That's correct. I didn't mean to imply that pages not meeting one or both of the criteria (regional TLD ot hosting in the region) would NOT appear in the regional Google -- just that one of those things will (usually) get you listed. I don't know what all the variables are that Google uses. I also don't know why some pages appear in a regional Google that don't seem to be related to that region while others (e.g., clearly Australian-based and Australian-content/Australia-relevant pages with no regional TLD hosted in the US because hosting in Australia is so expensive) do NOT appear in the regional Google. One of life's mysteries...
I am WAYYY better (I presume you meant "you" not "they" -- see above) Trust me... these are my major competitors... after 6 years, I know their sites almost as well as I know my own...
I did mean "you". Well, your pages actually If "you" are WAYYYY better, then just maybe you could also carry a ranking disadvantage from not having your website in Canada and still be # 1. I'm just speculating and the reason for my effort in this is because I need to find out if I should have a bunch of national websites hosted nationally instead of centrally. It cost a lot to have the sites established and hosted in each country... Thanks for all your input minstrel, I appreciate it.
I guess that's part of what I am trying to say here: the TLD or hosting factors seem to be important or primary but there are other (some of them unknown) factors too. When I say "WAYYY better" that was partly in jest (trying to be humble now ) but it is also due to more backlinks, more content, fresher content, etc., as well... All of which is to say I don't think you need go to all that expense -- spend the money on improving the existing sites instead and you should do well.
To have any national sites appearing in their regional results, you would just need a domain name with the appropriate TLD. It shouldn't really matter where its hosted.
hergo, go back and read the thread again. Once more: You do NOT need a regional TLD to be listed in a regional Google. A .com TLD with regional hosting WILL do the trick. There may also be other factors which will work.
I have to agree with Minstrel (and that in itself is an occasion ) in that in several discussions on several forums the preponderance of opinion from users was that either a TLd from the country OR being hosted in the country would get you listed in the country pages. Once selected for country pages however I do not think there is any ranking advantage associated with a TLD.