The number of Canadians commuting to work has increased for the fourth consecutive year, according to a report from Statistics Canada released on Tuesday. The report indicates that hybrid workers are now spending more time in the workplace compared to their home offices.

As of May, 17.4 percent of employed Canadians primarily worked from home, a decrease from 18.7 percent in May 2024. In contrast, 77.6 percent of workers were employed solely outside their homes, marking a one percentage point increase from the previous year. The percentage of hybrid workers, who split their time between home and the office, rose to 5.1 percent in May, up from 4.8 percent.

The Ottawa-Gatineau area experienced the most significant increase in commuters this year, with a nearly 10 percent rise, bringing its commuter levels to match those of Toronto at 76 percent. While vehicle use remains the most common mode of transportation, it has slightly declined. The share of commuters using cars, trucks, or vans fell to 80.9 percent in May, down from 81.5 percent a year earlier.

Public transit usage increased to 11.9 percent, up from 11.4 percent, while those walking or cycling to work accounted for 6.2 percent of commuters, an increase from 6 percent last year. Commuters using public transit had the longest average commute time at 44 minutes, while those who drove averaged 25 minutes. Walkers and cyclists had the shortest average commute at 15 minutes.

Toronto continues to have the longest average commute among major cities, with an average of 34.9 minutes. The report also highlights that racialized populations tend to have longer commute times and are more likely to rely on public transit, often due to residing in larger cities with heavy traffic. South Asian, Black, and Chinese commuters averaged 30 minutes for their commutes, compared to 25 minutes for non-racialized, non-Indigenous commuters. Additionally, West Asian, South Asian, and Latin American groups reported significantly higher rates of commutes lasting an hour or more compared to their non-racialized counterparts.

This report follows announcements from several private sector companies, including Canadian banks, that employees will be required to spend more time in the office. Earlier this month, the Ontario government also mandated that its public servants return to the office full-time, with a requirement to work in-person five days a week by January 2026.