Transportation

In 2016, nearly 30% of Ottawa commuters used some form of sustainable transportation to get to work. While cities like Toronto, Montréal and Vancouver have a larger share of the population using public transportation, Ottawa’s active transportation rates are highest among Canada’s large cities at 9.6%.

In 2016, 82% of Ottawa residents who drove to work – a total of over 220,000 commuters – drove on their own. For a third of those who commute by car, the trip is longer than 30 minutes.

This all adds up to significant fuel consumption and GHG emissions. Private passenger vehicles account for well over half the 40% of GHG emissions that come from transportation in Ottawa. One counterbalancing trend is the growth in cycling in Ottawa.

Based on a detailed survey in 2011, public transit accounted for 14%, walking for 12%, and cycling for 2% of all trips taken within the City of Ottawa.

Not surprisingly, the modal share of transit, walking, and cycling varies greatly depending on region of the City. For example, within the inner area (bounded by the Rideau River on the east and Preston/Prince of Wales on the West down to Heron), 56% of trips are by walking. This reflects the relatively dense and mixed use nature of this part of the City, with many amenities and services within walking distance. This compares to 12 to 17% walking trips within the three suburbs shown on the map, and 9% within the one rural area shown. Car ownership also varies greatly by region.

The impact of a vehicle on the environment depends on its type, condition and how much it is driven, so the correlation between number of vehicles owned and environmental burden is not simple. However, it can be reasonably assumed that households with no car impose less environmental burden.

48% of households earning under $30,000 have no vehicle. This proportion declines dramatically with increasing income.