Canadians are spending almost $3 billion every year to repair their vehicles due to poor road infrastructure, according to a new study from the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA).
CAA’s analysis revealed the average Canadian driver incurs an extra $126 in costs annually because of poor roads — a total of $2.6 billion for motorists collectively, a news release explained. That cost is related to vehicle repairs, higher maintenance and other operating expenses.
These extra costs add up to more than $1,000 over a 10-year lifespan of a vehicle.
“Canada’s roads are vital for commuters, business and connecting communities,” Ian Jack, vice-president of public affairs for CAA national, said. “This study shows for the first time the hidden cost to drivers of below-average roads. And it demonstrates that governments would save money in the long run if they brought roads up to — not perfection — but a good standard. That should be attainable.”
A vehicle is the second-largest expense for most households, he continued. When Canadians pay higher vehicle operating costs due to those poor-quality roads, that is money they no longer have to spend on everyday wants and needs.
The study used self-reported data from provincial and municipal agencies, which indicated that close to half — 43 per cent — of Canadian roads are below average, the news release said. Using the most recent Statistics Canada data, the study calculated how much more motorists pay in maintenance and other costs when they drive on poor roads compared to good roads.
“Good doesn’t mean brand new, just consistently well-maintained,” the release added.
Fixing roads before they can deteriorate is a “win-win proposition” since it saves governments and motorists money, Jack said. CAA’s study found that spending $1 on pavement preservation eliminates or delays the spending of $6 to $10 on repairs later.
The report’s analysis corresponds to a typical or “normal” year using the most recently available data, the news release added. The report assumes a continuous use of roads and kilometres driven by Canadians compared to the unusual decrease in traffic volumes during the pandemic.
Executive summary
According to the CAA report, the average annual cost of poor roads per vehicle in Saskatchewan is $88; Prince Edward Island had the highest average annual cost per year at $262, while Alberta’s cost is $49 per year and Manitoba’s cost is $87 per year.
Eighteen per cent of Canadian roads are in poor or very poor condition, 24 per cent are rated fair, while 52 per cent of roads are considered good or very good, the report indicated. While this signals that there are more good roads than poor roads, the poor roads still add up: Canada has 75,000 kilometres of roads in poor condition and another 43,000 kilometres in very poor condition.
In Saskatchewan, 48 per cent of the province’s 26,916 highway kilometres are rated below good condition, while 41 per cent of the province’s 30,472 non-highway kilometres are rated below good conditions.
Using data from Statistics Canada, CAA determined that the estimated average annual vehicle kilometres travelled in Saskatchewan is 15,991 kilometres; that figure is highest in Nova Scotia at 19,876 kilometres. This is based on 45 per cent of motorists driving on highways and 55 per cent driving on non-highways.
There are roughly 23 million passenger cars on the road nationwide.
