Testing for a Structural Break in the Volatility of Real GDP Growth in Canada Staff Working Paper 2001-9 Alexandre Debs This study tests for a structural break in the volatility of real GDP growth in Canada following the methodology of McConnell and Quiros (1998). A break is found in the first quarter of 1991. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Topic(s): Business fluctuations and cycles, Econometric and statistical methods JEL Code(s): C, C1, C12, E, E3, E32
May 29, 2001 Bank of Canada lowers key policy rate by 1/4 per cent Media Relations Ottawa, Ontario The Bank of Canada today announced that it is lowering its target for the overnight rate by one-quarter of one percentage point to 4 1/2 per cent. The operating band for the overnight rate is correspondingly lowered, and the Bank Rate is reduced by one-quarter of one percentage point to 4 3/4 per cent. Content Type(s): Press, Press releases
May 23, 2001 Mark Jewett Appointed General Counsel to the Bank of Canada Media Relations Ottawa, Ontario The appointment of Mark Jewett as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary to the Bank of Canada has been approved by the Board of Directors of the Bank. Mr. Jewett will work in close collaboration with the Governing Council of the Bank on all management and financial stability matters. He will join the Bank on 25 June 2001. Content Type(s): Press, Press releases
May 18, 2001 Bank releases background information on renewal of the inflation-control target Media Relations Ottawa, Ontario The Bank of Canada today released the document Renewal of the Inflation-Control Target: Background Information, which provides additional details on the target arrangements and on how the Bank plans to implement them in order to increase the predictability of inflation over the longer term. This release follows the announcement yesterday by the Government of Canada and the Bank that the inflation-control target is being renewed for a period of five years to the end of 2006. Content Type(s): Press, Press releases
May 17, 2001 Joint Statement of the Government of Canada and the Bank of Canada on the Renewal of the Inflation-Control Target Media Relations The objective of Canada's monetary policy is to support and advance national economic well-being by contributing to sustained economic growth, rising levels of employment and improved living standards. The best contribution monetary policy can make to securing this outcome is to preserve confidence in the value of money by providing individuals and businesses with the certainty of a stable, low-inflation environment for their economic decisions. Content Type(s): Press, Press releases
May 17, 2001 Reforming the International Financial System Bank of Canada Review - Spring 2001 James Powell This article examines the efforts of the major advanced countries to strengthen the international financial system in order to avoid financial crises such as those that occurred in emerging-market economies in the 1990s. These efforts have focused on crisis prevention and crisis management. The prevention of such crises has necessitated the formation of new international groups that include emerging markets in their membership. Measures have also been taken to reduce the vulnerability of countries to such crises. These measures have centered on the need for appropriate macroeconomic policies, including the need for sustainable exchange rate regimes, sound domestic financial systems, and prudent risk management. In the area of crisis management, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has been given access to additional resources for lending to countries that experience financial crises. The IMF has also established new lending facilities for use in such circumstances. It has also been agreed that the private sector will need to play a greater role in the management of such crises in the future. Content Type(s): Publications, Bank of Canada Review articles Topic(s): Exchange rate regimes, International topics
May 17, 2001 Bank of Canada Review - Spring 2001 Cover page Bank Note Reporters and Counterfeit Detectors The detector and notes form part of the National Currency Collection, Bank of Canada. Photography by James Zagon. Content Type(s): Publications, Bank of Canada Review
May 16, 2001 Core Principles for Systemically Important Payments Systems and Their Application in Canada Bank of Canada Review - Spring 2001 Clyde Goodlet Systemically important payments systems are systems that, because of the size or the nature of the payments they process, could trigger or transmit serious shocks across domestic or international financial systems if they were insufficiently protected against risk. This article describes the overall framework of core principles developed for the design, operation, and oversight of such payments systems. The article reviews the role of the task force established to develop the core principles and examines the core principles themselves. It also examines the role of central banks in overseeing major payments systems and in applying the core principles to them. The focus is on the Bank of Canada's oversight responsibilities under the Payment Clearing and Settlement Act and on Canada's systemically important payments system—the LVTS. Content Type(s): Publications, Bank of Canada Review articles Topic(s): Payment clearing and settlement systems
May 15, 2001 www.bankofcanada.ca—The Bank on the World Wide Web Bank of Canada Review - Spring 2001 Brent Eades This article by the Bank's Web master details the development of the Bank's Web site and highlights some of its special features. It includes a description of dataBANK, a custom-built interface to the Bank's economic databases that gives visitors access to 220 data series. It also provides a mini tour of monetary policy material "on site," as well as a taste of things to come. Above all, this article invites you to come and visit our site. Content Type(s): Publications, Bank of Canada Review articles Topic(s): International topics
May 1, 2001 Bank of Canada releases semi-annual Monetary Policy Report Media Relations The Bank of Canada today released its thirteenth semi-annual Monetary Policy Report in which it discusses economic and financial trends in the context of Canada's inflation-control strategy. The Monetary Policy Report is published every May and November. Content Type(s): Press, Press releases