Benjamin Straus - Latest

• How Do Interest Rates Spur the Housing Market: Exploring Nonlinear Effects

  Staff analytical paper 2026-35 Benjamin Straus, Stéphane Surprenant, Kerem Tuzcuoglu

  In this note we examine how monetary policy affects housing demand, supply and prices in Canada, and whether these effects vary with labour market conditions

  Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff analytical paper JEL Code(s): C, C3, C32, E, E5, E52, R, R3, R31 Research Theme(s): Monetary policy, Monetary policy framework and transmission

• What’s behind the slowdown in Toronto’s condo market

  

  Sparks at Bank article Benjamin Straus, Nishaad Rao

  Strong population growth, low interest rates and robust investor demand drove an expansion in Toronto’s condo market over the past decade. But times have changed. Toronto’s condos are no longer providing substantial returns for short-term investors because population growth has eased and interest rates have risen. This is challenging the business models of condo builders.

  Content Type(s): Staff research, Sparks at Bank article Research Theme(s): Monetary policy, Real economy and forecasting, Structural challenges, Demographics and labour supply

• COVID-19, Containment and Consumption

  Staff discussion paper 2022-5 Tatjana Dahlhaus, Daniel Hyun, Antoine Poulin-Moore, Jaime Trujillo, Saarah Sheikh, Benjamin Straus

  We assess the impact of COVID-19 on consumption indicators by estimating the effects of government-mandated containment measures and of the willingness of individuals to voluntarily physically distance to prevent contagion.

  Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff discussion papers JEL Code(s): C, C2, C23, D, D1, D12, E, E6, E65, I, I1, I18 Research Theme(s): Monetary policy, Inflation dynamics and pressures, Real economy and forecasting