Stripping Mortgages from the CPI Can be a Useful Tool

To: Canadian inflation watchersFrom: Steve Ambler and Jeremy M. KronickDate: May 20, 2025Re: Stripping Mortgages from the CPI Can be a Useful Tool Our recent C.D. Howe Institute E-Brief examined the role of the mortgage interest cost component of the consumer price index (CPI) in influencing the overall dynamics of the CPI, particularly in response to […]

Briser l’impasse : comment les banques d’infrastructure stimulent les investissements privés et compensent les défaillances du marché

L’étude en bref Il faudra d’importants investissements publics et privés dans les infrastructures pour répondre à un éventail de besoins au Canada et ailleurs dans le monde, et particulièrement pour soutenir les projets de transition énergétique et numérique. Cependant, les promoteurs privés se retrouvent souvent coincés dans une impasse : ils ont besoin de capitaux […]

The “Great Advantage to Doing Nothing” on Interest Rates

To: Interest rate watchersFrom: Jeremy M. Kronick and Steve AmblerDate: April 23, 2025Re: The “Great Advantage to Doing Nothing” on Interest Rates After seven straight cuts, the Bank of Canada hit pause last week and held its policy interest rate at 2.75 percent. We have argued over the last few months that the Bank needed to cut the overnight rate […]

The Bank of Canada was right to hold rates steady

Published in the Globe and Mail. After seven straight cuts, the Bank of Canada hit the pause button on Wednesday and held its policy interest rate at 2.75 per cent. We have argued over the last few months that the bank needed to cut the overnight rate to at least get it back to the mid-point of […]

Mortgage Interest Costs Mask Progress on Inflation

Shortly after the Bank of Canada began raising the overnight rate in March 2022, inflation started to move back towards its 2 percent target. However, if we exclude mortgage interest costs, which increased substantially following the rapid rise in the overnight rate, inflation returned to 2 percent much faster. In fact, inflation excluding mortgage interest […]

Dollar Weakness is our Best Tariff Defence

From: William B.P. RobsonTo: Canadian economic observersDate: March 19, 2025Re: Dollar Weakness is our Best Tariff Defence The Canadian dollar is down about 6 percent against the US dollar since September. The coincidence of its recent ups and downs with the ebb and flow of US President Donald Trump’s tariff threats shows that much of its decline reflects concern about US protectionism. […]

The Way Forward for Interest Rate Cuts

To: Interest rate watchersFrom: Jeremy M. Kronick and Steve AmblerDate: March 18, 2025Re: The Way Forward for Interest Rate Cuts The Bank of Canada cut its policy interest rate to 2.75 percent last week Wednesday, its seventh cut in as many announcements. Notwithstanding recent data showing a strong economy at the turn of the year, the needless trade war, […]

Bank of Canada Made the Right Call to Cut Rates. But Where to From Here?

Published in The Globe and Mail The Bank of Canada cut its policy interest rate to 2.75 per cent on Wednesday, its seventh cut in as many announcements. Notwithstanding recent data showing a strong economy at the turn of the year, the needless trade war, the flip-flopping US policy, and the uncertainty this has caused […]

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