Can I live in Canada without a car?

In the centres of Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal, many people live without a car. In the suburbs and smaller cities, distances are long, winters are hard and most households drive.

Can you manage without a car?

It depends far more on the neighbourhood than the city. Near a subway, SkyTrain, metro or O-Train station, with work in the centre, many people manage. In the suburbs, smaller cities and rural areas, buses can be infrequent and a car becomes a necessity. Before you sign a lease, try the commute at rush hour, and check evening and weekend service. See How do I find a place to rent?

Fares by city

Fares usually rise once a year, often in January or July. Check the operator’s website before you budget

Tapping with a bank card

• Toronto: tap a contactless debit or credit card, or a phone, on any PRESTO reader. Use the same card every time, or trips won’t count towards the monthly cap. Youth, senior and student discounts need a PRESTO card (C$4)
• Since March 2026, a TTC PRESTO card must have enough money on it to cover the fare before you tap
• Vancouver: tap a contactless card or phone at SkyTrain gates and bus readers, and tap out on SkyTrain and SeaBus. Don’t tap your whole wallet, or the wrong card may be charged
• Trips from Vancouver airport stations add a C$6.50 AddFare
• Ottawa: bank cards pay the adult fare only; discounts need PRESTO
• Montreal: an OPUS card is the reliable way to pay. Android phones can now carry a virtual OPUS card in the Chrono app

City by city

• Toronto: most TTC monthly and 12-month passes ended on 31 August 2026, when fare capping began. The adult 12-month pass (C$143 a month) and post-secondary monthly pass are still sold
• Vancouver: the number of zones you pay for depends on how far you go on SkyTrain. Buses are always 1 zone, and every trip after 6:30pm on weekdays and at weekends is 1 zone
• Montreal: the monthly pass covers metro, buses, exo trains and the REM in zone A. An Unlimited Weekend fare is C$17
• Calgary: a day pass is C$12.65. At weekends a C$18 group day pass covers up to two adults and five people over 12, and children 12 and under ride free
• Halifax: the HFXGO app caps your fares at the price of a day or monthly pass, if you load money into your account and use Tap & Ride

Between cities

VIA Rail runs intercity trains. Almost all its passengers travel in the Quebec City–Windsor corridor, which links Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto. Elsewhere, distances are huge and trains are few, so people fly or drive. For trips away, see Where can we go for a weekend away?

Bikes, rideshare and winter walking

• Bike share runs in the big cities, for example Bike Share Toronto, Mobi in Vancouver and BIXI in Montreal. BIXI costs C$24 a month for unlimited rides of up to 45 minutes, or C$1.60 to unlock plus 21 cents a minute
• Rideshare apps and taxis work in all the big cities, and prices rise at busy times
• Winter storms, freezing rain and blizzards are common from November to April. Buy proper boots with good grip, and allow extra time: buses run late in snow
• Car-share and car rental cover the occasional big shop or trip out of town