With increasingly unaffordable house prices in Vancouver, many people who work in the city live in somewhat more affordable outlying communities such as Squamish. Across Canada, an estimated 15 million commuters make a trek to work on a daily basis. But what鈥檚 the real cost of commuting every day 鈥� and is it worth it?
Evan Biswanger has been commuting from Squamish to Vancouver for the past decade.
鈥淚鈥檝e both had other commuters ride with me to share the costs and also infrequently used ride shares,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been better when I鈥檝e had a commuter in my car, and the best rate, because you have someone sharing the costs. It鈥檚 also better for me when I take my own car, and easier, because I also have kids in daycare I need to pick up in Squamish at the end of the day. So, for kids and schedules, I really need to commute with my own car.鈥�
But he estimates that commute is costing him quite a bit.
鈥淚 figure on average and depending which vehicle I use, I spend about $400 per month to get to work every month,鈥� he said.
However, that calculation was only for Biswanger鈥檚 gas and parking in the city.
鈥淭here is also the wear and tear on my car,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd, just in the past two months I鈥檓 already out $4,000 in repairs to the two vehicles we use to commute.鈥�
There鈥檚 also insurance to add to the mix.
鈥淚f you travel a certain number of kilometres for commuting, your insurance rates are higher,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o, yes I pay even more there, too.鈥�
But Biswanger said he really has no choice.
鈥淚 have to go to the city to work,鈥� said the graphic designer. 鈥淭here just aren鈥檛 the jobs in Squamish yet.鈥�
An online commuting costs calculator estimates the total cost of commuting Squamish to Vancouver is on average more than $17,000 per year, depending on parking costs, mileage, vehicle model and other variables.
But in the end, it isn鈥檛 the money Biswanger spends on the commute that concerns him most, rather the time.
鈥淭he other big variable for me is the time I miss spending with my kids,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 have two or more hours a day that I鈥檓 in my car commuting,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 time I don鈥檛 get to spend with my family. Then there鈥檚 all the stress associated with the commute. I worry daily about getting stuck in traffic and not making it home to get my kids at daycare. I also worry about being in an accident on the highway. So in the end, commuting has a lot more costs than just financial.鈥�
