Bank of Canada keeps policy rate unchanged at 1.75% as expected

In a widely expected decision, the Bank of Canada maintained its target for the overnight rate at 1.75%. Below are some key takeaways from the BoC’s policy statement.

• Global economic growth has slowed by more than the Bank forecast in its January Monetary Policy Report (MPR).  
• Global economic activity is expected to pick up during 2019 and average 3 ¼ per cent over the projection period, supported by accommodative financial conditions and as a number of temporary factors weighing on growth fade.  
• In Canada, growth during the first half of 2019 is now expected to be slower than was anticipated in January.  
• Weaker-than-anticipated housing and consumption also contributed to slower growth.
• Overall, the Bank projects real GDP growth of 1.2 per cent in 2019 and around 2 per cent in 2020 and 2021.  
• The Bank expects inflation to remain around 2 per cent through 2020 and 2021.
• Given all of these developments, Governing Council judges that an accommodative policy interest rate continues to be warranted.
• We will continue to evaluate the appropriate degree of monetary policy accommodation as new data arrive.