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The Bank of Canada today released the document Renewal of the Inflation-Control Target: Background Information, which describes Canada's experience with inflation targeting, reports on some key issues bearing on the framework for conducting monetary policy, and identifies issues warranting further research.

Inflation targeting, a stable macroeconomic environment, and an average growth rate for potential output that is not expected to vary much in the next several years all help households, businesses, and governments in their medium-term economic and financial planning. Several simple rules of thumb can be usefully employed in this planning. Specifically, inflation targeting has maintained most major measures of inflation quite close to the target midpoint on average over a number of years. Combined with a clear fiscal framework, this has contributed to a more stable macroeconomic environment in which output varies less around its potential level. Potential output growth is expected to average around 3 per cent over the next several years. In light of these factors and historical relationships, labour income, profits, and consumer spending will likely grow, on average, by about 5 per cent over the medium term. Real and nominal long-term interest rates should also continue to be stable, with real 30-year yields varying around 3.5 or 4.0 per cent, and nominal yields varying around 5.5 or 6.0 per cent.

The Bank of Canada today released the document Renewal of the Inflation-Control Target: Background Information, which summarizes the key elements of Canada's inflation-targeting framework.

Workshop webcast live on September 14, 2017, held at the Bank of Canada, to explore the role and objectives of monetary policy, monetary policy tools, transparency and communications, and lessons learned from other central banks.

Senior Deputy Governor Carolyn A. Wilkins reviews key themes discussed by participants at the workshop “Monetary Policy Framework Issues: Toward the 2021 Inflation-Target Renewal”.

We document that, across households, the money consumption ratio increases with age and decreases with consumption, and that there has been a large increase in the money consumption ratio during the recent era of very low interest rates. We construct an overlapping generations (OLG) model of money holdings for transaction purposes subject to age (older households use more money), cohort (younger generations are exposed to better transaction technology), and time effects (nominal interest rates affect money holdings).

Conference held on November 1 and 2, 2018.

Over the past two years, we spoke with thousands of Canadians about their views on the economy, inflation and what the Bank does. Here’s what they told us.

We study how the interaction of market power and nominal price rigidity influences inflation dynamics. We find that pass-through declines with price stickiness when markets are concentrated, which implies a lower slope of the New Keynesian Phillips curve.

We conduct surveys to study how consumer spending responds to higher inflation expectations. Most respondents spend the same, sticking to fixed budget plans or not considering inflation for spending decisions. About 20% decrease spending because they feel poorer and cut spending to invest in inflation-proof assets. Very few increase spending.