These are the worst times to commute in Ottawa, according to TomTom

Traffic congestion in the eastbound lanes of highway 417 in Ottawa. Jan. 30, 2025. (Tyler Fleming / CTV News).

Ottawa drivers spent a little longer sitting in traffic in 2024, with the worst traffic congestion observed during the afternoon commute.

Traffic data released by TomTom this month shows it took 20 seconds longer to complete a 10-kilometre trip in Ottawa last year compared to 2023. Drivers spent an average of 16 minutes and 56 seconds driving 10 kilometres in 2024, according to TomTom.

Ottawa motorists lost an average of 55 hours due to rush-hour traffic.

TomTom’s annual traffic index shows Ottawa ranked 9th in Canada for traffic congestion, and 307th in the world for travel times.

Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. were the worst times of the week to drive in Ottawa, with drivers spending approximately 25 minutes to drive 10 km. TomTom says the slowest travel times on the weekday morning commutes were between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, with the average time to drive 10 km approximately 20 minutes.

In 2023, the worst travel times for travel in Ottawa, according to TomTom, were Tuesdays between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. (23 minutes and 20 seconds to travel 10 km), and 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday (21 minutes and 50 seconds to travel 10 km).

According to the traffic index, the worst day to travel in 2024 was Monday, December 9 when the average travel time for 10 km was 24 minutes and 22 seconds.

The average congestion level in Ottawa was 26 per cent in 2024, up two per cent from 2023, according to TomTom.

The increase in travel times in Ottawa came as the federal government mandated federal workers in the core public service to be in the office a minimum of three days a week, starting last September. Federal public unions have cited less congestion on the roads and better work-life balance for families as reasons for allowing remote work for employees.

Coun. Tim Tierney, the chair of the city’s transportation committee, says the city is looking at ways to improve commute times.

“We want to make sure that the timing of our lights allows the traffic flow to take place and we’re also looking at our federal and provincial partners to look at expanding some of our road networks,” said Tierney. “I always like the discussion of a ring road and it’s something that I even spoke to the Minister of Transportation from the province today. These might be some of the ideas to move traffic around the city, a little more than just going through downtown.”

Vancouver was the most congested city in Canada and fifth in North America, while Toronto ranked second for traffic congestion in Canada and eighth in North America. Commuters lost an average of 86 hours due to rush-hour traffic in Vancouver in 2024, while Toronto commuters lost 77 hours due to rush-hour traffic.

The index, according to the company, is based on data from over 600 million in-car navigation systems and smartphones.

Barranquilla, Columbia was ranked as the slowest city in the world, with drivers spending an average of 34 minutes and 51 seconds to drive 10 km. According to TomTom, Mexico City was the most congested city in the world, with congestion levels at 52 per cent.

Average time to drive 10 km in Ottawa during rush hour in 2024, according to TomTom data

Morning commute

• Monday: 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.: 14 minutes, 58 seconds. 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.: 17 minutes, 15 seconds.
• Tuesday: 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.: 16 minutes, 50 seconds. 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.: 19 minutes, 50 seconds.
• Wednesday: 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.: 16 minutes, 15 seconds. 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.: 19 minutes, 48 seconds.
• Thursday: 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.: 15 minutes, 45 seconds. 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.: 18 minutes, 56 seconds.
• Friday: 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.: 14 minutes, 1 second. 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.: 16 minutes, 27 seconds.

Afternoon commute

• Monday: 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.: 19 minutes, 9 seconds. 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.: 20 minutes. 13 seconds. 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.: 18 minutes, 6 seconds
• Tuesday: 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.: 22 minutes, 14 seconds. 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.: 24 minutes, 58 seconds. 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.: 21 minutes, 28 seconds
• Wednesday: 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.: 21 minutes, 58 seconds. 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.: 25 minutes, 5 seconds. 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.: 21 minutes, 48 seconds.
• Thursday: 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.: 21 minutes, 57 seconds. 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.: 24 minutes, 24 seconds. 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.: 21 minutes, 50 seconds.

Average time to drive 10 km in 2024 in Canada

• Vancouver: 27:03
• Toronto: 25:13
• Halifax: 23:31
• Winnipeg: 23:01
• Montreal: 22:09
• London: 20:22
• Edmonton: 19:49
• Calgary: 18:11
• Ottawa: 16:56
• Hamilton: 16:46
• Quebec City: 16:41
• Waterloo: 16:27
• Kitchener: 14:50

--With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Tyler Fleming