Last Tuesday, TD Canada Trust increased its mortgage prime rate (which is the rate that it uses to price its variable-rate mortgages) from 2.70% to 2.85%. In today’s post, I’ll provide a quick example to illustrate the impact of this change, and offer an insider’s point-of-view on why there was more to it than first meets the eye.

In future, instead of relying on the traditional Consumer Price Index (CPI) total inflation and core inflation statistics, the Bank of Canada will now use three more detailed measures called CPI-common, CPI-trim and CPI-median. Today's post explains.

The most recent MPR was best summed up by BoC Governor Poloz during his press conference, when he said that the report forecasted “a lower profile for economic growth, an extended period of economic slack, and a later return of inflation to the 2% target.” His statement, at the accompanying press conference, provided us with another example of the Bank’s favourite monetary-policy tool of late: jawboning.

Our regulators are right to be concerned about our record-high household debt levels, and more specifically, about the continued rise in Canadian mortgage debt outstanding. With mortgage rates at record lows, everyone can afford to borrow more, and when ultra-cheap borrowing costs are combined with housing markets where there is much more demand than supply, prices rise quickly. Over time, rising prices and rising mortgage debt levels feed each other in a self-reinforcing cycle, especially in places like Vancouver and Toronto, where demand has outpaced supply for some time. The longer this continues, the greater the risk that borrowers will not be able to afford their mortgages at renewal. To their credit, the majority of borrowers I work with are well aware of the risk that mortgage rates […]