TORONTO – Last year, drivers in Toronto lost an average of more than four days of their lives stuck in city traffic, according to the latest TomTom Traffic Index, which ranks the Canadian metropolis as the second most congested city in the country, just behind Vancouver. 

The study (here) shows that in 2025, Toronto drivers spent a total of four days and four hours—about 100 hours—stalled in traffic during peak hours, an increase of 3 hours and 50 minutes compared to 2024. Despite this, the situation represents a slight improvement compared to 2023, when Toronto was named the city with the worst traffic in North America.

“ think we have to acknowledge that, at least compared to our peers, we seem to be dropping in this ranking,” said Matti Siemiatycki, director of the Infrastructure Institute at the University of Toronto, in an interview with CTV. “This doesn’t mean that everything is hunky-dory and we should just go on trying to solve other problems. Congestion is clearly still a major issue in this city and losing 100 hours a year for commuters is a huge amount and is a drag on people’s quality of life in the economy.”

The “TomTom” index analyzes congestion levels, travel times, and average speeds, based on anonymously collected data from metropolitan and urban areas worldwide. The results show that traffic is particularly heavy during evening rush hours: in Toronto, traveling 10 kilometers takes an average of 29 minutes in the morning and 34 minutes in the evening. During peak hours, movement slows drastically, with average speeds dropping to 18.9 kilometers per hour, while highway speeds average 53.6 kilometers per hour. The average travel time for a 10 km drive is 26 minutes and 40 seconds: 1 minute and 8 seconds more than in 2024.

Toronto still ranks ninth in North America, dropping two spots from 2024 due to slight local improvements and worsening congestion in several U.S. and Mexican cities. Mexico City remains at the top of the continental list, with a congestion level of 75.9 percent, followed by Guadalajara (63.3%) and Los Angeles (59.8%). Vancouver just misses the “negative podium” and it’s fourth with 56.5%, while Toronto ranks ninth with 47.7% – here the rankings.

Experts cite major road construction and the increasing number of vehicles on the roads as primary causes. Interestingly, many Toronto drivers also point to the proliferation of bike lanes, which in some cases have reduced road capacity and worsened traffic. Extreme weather events, such as heavy snowfalls, also contribute to congestion.

Also, a municipal report highlights that Toronto’s 5,600 kilometers of roads have not been expanded in decades, while population growth and a 26 percent increase in vehicle registrations since 2014 have intensified pressure on the network. The massive return to in-office work has further increased daily commuting.

To reduce congestion, experts point to improving public transit as a key alternative to private car use. Indeed, “TomTom” data show that the same 10-kilometer trip that takes 29 minutes in the morning and 34 in the evening by car can take just 17 and 20 minutes respectively using the subway. The solution, it seems, is already there—it just requires more commitment.

In the pic above, Dufferin Street at the intersection with Orfus Road, yesterday around 5:30 p.m.: traffic here is slow during rush hours  (photo: Marzio Pelù – Corriere Canadese)