Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

• Labor Market Policies During an Epidemic

  Staff Working Paper 2020-54 Serdar Birinci, Fatih Karahan, Yusuf Mercan, Kurt See

  We study the labour market and welfare effects of expanding unemployment insurance benefits and introducing payroll subsidies during the COVID-19 pandemic. We find that both policies are complementary and are beneficial to different types of workers. Payroll subsidies preserve the employment of workers in highly productive jobs, while unemployment insurance replaces lost income for workers who experience inevitable job loss.

  Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Topic(s): Business fluctuations and cycles, Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Fiscal policy, Labour markets JEL Code(s): E, E2, E24, E6, E62, J, J6, J64
• December 15, 2020

  Strengthening our exports

  Speech summary Tiff Macklem Greater Vancouver Board of Trade Vancouver, British Columbia

  Governor Tiff Macklem talks about the importance of trade and exports to Canada’s economic recovery. He also talks about steps policy-makers and business can take to attract investment and improve competitiveness.

  Content Type(s): Press, Speeches and appearances, Speech summaries Topic(s): Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Monetary policy, Productivity, Service sector, Trade integration
• December 15, 2020

  Trading for a sustainable recovery

  Remarks (delivered virtually) Tiff Macklem Greater Vancouver Board of Trade Vancouver, British Columbia

  Governor Tiff Macklem talks about how important trade is for the economic recovery. He discusses what policymakers and business leaders can do to encourage growth in trade.

  Content Type(s): Press, Speeches and appearances, Remarks Topic(s): Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Monetary policy, Productivity, Service sector, Trade integration
• December 10, 2020

  How quantitative easing works

  Speech summary Paul Beaudry Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce, the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce, and the Saint John Region Chamber of Commerce Fredericton, New Brunswick, Moncton, New Brunswick, Saint John, New Brunswick

  Deputy Governor Paul Beaudry explains the Bank’s quantitative easing program and its role in the economic recovery. He also discusses the Bank’s decision yesterday to leave the policy rate unchanged.

  Content Type(s): Press, Speeches and appearances, Speech summaries Topic(s): Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Inflation targets, Monetary policy, Monetary policy transmission
• December 10, 2020

  Our quantitative easing operations: Looking under the hood

  Remarks (delivered virtually) Paul Beaudry Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce, the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce, and the Saint John Region Chamber of Commerce Fredericton, New Brunswick, Moncton, New Brunswick, Saint John, New Brunswick

  Deputy Governor Paul Beaudry talks about the Bank’s latest interest rate announcement and discusses how quantitative easing supports economic recovery and the 2% inflation target.

  Content Type(s): Press, Speeches and appearances, Remarks Topic(s): Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Inflation targets, Monetary policy, Monetary policy transmission

• The Heterogeneous Effects of COVID-19 on Canadian Household Consumption, Debt and Savings

  Staff Working Paper 2020-51 James (Jim) C. MacGee, Thomas Michael Pugh, Kurt See

  The impact of COVID-19 on Canadian households’ debt and unplanned savings varies by household income. Low-income and high-income households accrued unplanned savings, while middle-income households tended to accumulate more debt.

  Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Topic(s): Business fluctuations and cycles, Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Financial stability JEL Code(s): E, E2, E21, E24, G, G5, G51
• November 26, 2020

  Opening Statement before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance

  Opening statement Tiff Macklem House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance Ottawa, Ontario

  Content Type(s): Press, Speeches and appearances, Opening statements Topic(s): Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Financial stability, Monetary policy, Recent economic and financial developments

• A Macroeconomic Model of an Epidemic with Silent Transmission and Endogenous Self-isolation

  Staff Working Paper 2020-50 Antonio Diez de los Rios

  We study the interaction between epidemics and economic decisions in a model that has silent transmission of the virus. We find that rational behaviour strongly diminishes the severity of the epidemic but worsens the economic recession. We also find that the detection and isolation of not only symptomatic individuals but also those who are infected and asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic can reduce the severity of the recession caused by the pandemic.

  Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Topic(s): Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Economic models JEL Code(s): E, E1, H, H0, I, I1
• November 23, 2020

  Taking the pulse of Canada’s financial system

  Speech summary Toni Gravelle Autorité des marchés financiers Montréal, Quebec

  Deputy Governor Toni Gravelle discusses how the Bank of Canada is carefully monitoring our financial system as the economy recovers from the COVID‑19 pandemic.

  Content Type(s): Press, Speeches and appearances, Speech summaries Topic(s): Business fluctuations and cycles, Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Financial institutions, Financial markets, Financial stability, Recent economic and financial developments
• November 23, 2020

  Monitoring payment deferrals during the COVID-19 pandemic

  Geneviève Vallée

  Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada’s financial institutions have allowed borrowers to defer payments on a range of loans. In a series of charts, we investigate what payment deferrals tell us about the financial health of borrowers and the related risks to financial stability.

  Content Type(s): Publications, Financial System Hub articles Topic(s): Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Credit and credit aggregates