A new GfK study shows Canadians are increasingly putting their trust in online ride and accommodation sharing services, despite high levels of skepticism just five years ago.

Today, one in four (26%) Canadians are using home rental sites to book accommodation when they travel for personal reasons – but only 4% say they would have been very likely to have considered such an option five years ago.

The study also found that 34% of Canadians under age 54 have used or are open to using accommodation sharing while on vacation – compared to just 12% of the over-55 age group. 

Accepting a ride from a stranger was also an alien concept for most Canadians not long ago.  But today, one in four Canadians uses some form of ride-sharing service occasionally or frequently. 

Only 2% of those 55 and older say that five years ago, they would have been very likely to get into someone else’s privately owned vehicle for local transportation. Yet, 10% of this group say they have used these services at least once in the past year.

When Canadians aged 18-34 were asked if five years they would have been very likely to consider using ride-sharing services just 5% said yes. Now, almost half (45%) have reported using a service at least once if not often in the past year.