On Wednesday, the Bank of Canada left its target for the overnight rate at 0.25 per cent, and kept its purchases of Government of Canada bonds at $3-billion per week. Forecasters and financial market participants expected these announcements, and took them in stride. Below the calm surface, though, a couple of key questions about Canadian monetary policy are causing concern.
One is about where inflation is going. The year-over-year increase in the consumer price index (CPI) hit 3.4 per cent in April, its highest reading in a decade, and above the 1- to 3 -per-cent acceptable range the central bank has for its 2-per-cent target. The bank’s statement on Wednesday emphasized that such above-target CPI increases are temporary. When…
Housing costs have become a national economic concern, reaching policymakers in Ottawa. Normally, federal moves affect the demand side of housing through lending policy. But lending power does not address the core problem now, which is lack of supply. What could Ottawa do in an area that is normally provincial jurisdiction? It could use its money wisely to solve problems local governments have a harder time tackling.
First, Ottawa could require that infrastructure grants only go to areas that expedite development. Here the key justification for a federal role is a need to curb local residents’ opposition to construction. This opposition, which restricts entry, would be considered anti-competitive action if a business…
En matière d’inflation, il se peut qu’à force de crier au loup, la bête surgisse pour de vrai. Il suffit que tout le monde y croie et se comporte comme tel, pour que l’inflation apparaisse.
A contrario, si tous les agents économiques pensent que l’inflation restera en moyenne à 2 %, il y a de bonnes chances que cette conviction s’autoréalise. D’où, pour une banque centrale, l’importance névralgique de l’ancrage des anticipations.
J’exagère un peu, mais pas tellement. De fait, l’économie est toujours balayée par des vents contraires qui poussent l’inflation à la hausse ou à la baisse. Mais si les anticipations sont bien arrimées, la banque centrale n’aura pas à beaucoup changer son taux directeur pour que les…
