New City Data Shows Toronto is Driving Canada's Shift Away From Car Ownership While Calgary Remains the Country's Most Car-Dependent City

Regional findings highlight stark differences in vehicle ownership, commuting habits, and costs across Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal.

TORONTO, March 18, 2026 /CNW/ - Turo, the car rental marketplace, has released new regional findings from its State of Car Ownership in Canada '26 study, revealing how car ownership rates and costs vary significantly across Canada's largest urban centres.

The data highlights shifting attitudes toward car ownership in cities including Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal, as rising costs and changing mobility needs influence how Canadians access vehicles.

Toronto has the lowest car ownership rate among major cities

Among Canada's largest cities, Toronto reports the smallest share of residents who own a vehicle, with just 72% of Torontonians saying they own a car, well below the national average of 85%.

Cost pressures appear to be a key factor. The study finds that 40% of Toronto drivers say owning a car forces them to sacrifice spending in other areas of their life. More broadly across the province, Ontario drivers face some of the highest car ownership costs in the country, spending an average of $5,575 per year to own and maintain a vehicle. That is 26% more than drivers in British Columbia.

Quebec sees one of the biggest shifts in ownership

Quebec recorded one of the most notable year-over-year changes in car ownership in Canada. The share of Quebecers who own a car dropped eight percentage points between 2025 and 2026, falling to 79%, compared to the national average of 85%.

Despite the decline in ownership, Quebec also has the lowest average cost of car ownership in Canada, with drivers spending $4,067 per year on average.

Car ownership remains high in British Columbia

In British Columbia, vehicle ownership remains relatively strong. The report finds that 79% of BC residents own a vehicle, up 3% from 2025. The average annual cost of vehicle ownership in BC is $4,432, down $157 from last year.

Vancouver residents drive more frequently than most Canadians, averaging 5.2 days per week, compared to the national average of five days a week or Montreal's 4.6 days a week. Despite how often Vancouverites drive, many are beginning to rethink the financial tradeoffs of owning a car. Twenty percent of Vancouver residents say that if they could go back in time they would choose a different approach to owning a car, compared to the national average of 12%.

Cost pressures are also influencing behaviour. Twenty-one percent of Vancouver residents say they are using public transportation more often to reduce car-related expenses, compared to 11% nationally, while 36% say they are driving less to reduce car costs, compared to 32% nationally.

Calgary remains Canada's most car-dependent major city

The data shows that Calgary remains one of the most car-dependent major cities in Canada, with residents far more likely to own and rely on vehicles than those in other large urban centres.

93% of Calgarians say they own or lease a vehicle, the highest ownership rate among the cities surveyed. 51% of Calgary commuters travel to work by personal car, compared to 39% in Toronto and 28% in Montreal.

Calgary workers also commute more frequently than those in other cities, averaging 4.2 commuting days per week, with 58% travelling to work five days a week or more. Even among residents who do not currently own a car, 88% say they would like to own or lease one in the future, the strongest demand for car ownership among major Canadian cities.

Car ownership trends are diverging across Canadian cities

While vehicle ownership remains common across the country, the study highlights how urban design, commuting habits, and cost pressures are creating very different car ownership patterns across Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary.

"The way Canadians think about car ownership is increasingly shaped by the city they live in," said Bassem El-Rahimy, Head of Turo Canada. "In major transit-oriented cities like Toronto and Montreal, many people are reconsidering the need to own a car full-time, while in places like Calgary driving remains essential for daily life. As these patterns diverge, more Canadians are starting to think about access to a car when they need one rather than ownership year-round."

The regional data builds on findings from Turo's national 2026 State of Car Ownership in Canada report, which examines how economic pressures, tariffs, and changing mobility habits are reshaping how Canadians think about transportation.

The survey was hosted on the Angus Reid Forum for Turo and conducted among a representative sample of 1,509 English and/or French-speaking Canadians aged 25 or older.

Read the State of Car Ownership in Canada '26 Study.

About Turo
Turo is reinventing rental to unlock independence for all, with hundreds of thousands of vehicles listed by a vast network of local hosts across the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, and Australia. By removing the hassles and rigidity of the traditional rental experience, Turo lets customers choose the exact vehicle they want, pick it up where they want, and keep it for as long as they need.

SOURCE Turo Canada Co ULC

Media Contact: Sarah Gooding, [email protected]