Bank of Canada Should Maintain Overnight Rate at 1.25% through April: C.D. Howe Institute Monetary Policy Council
March 1, 2018 — The C.D. Howe Institute’s Monetary Policy Council (MPC) called for the Bank of Canada to maintain its target for the overnight rate, the very short-term interest rate it targets for monetary policy purposes, at 1.25 percent at its next announcement on March 7, 2018 and at the following announcement in April. Looking further ahead, the Council called for a target of 1.50 percent by September, and 1.75 percent by March of 2019.
The MPC provides an independent assessment of the monetary stance consistent with the Bank of Canada’s 2 percent inflation target. William Robson, the Institute’s President and CEO, chairs the Council. Council members make recommendations for the Bank of Canada’s upcoming…
Business Cycle Council Communique – December 2017
The C.D. Howe Institute’s Business Cycle Council met on Wednesday December 13 to review its assessments of Canadian business cycle dates.
The C.D. Howe Institute Business Cycle Council, chaired by Steve Ambler, is an arbiter of business cycle dates in Canada. The Council meets on an annual basis, or as warranted when economic conditions indicate the possibility of entry to, or exit from, a recession. The Council also acts as a conduit for research aimed at developing a deeper understanding of how the economy evolves and to provide guidance to policymakers.
The Council defines a recession as a pronounced, persistent, and pervasive decline in aggregate economic activity. In deciding on the occurrence and timing of a…
Business Cycle Council Communique – December 2017
The C.D. Howe Institute’s Business Cycle Council met on Wednesday December 13 to review its assessments of Canadian business cycle dates.
The C.D. Howe Institute Business Cycle Council, chaired by Steve Ambler, is an arbiter of business cycle dates in Canada. The Council meets on an annual basis, or as warranted when economic conditions indicate the possibility of entry to, or exit from, a recession. The Council also acts as a conduit for research aimed at developing a deeper understanding of how the economy evolves and to provide guidance to policymakers.
The Council defines a recession as a pronounced, persistent, and pervasive decline in aggregate economic activity. In deciding on the occurrence and timing…
Bank of Canada Should Hold Overnight Rate at 1% Next Week; Hike to 1.5% by December 2018
November 30, 2017 — The C.D. Howe Institute’s Monetary Policy Council (MPC) called for the Bank of Canada to keep its target for the overnight rate, the very short-term interest rate it targets for monetary policy purposes, at 1.00 percent at its next announcement on December 6, 2017, and keep it there at its January 2018 announcement. By May of 2018, however, the MPC called for the Bank to hike to 1.25 percent, with a further increase to 1.50 percent by the end of 2018.
The MPC provides an independent assessment of the monetary stance consistent with the Bank of Canada’s 2 percent inflation target. William Robson, the Institute’s President and CEO, chairs the Council. Council members make recommendations for the…
Mergers and Inquisitions? Competition Bureau's Merger Review Needs Improvement
Report of the C.D. Howe Institute's Competition Policy Council
The Competition Bureau and the government should work to introduce measures to improve the efficiency, consistency, and predictability of the Canadian merger review process, according to the consensus of the C.D. Howe Institute’s Competition Policy Council, which held its fourteenth meeting on October 17, 2017. The Competition Act provides for reviews of mergers by the Commissioner of Competition, who heads the Competition Bureau, to determine whether such transactions are likely to prevent or lessen competition substantially. The Bureau’s merger review process is taking longer, although part of the delay may be due to matters outside of the Bureau’s…