An economic motherlode: 75 years of central bank data
From the dollar and interest rates, to home ownership and cars on the road, the Bank of Canada assembled charts of data spanning decades as it marks its 75th anniversary
Nathan Denette
The Bank of Canada says its focus on low inflation, bolstered by public deficit reduction, since the 1990s has led to lower interest rates and generally lower unemployment.
The dollar has floated for most of the past 75 years, the float acting as a "shock absorber" that helps the economy adjust to big unexpected events, the Bank of Canada says.
Consumer prices have jumped steadily over the past 75 years, the Bank of Canada says, noting the particularly sharp hike in the 1970s and 1980s.
Demand for cash continues to rise along with prices and economic activity, the Bank of Canada says, despite a recent increase in other means of payment.*
Real gross domestic product per person has jumped almost sixfold over the past 75 years, the Bank of Canada says, illustrating improved economic wellbeing.
Canada is an open economy, the Bank of Canada notes, affected by economic developments globally, notably in the United States.
The number of women working outside the home has jumped sharply since the Second World War.
Road motor vehicle registrations per person have surged since 1935, the Bank of Canada says.
Higher incomes, access to loans and government programs have encouraged home ownership, the Bank of Canada says.
Households have been taking on greater debt relative to disposable income, notably since the 1980s, the Bank of Canada says.