An anatomy of the geographical concentration of Canadian manufacturing industries

We use detailed micro-geographic data to document the location patterns of Canadian manufacturing industries and changes in those patterns during the first decade of 2000. Depending on industry classifications and years, 40 to 60% of industries are geographically localized, i.e., are spatially clustered relative to overall manufacturing. Although some industries are increasingly clustered, localization has generally decreased in Canada according to our measures. We further document the locational trends of small plants, young plants, and exporters. Their location patterns do not differ significantly from that of the other plants in their industries.