There is no published threshold from Google for Local Pack inclusion based on review count. What we observe across Canadian client engagements: businesses ranking in the Local Pack typically have review counts within roughly 25% of the highest-reviewed competitor in their category and city. So if the top-reviewed dentist in your Ottawa neighbourhood has 400 reviews, you probably need at least 100 to be competitive — though location, category, and other factors can shift this materially. More important than total count: review velocity (how recently you've been earning reviews), average rating (4.5+ is the practical floor for competitive markets), review text quality (reviews mentioning your specific services, neighbourhood, or staff names by name), and your response rate (responding to 80%+ of reviews, both positive and negative, signals active business management). For Canadian businesses just starting out: focus on hitting 25 reviews in your first 6 months. That's enough to break out of the 'no social proof' bottom tier and become eligible for Local Pack consideration. For established businesses, the goal should be 5–10 fresh reviews per month indefinitely. A business with 200 reviews and zero in the last 6 months will be outranked by a business with 80 reviews and steady recent additions. The biggest mistake we see Canadian SMBs make: paying for review services that produce fake or incentivized reviews. Google detects these patterns reliably and the resulting suspensions or filter penalties cost more than the reviews were worth. Earn reviews honestly through structured post-service requests.