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By Special to MoneySense on February 8, 2016
Estimated reading time: 1 minute

BoC: Interest rate not the only tool for aiding economy

By Special to MoneySense on February 8, 2016
Estimated reading time: 1 minute

Other regulatory measures are also needed to help maintain financial stability

This article is 9 years old. Some details may be outdated.

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OTTAWA – The Bank of Canada says its trend-setting interest rate should not be considered the primary tool responsible for shoring up the country’s financial system. In prepared remarks of a speech today, deputy bank governor Timothy Lane says other regulatory measures are also needed to help maintain financial stability and address any emerging vulnerabilities. He says some of those regulatory measures include tightened mortgage-financing regulations introduced in recent years — such as the increase to minimum down payments. What the new 10% minimum down payment means for you » Lane also says in some cases government spending — or fiscal stimulus — may be necessary, though he warns that excessively expanding public debt can have its own negative effects on the financial system. The central bank says the most concerning vulnerability is the combination of climbing household debt and elevated house prices — a situation it predicts will continue to edge higher due to the prolonged period of low interest rates. Lane says the Bank of Canada is exploring the question of whether its monetary policy decisions should account for the stability of the financial system and in preventing future crises.

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