Search "plumber near me" from a phone in Halifax, and Google shows exactly three businesses above the map before anyone has to tap "more." That block is the local 3-Pack, and for most local searches, it gets more clicks than the entire rest of the results page combined.
Getting into it isn't a mystery. Google's own guidance says local ranking comes down to three factors: relevance, distance, and prominence (sourced from Google Business Profile Centre).
Here's what each one actually means for a Canadian business, and what you can do about it. (This example uses Halifax, but the same three factors apply in any Canadian city, from a downtown core to a small town main street.)
Relevance: does your profile actually match the search
Google reads your Business Profile's categories, services, and description to decide what you're actually offering. A plumbing business with "plumber" buried in a generic description, and no services listed, is harder for Google to match than one with "drain cleaning," "water heater installation," and "emergency plumbing" listed explicitly as services.
The fix: fill in every service your business genuinely offers, using the words a customer would search, not internal shorthand.
Distance: how far you are from the person searching
You can't move your business, but you can make sure Google has the right address to measure from, and that your defined service areas actually match where you're willing to travel. A business with an inaccurate pin, or a service area set far wider than it can realistically serve, sends Google a confusing signal either way.
The fix: confirm your pin location is accurate down to the building, and keep your service area honest to where you'll actually go.
Prominence: how well-known your business is to Google
This is the factor most within your control. Google explicitly states that more reviews and positive ratings help local ranking, and that responding to reviews helps a business stand out (sourced from Google Business Profile Centre). Citations (your business listed consistently on other sites, directories, your Chamber of Commerce, industry associations) and backlinks add to this too.
The fix: ask recently satisfied customers for a review while the experience is fresh, respond to every review you get, positive or negative, and keep your name, address, and phone number identical everywhere your business is listed online.
None of these three factors is a secret, and none of them requires paying Google anything. It's just fixable groundwork most businesses haven't gotten around to yet.