aug 24, 2011 11:37 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Canadian commuters in Canada’s six largest cities, including Calgary, are spending more time commuting than the average Canadian.
On average they are spending 30 minutes travelling to work, as opposed to an average of 26.
Those in mid-sized cities took 25 minutes to get to the office.
The study was compiled by Statistics Canada who says the majority of people polled, drove to work in cars while 12 per cent took public transit and 6 per cent walked or cycled.
The figures didn’t surprise or impress Workopolis Editor and founder of the National Work at Home Day Peter Harris.
Harris says if each Canadian employee with a car, over the age of 15 was allowed to work one day at home, it could have a major impact.
“The benefits for the environment, for the people who still have to drive and do the commute, it spirals…..it’s enormous how much good it can do,” he says.
In fact, the study shows Canadian workers would save 120 Million dollars from that one day as well as 60 kilograms of CO2.
“Employers who offer that kind of workplace flexibility, allowing their workers to stay at home, have an easier time recruiting and retaining the talent that they need,” says Harris.
The study also showed that those taking public transit spent more time getting to work than those in cars, although it admits that can generally be longer because it involves walking to a transit stop.
Of the 10.6 Million workers who also commuted by car, about 9 million report they have never used public transit for their commute. Three quarters also feel the thought of a bus or train would be somewhat or very inconvenient.
