Manufacturing employers in Canada have recently faced tight labour markets. Automotive manufacturing employers, including those that assemble vehicles and those that manufacture parts and components, are no exception.

These manufacturers face challenges recruiting and retaining employees with adequate skills. These challenges are the result of several factors, including competition with other manufacturing industries, competition with other industries that require a labour force with a similar skill set (e.g. utilities, construction), and a general shortage of employees with particular skills (e.g. electricians, millwrights, and tool and die makers). In this context, it is important to better understand how the location of automotive manufacturing facilities relative to the communities in which existing and potential employees reside help or hinder manufacturers’ ability to recruit and retain employees.

This report draws upon Statistics Canada’s commuting flows data to examine the mobility and commuting patterns of motor vehicle manufacturing (NAICS 3361) and Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing (NAICS 3363) employees in Canada. In so doing, it provides insight into the extent that such employees are required to commute in order to work in these industries, and how this compares to the average commuting patterns for all Canadians. Specifically, the report focuses on two key variables: 1) duration (in minutes) and 2) location relative to home (i.e. whether the employee commutes within the same Census Sub-Division, outside their Census Sub-Division but within the same Census Division, to a difference Census Division, or to a different province altogether). The report also makes commentary on the commuting patterns of automotive industry employees in the context of their earnings and the location of automotive manufacturing facilities.