Using Google Data to Understand Canadian Movement Reductions During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

This paper analyzes the extent to which mobility in Canada declined during the COVID-19 pandemic, using publicly released mobility data from Google. I first report that visits to non-residential locations sharply dropped across provinces after states of emergency were put into effect, with a corresponding increase in visits to residential locations. I then show that factors such as the previous day’s new reported cases and interest in COVID-related terms, as measured by Google Trends data, can help explain the extent of mobility reductions across different days. Finally, I explore whether certain provincial characteristics can help explain cross-provincial differences in staying at home versus going out.

Keywords: COVID-19, stay-at-home, state of emergency, Google

JEL Classification: I12, I18