Toolkit of Economic Indicators

  The C.D. Howe Institute’s toolkit for tracking the economy is a customized series of data sets from past Institute publications. These tools can be helpful for policymakers and other parties interested in analyzing monetary policy and financial stability decisions. These unique variables, which can all be found in past Institute work, include: The Leading […]

Iran, CUSMA: Just Two Reasons Bank was Right to Hold Steady on its Rate

From: Jeremy M. Kronick and Steve AmblerTo:  Interest rate watchersDate: March 23, 2026 Re: Iran, CUSMA: Just Two Reasons Bank was Right to Hold Steady on its Rate The loss of 84,000 jobs in February – driven by the evaporation of more than 100,000 full-time positions – led to speculation early last week that the Bank of Canada might cut its policy rate.  […]

Uncertainty reigns for Bank of Canada as Iran war rages

Published in The Globe and Mail. Friday’s announcement that the Canadian economy lost 84,000 jobs in February – driven by the loss of more than 100,000 full-time jobs – led to some speculation over the weekend that the Bank of Canada might cut its policy rate. Monday’s inflation numbers, with headline inflation falling to 1.8 per cent in February […]

What’s Putting Upward Pressure on Inflation?

Food price growth contributing to inflation above targetFollowing the post-pandemic surge, inflation first returned to its two percent target in August 2024. Over the next year, inflation was at or below target for all but two months. Since September 2025, it has been above target. A big driver of this increase has been soaring food prices. Without food price growth, headline inflation since September […]

Rosy Free Trade Assumptions Hobble Bank of Canada Projections

To: Bank of Canada observersFrom: Don DrummondRe: Rosy Free Trade Assumptions Hobble Bank of Canada Projections   Credit the Bank of Canada for a realistic depiction of risks facing the global and Canadian economies in its recent quarterly report. In the central bank’s view, the world is becoming more fragmented, geopolitical risks are elevated and […]

Bank of Canada has too rosy a view of the world

Published in The Globe and Mail. Credit the Bank of Canada for a realistic depiction of risks facing the global and Canadian economies in its recent quarterly report. In the central bank’s view, the world is becoming more fragmented, geopolitical risks are elevated and for Canada, the future of trade in North America is an important uncertainty. […]

The Bank of Canada’s Coming Food Price Conundrum

To: Inflation observersFrom: Jeremy M. Kronick and Steve AmblerDate: February 5, 2026Re: The Bank of Canada’s Coming Food Price Conundrum   Unsurprisingly¸ the Bank of Canada held its policy interest rate at 2.25 percent last week. We agree with the decision, though we believe food price increases are likely to pose an ongoing challenge for the Bank, testing the limits of […]

Food inflation will test Bank of Canada’s limits

Published in The Globe and Mail. On Wednesday, to the surprise of few, the Bank of Canada held its policy interest rate at 2.25 per cent. We agree with the decision, though believe food price increases are likely to pose an ongoing challenge for the bank. It could test the limits of monetary policy. When the bank […]

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