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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Canadians getting borrowing message: Carney

By: Julian Beltrame and David Friend

Posted: 12/12/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

�We have to be vigilant... and adjust if necessary� � Mark Carney (CP)

BANK of Canada governor Mark Carney says interest rates may need to rise to discourage excessive borrowing, but adds there is evidence Canadians are already getting the message.

The central banker said in a speech Tuesday his warnings about coming higher interest rates appear to be having an influence on consumer behaviour.

"The share of new fixed-rate mortgages has almost doubled to 90 per cent this year, reflecting the combination of attractively priced fixed-rate mortgages and the tightening bias of the Bank of Canada," Carney told an audience of financial analysts in Toronto.

However, Carney also noted "our guidance indicates that some policy action may be necessary, encouraging a degree of prudence in household borrowing."

The central bank has not deviated from the one per cent policy rate since September 2010, but in the past year has warned its next move -- whenever it comes -- will most likely result in higher rates.

Following the speech, Carney said he was encouraged with what's happening in the housing and credit markets following recent measures to make borrowing more difficult and to tighten mortgage rules.

"We've seen (housing) starts coming down... we're seeing some overbuilding still in condos," he said. "We have seen the pace of household debt accumulation slow, as intended, from about 10 per cent to a bit more than four per cent.

"We've seen some adjustments in the resale market, which again is positive."

"But I would caution we have seen in the past, when there have been policy measures taken, movement in these variables that are then followed by a re-accelerations," he added.

"We have to be vigilant... and adjust if necessary."

Economists have credited the latest action by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty to tighten mortgage eligibility in July with the recent housing slowdown. Carney is saying the Bank of Canada has also played a role, with its guidance about interest rates, and could in the future.

Although primary responsibility for dealing with the housing imbalance does not rest with the central bank, Carney said he would be prepared to act if necessary in the future.

"In current circumstances, the bank may want to set interest rates higher than would otherwise be warranted to bring inflation back to target within the typical six- to eight-quarter time frame," he said.

CIBC economist Peter Buchanan called the statement largely "hypothetical" given the low inflation expectations in Canada.

"It may be a bit of an effort to assure that the bank still has some cards up its sleeve it can play if there's a problem," he said.

On another subject, Carney gave fulsome support for the U.S. Federal Reserve Board's extremely stimulative monetary policy, which he admitted is helping strengthen the Canada dollar to the detriment of Canadian exporters. But he said if the Fed action was helping the U.S. economy, that was good for Canada and the world.

"If anyone gets the spillover from loose United States monetary policy it's us... and we recognize even with the impact it has on our currency, it is a net positive for the Canadian economy."

The speech, the first since being named the future governor of the Bank of England starting next July, appeared in large measure an effort to explain, possibly to an overseas audience, his approach to conducting monetary policy and the importance he gives to communicating that policy with credibility.

-- The Canadian Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 12, 2012 B4

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