OTTAWA – The Bank of Canada raised its policy interest rate by 25 basis points to 2.5 per cent on Wednesday. Here is the text of the central bank’s decision:
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The Bank of Canada today increased its target for the overnight rate by 25 basis points to 2.5 per cent, with the Bank Rate at 2.75 per cent and the deposit rate at 2.45 per cent.
Since the July Monetary Policy Report, global economic activity has remained resilient, despite higher energy prices. In the United States, the economy continues to grow at a robust pace, supported by consumer spending and AI-related investment. Growth in the euro area has been resilient and broad-based. After slowing in the second quarter, Chinese growth rebounded in the third quarter, owing to strength in exports and a pickup in fiscal spending. With persistently elevated oil prices and refinery margins, inflation has risen in most countries.
Given the ongoing resilience of the global economy, the Bank has revised up global GDP growth slightly to 3.1 per cent in 2026, while growth in 2027 and 2028 remains unchanged from the July projection at 3.2 per cent.
Global financial conditions have tightened since July. Advanced economy sovereign bond yields are higher. Equity and credit markets have been volatile due to uncertainty about the outlook for the AI sector. The Canadian dollar had weakened somewhat on U.S.-dollar strength but has since recovered to around 71 cents – the same as assumed in the July Report.
Growth picked up in Canada through the middle of the year. GDP growth was 3.3 per cent in the second quarter, and recent indicators point to growth of about two per cent in the third quarter. This is stronger than expected in the July Report. Consumer spending has been solid, even with slow population growth. Business investment rebounded, reflecting oil and gas sector activity and spending on machinery and equipment. Despite ongoing weakness in sectors affected by U.S. tariffs, exports overall have strengthened, owing to robust U.S. demand, higher energy production and increasing signs that businesses are adapting to the changing trade environment. The unemployment rate has been around 6.5 per cent for several months. A broad set of indicators continue to point to some excess supply in the economy.
Owing to new U.S. tariffs, growth is expected to slow in the fourth quarter of 2026, before picking up again in 2027. This rebound is supported by business investment, exports and fiscal measures. Consumption growth is expected to moderate and housing to remain relatively weak.
The Canadian economy is expected to grow one per cent in 2026, and two per cent in 2027 and 2028. This is a somewhat stronger overall growth projection than the July Report. This forecast is still subject to considerable uncertainty, particularly regarding Canada-U.S. trade relations.
Given persistently high oil prices, CPI inflation has been around three per cent since April and is expected to rise to about 3.5 per cent by the end of the year. Excluding gasoline, inflation was 2.2 per cent in September and measures of core inflation remain close to two per cent. But cost pressures are building, with high fuel prices raising the costs of production and transportation. Imported industrial and electronics input prices have also increased. While businesses have mostly absorbed higher input costs so far, Bank surveys suggest cost pass-through will increase over the next year. Near-term household and business inflation expectations have risen, while longer-term inflation expectations remain well anchored.
The conflict in the Middle East is now in its eighth month and there is no clear path to resolution. The combination of higher-for-longer energy prices and increased pass-through adds to the persistence of inflation in the projection. CPI inflation is expected to average three per cent in 2027, a percentage point above the July projection, then come down to two per cent in the middle of 2028. The main sources of uncertainty around this forecast are developments in the Middle East and businesses’ responses to cost pressures.
In the outlook, inflation is higher and more persistent than in the July Report. Growth has picked up this year and is expected to recover further. Against this backdrop, Governing Council decided to increase the policy rate to reduce the risk that continuing high energy prices spread broadly to the prices of other goods and services. There could be a need to increase the policy rate further, but given uncertainties, Governing Council agreed to proceed carefully. The Bank remains committed to maintaining Canadians’ confidence in price stability.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 28, 2026.