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For Kareem Khalo, driving from Mississauga to Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) means he has more control over his schedule. But even with free parking, paying for gas has become more difficult to manage alongside school.
“I like to run on my own schedule, give myself my own time,” said Khalo, who is a third-year philosophy student at TMU.
Gasoline prices across Canada were 22.8 per cent higher in August 2026, compared to the year earlier. According to Statistics Canada’s Consumer Price Index released on Sept. 14.
Khalo said his travel time from home to campus takes roughly 45 minutes, with his return trip taking roughly 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic and when his classes end. He has two 8 a.m. classes and said he tries to leave home by 6:30 a.m.
In comparison, his transit commute would take roughly hours each way, he said.
Khalo estimates spending $120 to $130 on gas every two weeks. He calculates his gas mileage using a fuel price of $2 as a worst-case scenario estimate. His estimate does not show how much of that spending is exclusively for campus travel.
Khalo has access to free parking at his older brother’s building downtown.
“So I’m lucky enough to actually be able to park at my brother’s building downtown, so I have free parking anytime I go, so I don’t really pay anything for parking,” he said. Khalo estimated his transit cost at $30 to $35 for a round trip, though his account included a mix of bus travel and Uber use. These figures are estimates, not a verified fare comparison.
Khalo sometimes drives to Kipling station and takes the subway to TMU, which he says saves him gas and makes the trip less stressful, although it takes him longer.
“But again, I wish I could drive all the way to Toronto all the time, but gas prices have just gone through the roof, and I can only work so much during school,” he said.
Angela Glover faces a different parking bill and has a longer drive. She said that she comes to campus five days a week and pays $15 a day for faculty and staff parking. Glover is a TMU production technician and contract lecturer who is commuting from Oshawa.
For an entire month of driving to campus five days a week, she estimates needing about five fill-ups at roughly $95 each; this puts her fuel spending just below $500 before parking.
Her drive to campus depends on the day. On Mondays, when she starts later, she says that she can reach downtown in about 55 minutes. On busier days, the morning drive can take her about an hour and 20 minutes. Her trip home takes roughly an hour and a half.
Taking transit costs her about $22 a day and takes roughly an hour and 50 minutes door to door, she said, including reaching the Oshawa GO station and travelling from Union Station to her work.
Glover said that she tries to take the train one or two days a week when she has the time, as it reduces both the fuel and parking costs, and can sometimes help her avoid driving in bad weather.
“It’s the length of time it takes to commute that gets under my skin,” she said.
Patricia Wood, a geography professor at York University, said that time and reliability play an important role in commuting decisions, including those with tight budgets.
Wood said that rising gasoline prices do not necessarily lead commuters to change how they travel.
When asked if people switch to transit or absorb the additional expense, she said: “By and large, they tend to absorb the expense.”
Wood said that driving can still be cheaper for some trips, primarily shorter journeys or when many people travel together at once. For those who already own a car, she said the purchase price is a sunk cost and may not factor into their comparison with transit.
“You’re only comparing the cost of gas to public transportation,” said Wood.
Wood said better transit services would be more likely to draw people out of their cars.
“It’s what puts people back on transit is when transit gets better, when it becomes more frequent, more reliable, and a more comfortable experience.”
Wood said that unreliable service adds to a commute because travellers must leave earlier to account for possible delays. Connections and proximity to a major transit route also affect whether transit is appealing or not.
Antonio Paez, a professor at McMaster University’s School of Earth, Environment and Society, said car ownership and access to transit shape the choices available to commuters.
“But then if we think of the time that goes into that, it also includes time finding parking, time waiting for the bus, time making connections,” he said.
Paez said that students who depend on cars might have limited room in their budgets to absorb higher fuel costs. He suggested targeting transit services to the places and times people need them.
For Glover, faster train service would make a difference.
“Going back to the express trains would make my commute faster, and I will take the train more often,” she said.
OTR reporter for F2026.
