About six times as many people use a vehicle to get to work in Winnipeg than use public transit, according to census statistics released Tuesday.

The Statistics Canada release, of more information from the 2006 census, included details on where Canadians work, how they most often get there and how long they travel.

There are 347,000 commuters in what's known as the census metropolitan area of Winnipeg, and 78.7 per cent of them either drive to work or are passengers in someone else's vehicle.

That compares to 13 per cent of commuters in the region who used public transit. Just under six per cent walked, and 1.6 per cent used a bicycle.

The median commuting distance in 2006 was 6.1 kilometres — meaning the point where one-half of the population travels more than that distance and the other half travels less. Commuting distance is measured on a straight line from home to work — not the actual route travelled, which for most commuters would be longer.

The metropolitan area in Canada with the longest median commuting distance is Oshawa, Ont., at 11.0 kilometres, while the shortest commute is Regina, where it's less than 4.6 kilometres.
 
The region with the highest reliance on the car was Abbotsford, B.C., where 93.2 per cent either drove to work or were passengers in a vehicle.

Montreal might be able to stake a claim to being home to the country's greenest commuters: that region had the highest proportion of people (28.8 per cent) who used public transit, their bike or their feet to get to work.

Fewer young workers replacing baby boomers

Meanwhile, nearly 13 per cent of the workforce in the Winnipeg region is nearing retirement age, according to other census data released Tuesday.

The data indicates 12.9 per cent of the workforce of the Winnipeg region was aged 55 to 64. Provincially, 13.3 per cent of the workforce was in the 55-64 age group and nationally the figure was 12.9.
  
Among that age group nearing retirement in the Winnipeg region, 21.7 per cent work in business, finance and administration occupations and 20.3 per cent work in sales and service occupations.
  
The census shows a continuing national trend of fewer young people entering the workforce to replace retiring baby boomers.
  
The census numbers show that in 2006, there were 2.1 entrants to the labour force of Winnipeg region aged 20-34 for every person over 55 who was on their way out.

Where Winnipeggers work:
Sales and service jobs	24.7%
Business, finance, administration	20.1%
Trades, transport, equipment operators	13.5%
Management occupations	9.5%
Social science, education, government, religion	9.3%
Health sector	6.9%
Natural and applied sciences	6.2%
Processing, manufacturing, utilities	5.5%
Art, culture, recreation, sport	2.8%
Primary industry	1.4%

Across Canada, there were 1.9 entrants to the labour force aged 20-34 for every person over 55 heading toward retirement. Five years ago, there were 2.7 entrants for every potential retiree and 25 years ago, the figure was 3.7 entrants.

For several years, researchers have been warning about potential labour shortages across Canada based on the aging of baby boomers — those born between 1946 and 1964 — and lower fertility rates. Within the next three years, almost one-fifth of Canadian baby boomers will be at least 61 years of age.

Labour market analysts are predicting a widespread shortage of workers impacting a broad range of occupations. A shortage of suitable workers can hurt a healthy economy because the labour market and economy are so tightly bound.

When the ratio of workers arriving to the workplace dips below the number leaving it, it could create a drag on the economy and stagnate growth.