Tag Archives: traffic


Moving To Moncton Mondays #1: Traffic and Our “Oh-So-Fabulous” Commutes

Welcome to the inaugural post in our Moving To Moncton Series, highlighting why Moncton is such a fantastic place to live!  I consider myself to be a bit of an expert on the topic as I personally made the move from the Greater Toronto Area 4 years ago and am enjoying the benefits of life in Moncton to the fullest!

One of the most significant lifestyle changes that my family experienced when moving to Moncton was the traffic- or lack thereof which is the today’s topic.  In fact, I knew that I had adapted to our new city when I  caught myself complaining about being stuck for two entire minutes at an on-ramp.  It’s all about perspective.  In my previous life, I always allowed myself an hour to 90 minutes to get anywhere… in Moncton, 15 minutes to cross the city is ample.

The reality is, long commutes & hours spent idling in traffic are not only inconvenient, they are extremely bad for your health!  Stress & anxiety, air quality and strained relationships are all terrible side-effects of long commutes and overcrowded highways.

Last year, City News published “Toronto traffic affecting driver health: stress expert” .  In the article, City News interviewed Dr. Mel Borings:

“Some people when they walk into a car, it’s like they’re in a combat zone. They feel like they’re at war; they have to speed, and conflict and anger — that is the life of some people in a car,” Dr. Borins said.

Although my GTA was 40 mins from my office, I would spend 90 minutes making my way in and another 90 making my way out. That’s 3 hours a day- gone.  Once we had kids, I simply did not have 3 hours a day to sit in the car and, as a result, made a major life decision to move to Moncton.  My commute is currently 7 minutes.

Coastal Shediac, NB is an easy 21 minute commute to Moncton.

The relative absence of traffic allows Greater Monctonians more freedom and choice in their lifestyle.  For example, cottage country in Shediac, NB is only 21 mins away.  Many Monctonians move to their cottages for the summer (or even year round) as 21 mins is an easy commute by most cities’ standards.

Thinking of moving to Moncton? Have you recently moved back?  Share your story with us and let us know how much time you’ve gained in your life.