• Every local knows that Montreal traffic can be brutal, but TomTom's Global Traffic Congestion Index puts a number to just how bad it truly is.
• According to this ranking, Montreal is the third worst city in Canada when it comes to traffic issues, behind Vancouver and Toronto.
• Check out more of the statistics below!
• Visit MTLBlog for more headlines.

TomTom released its annual Global Traffic Congestion Index and ranked Montreal as the third worst city in Canada for traffic problems. The study evaluates the traffic conditions in major cities around the world and found that Canada's two largest cities, Vancouver and Toronto, are the top two worst in the country. So, let's talk about Montreal traffic.

Globally, Montreal didn't even crack the Top 100, coming in at 138th. Vancouver and Toronto, on the other hand, came in at the 40th and 80th worst cities for traffic in the world.

While this might surprise Montreal commuters who are endlessly stuck in traffic, Montrealers only lose, on average, over 15 to 18 minutes per 30 minute trip in the mornings and evenings. Vancouverites have it much worse, losing an average of over 17 to 22 minutes. 

If you're a driver in Montreal, you can expect to spend an average of 29% of your drive stuck in traffic, up 2% from 2018. The most congested roads in Montreal are non-highways, which have traffic 30% of the time. 

TomTom's Traffic Congestion Index covered 416 cities in 57 countries and 6 continents. To obtain its statistics, TomTom's system records road conditions and travel times 365 days a year. 

If you think traffic in Montreal is bad, it really isn't! Let's find out why that is, shall we?

Before you point out that Montreal is the 3rd-worst in Canada for traffic congestion, consider that that makes sense because Montreal is the second-largest city in the country.*

If we expand the range to cover all of North America, Montreal barely squeaks through the Top 10, just beating out Ottawa. As mentioned, Montreal doesn't even make the Top 100 globally. 

Let's compare Montreal to our closest frenemy - Toronto. Overall, Torontonians are stuck in traffic 33% of the time compared to our 29%.

On average, Torontonians lose over 17 to 20 minutes in traffic per 30-minute trip. Montrealers can expect to lose over 15 to 18 minutes over the same amount of time. 

In Toronto, expect to lose up to 142 hours (or 5 days, 22 hours) in traffic every year. In this case, Montrealers are only marginally better off, losing up to 131 hours (or 5 days, 11 hours).

READ ALSO: Air Canada Suspends Flights Between Montreal And China & Many Passengers Are Confused

In Toronto, the worst day for traffic is Thursdays between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Here in Montreal, Thursdays also suck for traffic but an hour earlier than Toronto. 

In both cities, the evening rush hour is the worst time for traffic and both also have non-highways as the most congested. 

The worst day for traffic in Montreal? According to the stats, that was January 23. In Toronto, the worst day for traffic is January 28.

Here are the top 10 worst cities for traffic in Canada, according to TomTom:

1. Vancouver 
2. Toronto
3. Montreal
4. Ottawa
5. Halifax
6. London
7. Winnipeg 
8. Quebec City 
9. Hamilton
10. Calgary

Do these results surprise you? 

To consult the TomTom Global Traffic Congestion Index, please visit its official website.

*This article has been updated.