The Value of Mortgage Choice: Payment Structure and Contract Length Staff working paper 2026-2 Michael Boutros, Nuno Clara, Katya Kartashova We study household mortgage choice in a model with three mortgage contracts that differ in their payment structures: fixed-rate fixed-payment, variable-rate variable-payment, and a hybrid variable-rate fixed-payment mortgage where interest rate changes affect principal repayment rather than payment size. We calibrate the model to match mortgage choice patterns in Canada, where all these options are offered with short terms. We demonstrate that restricting contract choice or mandating long terms, as in the U.S. system, can lead to substantial welfare losses by limiting risk management strategies and increasing mortgage pricing ex-ante. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers JEL Code(s): D, D1, D14, E, E2, E21, G, G1, G18, G2, G21, G5, G51 Research Theme(s): Financial system, Financial institutions and intermediation, Household and business credit
December 15, 2015 Bank of Canada says housing vulnerabilities have edged higher, but financial system remains resilient Media Relations Ottawa, Ontario Vulnerabilities in the housing sector have edged higher, the Bank of Canada said today in its Financial System Review (FSR), while the overall level of risk to Canada’s financial system has remained roughly unchanged since June. The Bank continues to identify two key vulnerabilities related to the Canadian household sector: the elevated level of household […] Content Type(s): Press, Press releases
January 29, 2020 Bank of Canada launches public consultation for new $5 bank note Media Relations Ottawa, Ontario Minister of Finance Bill Morneau and Governor Stephen S. Poloz today announced that the Bank of Canada is launching public consultations to select an iconic Canadian to appear on the next $5 bank note. Content Type(s): Press, Press releases
September 3, 2014 Bank of Canada maintains overnight rate target at 1 per cent Media Relations Ottawa, Ontario The Bank of Canada today announced that it is maintaining its target for the overnight rate at 1 per cent. The Bank Rate is correspondingly 1 1/4 per cent and the deposit rate is 3/4 per cent. Content Type(s): Press, Press releases
Sluggish Forecasts Staff working paper 2018-39 Monica Jain Given the influence that agents’ expectations have on key macroeconomic variables, it is surprising that very few papers have tried to extrapolate agents’ “true” expectations directly from the data. This paper presents one such approach, starting with the hypothesis that there is sluggishness in inflation and real GDP growth forecasts. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers JEL Code(s): E, E3, E31, E37 Research Theme(s): Models and tools, Econometric, statistical and computational methods, Monetary policy, Inflation dynamics and pressures, Real economy and forecasting
March 8, 2018 Unveiling of New $10 Note Remarks Stephen S. Poloz Halifax, Nova Scotia Governor Stephen S. Poloz joins Minister Morneau and Wanda Robson at the unveiling of Canada’s new $10 note. Content Type(s): Press, Speeches and appearances, Remarks Subject(s): Currency, Bank notes
March 8, 2012 Bank of Canada maintains overnight rate target at 1 per cent Media Relations Ottawa, Ontario The Bank of Canada today announced that it is maintaining its target for the overnight rate at 1 per cent. The Bank Rate is correspondingly 1 1/4 per cent and the deposit rate is 3/4 per cent. Content Type(s): Press, Press releases
June 5, 2012 Bank of Canada maintains overnight rate target at 1 per cent Media Relations Ottawa, Ontario The Bank of Canada today announced that it is maintaining its target for the overnight rate at 1 per cent. The Bank Rate is correspondingly 1 1/4 per cent and the deposit rate is 3/4 per cent. Content Type(s): Press, Press releases
May 18, 2005 Bank of Canada Issues Upgraded $10 Bank Note Media Relations Ottawa, Ontario The Bank of Canada today put into circulation an upgraded $10 bank note with enhanced security features. The design, colour, and theme (Remembrance and Peacekeeping) of the upgraded $10 note are the same as those of the previously issued $10 note from the Canadian Journey series. Content Type(s): Press, Press releases
A Simple Method for Extracting the Probability of Default from American Put Option Prices Staff working paper 2020-15 Bo Young Chang, Greg Orosi A put option is a financial contract that gives the holder the right to sell an asset at a specific price by (or at) a specific date. A put option can therefore provide its holder insurance against a large drop in the stock price. This makes the prices of put options an ideal source of information for a market-based measure of the probability of a firm’s default. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers JEL Code(s): G, G1, G13, G3, G33 Research Theme(s): Financial markets and funds management, Market functioning, Market structure