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Work commute rising in Canada as more people going into office

Published

1 year ago

August 22, 2023

As more companies call workers into the office after the peak of the pandemic, a growing number of Canadians are now commuting to their work – and for many, it’s taking longer than before, new data shows.

Statistics Canada released a report Tuesday that showed that nearly 16 million Canadians – or four in five employees – commuted to work in May. This represents a 4.8 per cent increase compared with last year and a 26.2 per cent jump from 2021.

In fact, the number of commuters going into work also surpassed the pre-pandemic level of 2016, which was 15.5 million, according to StatCan.

The rise in work commutes this year was driven partly by the percentage of the employed population working from home falling in Canada, reaching 20 per cent in May, the report said.

However, population growth plays a role in these figures: in 2016, just 7.1 per cent of employed Canadians worked from home.

Along with rapid population growth, an increase in total employment is another contributing factor to why more Canadians are travelling to work.

Companies are going all out to make in-office work an attractive option for employees who have gotten used to working from the comfort of their homes over the past three years.

The majority – 82.6 per cent – of employees who go onsite travel by car, truck or van. This is despite the fact that Canadians are dealing with historically high prices and frustratingly long wait times for new vehicles.

Ontario, Alberta and Prince Edward Island all saw an increase in the number of workers who mainly used a car to get to work.

More Canadians are also taking public transit — 1.6 million people in May — making up 10 per cent of total commuters nationally travelling to work.

But the percentage of commuters who walked or cycled to work dipped slightly to six per cent.

The time it takes for people to reach their jobs has also gone up over the last couple of years.

The average time it took for workers travelling by car was 24.5 minutes in May – up from 22.9 minutes the year before and 24 minutes in 2021.

There was an increase in the number of people having to travel for at least one hour to work using different modes of transportation. The report points to the increase in car commuting and heavier traffic on the roads for the rise.

Driving the changing work patterns, people in public administration, information, culture and recreation, as well as professional, scientific and technical services, increasingly shifted to working outside of their homes.

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Montreal’s Gabriel Diallo loses in Almaty Open final in three sets

Published

5 hours ago

October 20, 2024

Anne Joseph

ALMATY, Kazakhstan – Montreal’s Gabriel Diallo lost to Russian-Armenian player Karen Khachanov in three sets at the Almaty Open men’s final on Sunday.

Khachanov won his seventh ATP Tour title 6-2, 5-7, 6-3.

The 28-year-old Khachanov has won both of his matches with the 23-year-old Diallo.

Khachanov also beat Diallo 6-4, 6-4 in the Round of 64 at this year’s National Bank Open.

Diallo had seven aces to Khachanov’s six and the Russian-Armenian had a double fault.

Khachanov converted 6 of 19 break points, while Diallo managed to convert 3 of 6.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2024.

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New Zealand wins cricket’s Women’s T20 World Cup for 1st time with 32-run victory over South Africa

Published

5 hours ago

October 20, 2024

Anne Joseph

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — New Zealand won the Women’s T20 World Cup for the first time, beating South Africa by 32 runs on Sunday after a standout performance from Amelia Kerr with bat and ball.

South Africa’s chase was held to 126-9 in 20 overs at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in reply to New Zealand’s 158-5 in the final of the 18-day tournament.

South Africa was also seeking to become a first-time champion.

After South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt won the toss and opted to bowl, Kerr top scored for New Zealand with a 38-ball 43. Brooke Halliday hit 38 runs in 28 deliveries and opener Suzie Bates scored 32 in 31. Nonkululeko Mlaba took 2-31 in four overs for South Africa.

South Africa made a strong start to its chase, reaching 51-1 in 6.5 overs but never really threatened afterward, reaching the halfway stage of its innings at 64-3.

Wolvaardt top scored for South Africa with a 27-ball 33.

Kerr took 3-24 in her four overs, including Wolvaardt’s wicket.

Both teams fielded an unchanged side from their semifinal wins where South Africa stunned defending champions Australia in the first semi by eight wickets on Thursday, while New Zealand beat West Indies in the second semifinal by eight runs on Friday.

This was South Africa’s second straight final appearance in the tournament. Losing to Australia by 19 runs, it had finished runners-up in its home tournament in 2023, its best result in the tournament.

New Zealand, meanwhile, reached the tournament final for the first time since 2010. In the first two editions – 2009 and 2010 – it had lost to England by six wickets in London, and to Australia by three runs in Barbados.

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AP cricket:

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Brazil’s Lula cancels trip to Russia for BRICS summit after an accident

Published

5 hours ago

October 20, 2024

Anne Joseph

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Sunday canceled his trip to Russia for a BRICS summit after an accident at home that left him with a cut in the neck, his office said.

The 78-year-old leader was scheduled to attend a summit of the BRICS bloc of developing economies in the city of Kazan from Tuesday to Thursday this week.

Hospital Sirio Libanês in Sao Paulo said in a statement that the leftist leader was instructed not to take long distance trips, but can keep his other activities. Doctors Roberto Kalil and Ana Heleno Germoglio said they will regularly check on Lula’s recovery.

Brazil’s presidency said in a separate statement that Lula will take part in the summit by videoconference and will continue his work in capital Brasilia this week. It did not disclose details about what caused the president’s injury.

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