Traffic congestion in Vancouver is still the worst in Canada

Vancouver remains the most congested city in Canada according to the fifth annual TomTom traffic index, but at least the congestion rate didn’t get worse.

TomTom sells GPS systems, which tell you how to drive to your destination. The company also has a subscription service with real-time traffic information so you can avoid traffic jams and, presumably, get where you’re going faster.

Using information from those devices, to which owners contribute anonymously, TomTom compares trips taken in the morning and evening peak hours to trips made when traffic is free flowing — like in the middle of the night on weekdays.

Based on that comparison, travel in the peak period in Vancouver takes 35 per cent more time, the same as 2013. Toronto was next at 31 per cent, with Ottawa third at 28 per cent and Montreal just a tick back at 27 per cent.

The least congested city of the seven surveyed in Canada was Calgary, with a 22-per-cent congestion level.

Curiously, the rates in Calgary and Vancouver stayed the same in 2014 and 2013. That equal rate isn’t surprising for Calgary, considering the economy there is struggling because of the decline in oil prices. But the economy is stable in Vancouver and more than 27,520 more vehicles were licensed in 2014 than in 2013, according to ICBC data.

TomTom senior traffic expert Nick Cohn conceded Vancouver’s congestion plateau was a good thing.

“It’s definitely positive news, given all the growth and economic activity in Vancouver,” Cohn said.

He also admitted there are limitations to the data because it doesn’t include people who use other GPS systems, take public transit, ride a bike or walk.

“One of the reasons we publish this index is we hope that drivers will think about their trip a little bit more and make use of alternatives,” Cohn said.