As the country continues to turn the corner and recover from the pandemic, Uber is supporting Canadians and our economy as we adapt to new societal and work patterns. Flexible work on the Uber platform has become more important for drivers and delivery people due to inflation. Reducing impaired driving and safety is an important factor in people choosing rideshare as the nighttime economy continues to recover post pandemic. And the trend of getting food and groceries delivered straight to your front door is here to stay. 

Our latest Economic Impact Report was published today to better understand how Uber has contributed to Canada’s economy and supported Canadians post pandemic in 2022. It found that Uber unlocked an estimated $8.8 million in economic value for the Canadian economy by helping people go anywhere and get anything safely and conveniently, providing flexible earning opportunities for over 140,000 drivers and delivery people, and offering merchants another way to reach their customers. 

Other key findings from the report include: 

Uber has made life easier for Canadians. 

When time is tight, Uber can be trusted to get from A to B quickly and safely while Uber Eats can free up time spent cooking and clearing up by helping deliver good quality food right to eaters’ doors. 

  • Uber saves riders 13 million hours a year. That is the equivalent of making the journey from Vancouver to Ottawa over 300,000 times.
  • 71% of Uber Eats users agreed that food delivery apps are a lot more convenient than other forms of takeout.

More people are choosing to drive or deliver with Uber than ever before due to inflation. 

In the last quarter of 2022 Uber saw the highest number of signups ever seen on the Platform in Canada.

  • 76% reported that their work with Uber or Uber Eats has become more important in the last year as a result of the rising cost of living.
  • 69% said that if they did not work with Uber or Uber Eats they would have struggled to cover their costs.
  • 62% told us that the rising cost of living was the main reason behind their decision to work with Uber or Uber Eats.
  • 92% of drivers and delivery people who use Uber told us that schedule flexibility was important to them when choosing work.

Uber is helping nighttime economies in cities recover post pandemic. 

The pandemic inflicted hardship on restaurants and local businesses across Canada. It has been a long road to recovery with Uber supporting a return to normality. Whether it’s getting home late at night, exploring a new part of town or travelling alone—Uber gives Canadians the confidence to make the most of what’s on offer in their towns and cities.

  • 89% of female riders say safety is an important factor in choosing to ride with Uber.
  • 77% of riders agree that having options like Uber helps reduce impaired driving in an area.
  • 48% of riders told us that without ridesharing services like Uber it would be very or somewhat difficult to find a safe way to travel at night. 

Uber Eats is one of Canada’s leading grocery platforms expanding selection and into new cities. 

Uber Eats has grown quickly from a platform to get your favourite meals delivered to a one-stop-shop for anything you need. Uber has invested heavily in its delivery business and selection has expanded tremendously. Offerings now span grocery, alcohol, convenience, flowers, retail and more. 

  • In the last 6 months, Dollarama, Metro, Walmart, Costco, and Food Basics joined the app for more people to get the essential groceries and household items they need delivered directly to their doors. The addition of these stores means more cities now have grocery delivery available too including cities like Trois-Rivières, Sherbrooke, Belleville, Cambridge, Orillia, Sarnia, Sudbury, and the Niagara Region.
  • 47% of Uber Eats users used the app to order groceries in the last year.
  • 30% of Uber Eats users used the app to order alcohol at least once in the last year.
  • 26% of Uber Eats users used the app to deliver pet food or supplies at least once in the last year.
  • First third-party platform in the world to offer the delivery of safe and legal cannabis.

“This report looks at how Uber is playing an important economic role in Canadians cities recovering from the pandemic: helping people go anywhere safely at night, providing flexible earning opportunities to over 140,000 drivers and delivery people with the rise in inflation, offering merchants another way to reach their customers and attract new ones, and getting groceries delivered straight to people’s front doors,” says Libby Mishkin, Senior Economist at Uber.

As the leading mobility and delivery platform in the world, we know we have a responsibility to the cities we operate in, all Canadians who use our services, and to the drivers and delivery people who choose to earn on the platform. This report shows that Uber has a net positive contribution to the Canadian economy at the national and provincial levels. We’ll continue to find ways to help Canadians go anywhere and get anything. And we’ll keep conversations flowing with drivers and delivery people to ensure a positive and rewarding experience. 

Read the full report here.