The Geography of Social Distancing in Canada: Evidence from Facebook

Abstract

This article analyzes which characteristics are correlated with mobility reductions during the COVID-19 pandemic, using census-division-level mobility data for Canada from Facebook. There is significant variation in the extent to which social distancing was applied in April, relative to a preperiod of February. I find that the population and population density of a census division are strongly correlated with larger mobility reductions. Conversely, I find that areas with a larger share of dwellings that are apartments exhibit smaller mobility reductions, suggesting that those in tighter living conditions may find it less possible to stay at home during the pandemic. Finally, I examine the persistence of mobility reductions into May and show that areas with a larger apartment dwelling share are more likely to maintain their social distancing over time.