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Why Interest Rates Matter for Canadians

Interest rates are the single most powerful lever in Canada's economy.  When the Bank of Canada adjusts its policy rate, the effects reach every household—from the cost of carrying a mortgage to the return on a savings account. With rates currently at 2.25% and significant uncertainty ahead, understanding how rates work has never been more important for your finances. What Is the Bank of Canada's Policy Rate? The Bank of Canada sets the overnight policy rate—the interest rate at which major banks lend money to each other. This rate serves as a benchmark that influences borrowing and lending costs across the entire economy. When the Bank raises or lowers this rate, commercial banks adjust their prime rates accordingly, which directly affects the rates you pay on mortgages, lines of credit, and other loans. The Bank's primary goal is to keep inflation near its 2% target. When inflation runs too hot, the Bank raises rates to cool spending. When the economy slows, it cuts rates...
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Bank of Canada Diverges from Fed, Signals No Rate Cuts Soon

 

The Bank of Canada has made it clear that interest rates will not be coming down anytime soon, putting it on a divergent path from the U.S. Federal Reserve, which said this week that easing could be on the timetable. 

Inflation slowed to 3.1% in October, down from a peak of more than 8% last year, but it has remained above the bank’s 2% target for 31 months. Governor Tiff Macklem said that the bank has not started discussing rate cuts yet, as it’s too early to have that discussion.

The bank is still discussing whether it has raised interest rates enough and how long they need to stay where they are.


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