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Business sentiment in the spring Business Outlook Survey improved but remains subdued overall. The positive impetus coming from sustained foreign demand continues to be largely offset by the persistent drag and spillovers from the oil price shock.

G-20 representatives, academics, market participants, and members of international financial institutions were brought together in Ottawa to explore the connection between robust financial markets and economic growth and development, share experiences, and to develop policy recommendations, where possible. Participants identified several areas they deemed critical for fostering strong domestic financial markets and reducing external vulnerability: sound macroeconomics policies, strengthened financial infrastructures and banking systems, and exchange rate flexibility for countries with widely open capital accounts. Papers presented in the six sessions and keynote address highlighted a number of issues, including currency mismatches, the sequence of financial liberalization and supervisory reforms, the development of local financial markets, infrastructure building and governance, and appropriate incentives.

On balance, firms expect sales growth to pick up over the next 12 months, and plan to increase investment spending and employment. Their investment plans are increasingly being targeted at expansion and at improving efficiency to promote future growth.

When Paul and I appeared before this Committee last April, we said that the economy appeared to be operating slightly below its production capacity, and that we expected it to move back to full capacity in the second half of 2006. In our October Monetary Policy Report, which we published last Thursday, we said that economic growth in the first half of the year was somewhat stronger than we had previously expected. Indeed, the global and Canadian economies have continued to grow at a solid pace, and our economy now appears to be operating at full production capacity.

The Bank of Canada today maintained its target for the overnight rate at 1 ¾ percent. The Bank Rate is correspondingly 2 percent and the deposit rate is 1 ½ percent.

The Bank of Canada’s monetary policy is appropriate to return Canadian inflation to its 2 per cent target as worldwide economic uncertainty lingers, Governor Stephen S. Poloz said today in Toronto. The global economy is facing significant headwinds that could restrain growth for a prolonged period, including efforts by households and financial institutions to reduce their debt and those by governments to […]

The Bank of Canada today announced that it is lowering its target for the overnight rate by one-quarter of one percentage point to 2 3/4 per cent.

Firms anticipate stronger demand as pandemic conditions improve, according to results from the Business Outlook Survey in the third quarter of 2021. However, many businesses face supply constraints that will limit their sales and put upward pressure on their costs. Together, these demand pressures and supply challenges are driving widespread plans to invest, hire staff and increase prices.

Last Thursday, we released our April Monetary Policy Report. In the report, we said that the global economy has been unfolding largely as expected, and the outlook for the Canadian economy is essentially unchanged from that in January's Monetary Policy Report Update.

The Bank of Canada today announced that it is maintaining its target for the overnight rate at 1/2 per cent. The Bank Rate is correspondingly 3/4 per cent and the deposit rate is 1/4 per cent.