December 9, 2021
Domestic demand and components
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The COVID-19 Consumption Game-Changer: Evidence from a Large-Scale Multi-Country Survey
A multi-country consumer survey investigates why and how much households decreased their consumption in five key sectors after pandemic-related restrictions were lifted in Europe in July 2020. Beyond infection risk and precautionary saving motives, households also reported not missing some consumption items, which may indicate preference shifts and structural changes in the post-COVID-19 economy. -
Payment Habits During COVID-19: Evidence from High-Frequency Transaction Data
We examine how consumers have adjusted their payment habits during the COVID-19 pandemic. They seem to perform fewer transactions, spend more in each transaction, use less cash at the point of sale and withdraw cash from ATMs linked to their financial institution more often than from other ATMs. -
March 11, 2021
COVID-19, savings and household spending
Deputy Governor Lawrence Schembri talks about the Bank’s latest interest rate announcement and discusses how COVID-19 has affected savings and the outlook household spending. -
March 11, 2021
Household consumption in a pandemic
Deputy Governor Lawrence Schembri talks about how COVID-19 has affected household saving and spending patterns and discusses the Bank’s decision yesterday to leave the policy rate unchanged. -
The Bank of Canada COVID‑19 stringency index: measuring policy response across provinces
We construct an index that systematically measures and tracks the stringency of government policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic across Canadian provinces. Researchers can use this stringency index to analyze how the pandemic is affecting the economy. -
June 18, 2020
Spending patterns in a pandemic
Deputy Governor Lawrence Schembri explains how household spending has changed because of COVID-19 and discusses why the Bank expects the recovery to have two phases. -
June 18, 2020
Living with limits: household behaviour in Canada in the time of COVID-19
Deputy Governor Lawrence Schembri explains how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected household spending and economic activity, and discusses what the recovery is expected to look like. -
May 20, 2020
Decisive actions in difficult times
Deputy Governor Timothy Lane talks about the Bank’s decisive actions in response to COVID-19, and how these will help Canadians now and in the future. -
May 20, 2020
Policies for the Great Global Shutdown and Beyond
Deputy Governor Timothy Lane explains how the Bank is helping Canadian households and businesses weather the COVID-19 crisis, and how our actions today are laying a solid foundation for our future economic recovery.