Fresh data confirms the prevailing belief among motorists in Halifax that traffic congestion remains a persistent issue, with no signs of improvement, positioning the city among the most congested in Canada.
As per the latest annual traffic index by geolocation firm TomTom unveiled on Wednesday, Halifax’s downtown area was ranked the third worst in the country for congestion in 2025, trailing only Vancouver and Toronto for the second consecutive year.
Transportation professor Ahsan Habib from Dalhousie University acknowledged the findings, stating that the numbers were not unexpected.
TomTom’s congestion calculation reflects the additional time taken for travel due to traffic conditions compared to uninterrupted driving under free-flowing circumstances.
The most recent data recorded an average congestion level of around 45% in Halifax last year, resulting in drivers losing 111 hours in rush-hour traffic, similar to the 45% congestion rate in 2024.
At a 45% average congestion level in Halifax, a half-hour journey under free-flowing conditions would extend by 13.5 minutes due to traffic, totaling an average of 43.5 minutes.
Habib affirmed that the data aligns with forecasts from the Dalhousie Transportation Collaboratory (DalTRAC) he supervises, indicating an anticipated rise in traffic volumes over the forthcoming years due to population expansion and a return to in-person work.
Halifax’s population has surged by over 60,000 individuals since 2021, reaching approximately 503,000 in 2024. However, access to the urban core remains limited, mainly through two harbor bridges and the Windsor Street exchange.
Given Halifax’s geographical constraints, Habib emphasized that a significant shift towards public transit is vital. A study from 2022-23 revealed that about 77% of Halifax residents heavily relied on personal vehicles for commuting, with only about 6% opting for public transportation.
Although Habib does not believe Halifax has reached a traffic crisis yet, he cautioned that the city is moving in that direction.
“We’ve been discussing transit for the past 10 to 15 years, but we haven’t witnessed substantial system changes,” Habib remarked.
Collaborative efforts between Halifax and the province are underway to implement short- and long-term strategies outlined in the Link Nova Scotia initiative, which includes the establishment of a long-debated rapid bus system.
Habib expressed his desire to see Halifax initiate a pilot program by the following year featuring a single rapid bus route. Even without dedicated bus lanes along the entire route, Habib believed it would be a promising start to pinpoint areas requiring improvement.
Deputy Mayor Patty Cuttell emphasized receiving frequent complaints from drivers and transit users regarding buses delayed in traffic, stressing the urgent need for rapid bus services in Halifax.
While transit remains a municipal priority with ongoing efforts to introduce bus lanes and plan routes, Cuttell highlighted the necessity for provincial and federal funding to materialize these plans.
“We’ve approved numerous