Home was 2022’s most trafficked destination on Waze

Navigation app Waze is ready to get Canadians in the holiday spirit.

Starting today, users can select Santa or Mrs. Claus as they navigate through the holiday season. Drivers will have Santa’s signature sleigh as their vehicle if they make the selection.

2022 trends

With 2022 coming to an end, the company also reports the most popular destinations for Canadians over the year.

Drivers picked ‘home’ most often, making it the most trafficked destination in 2022. School, food and drink, restaurant, and shopping centre make the top five.

This is a change from 2021, which saw home, restaurants, and parks represent the top three destinations.

‘Office’ was ranked 32 on the list, despite a major increase in commuting in October 2022 compared to January, as people returned to the office. For example, the figure increased by 263 percent in Quebec City.

“Traffic has been very different over the last few years, and this look back at 2022 has offered some interesting insights into Canadian driving patterns and trends,” Mike Wilson, the company’s Canada Country Manager, said.

Waze further reports the most kilometres were driven in August and the least in January.

Navigation in select cities also shot up around the same time. For example, navigation to Niagara Falls increased by 94 percent in August 2022 compared to July.

“Overall, we’re seeing more people on the roads this year – whether it was to head to the office, or to shopping and dining destinations — and we expect traffic to continue to shift and change as we head into 2023,” Wilson said. 

Waze is available on iOS and Android.