According to the 2016 Census, among the employed population 15 years and older, the average commuting duration was 29.5 minutes for those living in the County of Simcoe and 23.1 minutes for those living in the District of Muskoka. The average commuting time was highest in South Simcoe County – 39.7 minutes in the municipality of Innisfil, and 36.6 minutes in Adjala-Tosorontio. Penetanguishene and Midland had the shortest average commuting time with 18.9 and 19.2 minutes, respectively. Across Ontario, the average commuting duration was 28.8 minutes.
There was a noticeable difference in the average commuting duration for males and females with males commuting for a longer amount of time compared to females.
In terms of commuting flow – starting location (place of residence) to destination (place of work) – 41.4% (or 86,410) of Simcoe Muskoka employed residents (15 years and over) travelled within their municipality to get to their usual place of work, 33.5% (or 69,985) travelled within their Census Division (i.e. Simcoe or Muskoka) to another municipality, and 24.7% (or 52,255) travelled outside of their census division to get to their usual place of work.
The southern municipalities in Simcoe had the highest percentages of their employed labour forces (15 years and over) commuting outside of their census division (Simcoe County) for work purposes: Bradford West-Gwillimbury (69.8% or 10,120), New Tecumseth (47.1% or 6,470) and Adjala-Tosorontio (46.6% or 2,105). Municipalities with the highest percentage of the employed population (aged 15 years and over) commuting outside of their residential municipalities to get to work included Adjala-Tosorontio (92%), Tay (90%), and Tiny (90%).
Georgian Bay had the highest percentage of employed labour forces (15 years and over) commuting outside of the District of Muskoka census division for work purposes (64.1% or 455), while Lake of Bays had the highest percentage of the employed labour force travelling outside of their residential municipality to get to work.
Compared to 2006, a larger percentage of the employed population 15 years or older was commuting outside of their Census Division in 2016.
Among the employed population 15 years and older in Simcoe Muskoka by place of work status, 78.1% worked at a usual place, 14.0% had no fixed workplace address (e.g. building and landscape contractors, travelling salespersons, independent truck drivers), 7.6% worked at home and less than one percent (0.3%) worked outside of Canada.
In Simcoe Muskoka, 84.4% (or 107,790) of employed females aged 15 years or older worked at a usual place of work (versus 72.3% of males) and 20.5% of employed males had no fixed workplace address (versus 6.9% of females).
The percentage of the employed population (aged 15 years and over) working at no fixed address (e.g. building and landscape contractors, travelling salespersons, independent truck drivers) has increased slightly over time from 12.3% in 2006 to 14.0% in 2016 while the percentage working at a usual place has slightly decreased from 79.7% in 2006 to 78.1% in 2016.
Among the modes of transportation used to get to work, motorized vehicles were the most common, with 91.6% of those 15 years of age and older who were employed in the labour force getting to work by car, truck or van (7% of these were traveling as passengers).
In 2016, 11,615 (4.7%) of Simcoe Muskoka commuters used active transportation (walking or cycling) and 2.7% (6,580) used public transit to get to work. In total, 7.4% (18,195) of Simcoe Muskoka commuters used sustainable transportation (public transit, walking, cycling) to get to work. In comparison, 21.1% of Ontario commuters used sustainable transportation, a large portion of this (69%) was public transit.
Compared to 2006, the percentage of the employed Simcoe Muskoka population that used public transit to commute to work has slightly increased from 2.1% (4,850) in 2006 to 2.7% (6,580) in 2016 while the percentage of the population walking or biking has decreased from 2006 to 2016. Specifically, 5.1% (11,620) of the employed Simcoe Muskoka population (15 years of age and over) walked to work in 2006 (versus 4.2% or 10,270 in 2016) and 0.8% (1,890) had biked to work (versus 0.5% or 1,345 in 2016).
Among employed Simcoe Muskoka residents that used active transportation (i.e. walking or biking) to get to work in 2016, 77.5% (or 8,470) lived 2.9km or less from their place of work. In contrast, the majority of employed Simcoe Muskoka residents (22.5% or 46,850) lived 35km or more from work.
Among the 21% of employed Simcoe Muskoka residents that lived 2.9km or less from their place of work, 76% (33,270) drove a car, truck or van to work, 19% (8,470) used active transportation, 3% (1,150) used public transit and 2% (1,060) used other methods to get to work.
For the majority (55.7% or 6,090) of those using active transport to get to work in 2016, it took less than 15 minutes to get to work and for another 32% (3,450) it took between 15 to 29 minutes to get to work.