Mapping regional disparities in labour market risk and exposure to automation in Canada

Despite much recent debate around the exposure of labour markets to automation, few studies estimate the risks of automation faced by workers in Canada. Even less attention has been paid to the geography of those risks. We identify clusters of higher risk regions mainly across the Maritimes and Quebec. We also find evidence of an urban–rural gradient where smaller regions are more susceptible to automation, as are those with older and less diverse populations, or with higher shares of workers in manufacturing, forestry and fishing activities. The potential distributional impacts of automation are also explored.