In recent years, Canada has faced high inflation and used exceptional monetary policy tools, such as quantitative easing, to restore price stability. Looking back on this period offers a valuable opportunity to understand the underlying drivers of inflation and evaluate the effectiveness of these monetary policy tools.
The future of the economic environment remains uncertain, and structural challenges are making both the global and Canadian economies more susceptible to supply disruptions. That makes it important to gain a comprehensive understanding of how these challenges affect production, employment, inflation dynamics and the transmission of monetary policy.
Studying these issues will help monetary policy adapt to changes in the economy and maintain price stability. We are looking at issues in several areas, including:
- the pricing strategies that firms use, including during supply shocks
- the best approaches for setting monetary policy in periods of high uncertainty
- the impact of monetary policy on the supply and demand of housing
- the effectiveness of various monetary policy tools used during the COVID-19 pandemic
- the ability of flexible inflation-targeting to maintain price stability when the economy is unpredictable
Inflation dynamics
Our research on inflation dynamics aims to further our understanding of the factors behind inflation, particularly since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. To do so, we are using new data sources, innovative research methods and advanced economic models. For example, we are using novel business- and product-level data to explore how businesses pass on costs to consumers. Similarly, consumer-level data help us understand how households adjust their spending and expectations as inflation rises and falls.
Transmission and conduct of monetary policy
Canada is entering a period of rapid economic transformation. In this context, we need to understand how monetary policy affects different households and businesses and how it works its way through the economy. We must also find the best way to set monetary policy and manage risks—responding to trade-offs between stabilizing growth and controlling inflation—particularly if Canada faces more frequent supply shocks.
Monetary policy tools and implementation
The economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the Bank to use extraordinary tools, such as quantitative easing. The use of these tools has had a significant impact on the size and structure of the Bank’s balance sheet. Our research focuses on the impact and effectiveness of these tools and on how the Bank can effectively influence market interest rates with an expanded balance sheet.
Monetary policy framework
Jointly with the Government of Canada, the Bank reviews its monetary policy framework every five years to keep pace with changes in the economic environment. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, more frequent shocks and unprecedented challenges have increased volatility, generated persistent imbalances in the housing market and reduced the reliability of our key measures of underlying inflation. Our research will help future reviews of our framework to ensure that monetary policy remains effective in promoting the economic and financial well-being of Canadians.