A recent report by Statistics Canada has found that Canadians who work from home are saving over an hour each day in commute time, as well as experiencing improvements in their sleeping and eating patterns. The report, based on data from the 2022 Time Use Survey, revealed that the percentage of Canadians working from home has risen significantly in recent years, from seven percent in 2016 to 24 percent in 2022. Teleworkers saved an average of over an hour each day by not having to commute, whereas non-teleworkers commuted an average of 63 minutes per day. This extra time saved by teleworkers was often used to balance unpaid housework, with teleworkers spending about 16 more minutes on such tasks compared to non-teleworkers on paid workdays.
The report also highlighted a gender gap in unpaid housework, with women consistently doing more than men even when both worked from home. In addition, teleworking was found to be associated with more time spent caring for children, with both fathers and mothers who worked from home spending approximately 71 minutes more per day actively caring for their children compared to parents who did not telework. However, mothers were found to spend an average of 52 minutes more with children than fathers, regardless of whether they worked from home or not. This suggests that teleworking may offer parents more flexibility in managing their caregiving responsibilities.
Furthermore, the study found that teleworkers had better sleeping habits, sleeping an average of 23 minutes more than non-teleworkers. The absence of a daily commute also allowed teleworkers more time for leisure activities, with teleworkers spending around 30 minutes more in leisure activities compared to non-teleworkers. This included both active leisure activities like exercising or hobbies, as well as passive leisure activities like watching television. However, teleworkers spent less time on personal care activities compared to non-teleworkers, potentially due to reduced pressure on teleworkers to spend time on grooming activities.
Despite a decrease in the number of people working from home since the peak of the pandemic, senior economist Robert Kavcic from BMO Capital Markets believes that remote work is likely here to stay for many. He noted that occupancy rates in downtown cores in Canada are still below pre-pandemic levels, and the trend towards hybrid work is expected to continue. Kavcic suggested that on average, about three days a week in the office is becoming the norm. This shift towards hybrid work arrangements could have implications for where people choose to live and real estate values, as it allows individuals to live further from city centers and still have access to quality housing. This flexibility in work arrangements may also contribute to improved housing affordability for many Canadians.
