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Housing Finance in Canada: Looking Back to Move Forward

Author

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  • Lawrence L. Schembri

Abstract

The Canadian system of housing finance proved to be resilient and efficient during the global financial crisis and its aftermath. The system's effectiveness is the result of a rigorous prudential regulatory and supervisory regime coupled with targeted government guarantees of mortgage insurance and securitisation products. In the post-crisis period, household debt levels and house prices have risen, owing, in part, to accommodative monetary conditions necessary to support the economic recovery. These vulnerabilities were mitigated by tightening macroprudential policy, specifically mortgage insurance rules, and strengthening mortgage-underwriting standards. Looking ahead, the housing finance framework needs to be adjusted and strengthened by rebalancing the risk exposures away from the government towards the private sector participants in the housing finance market. Although some measures have already been taken for this purpose, more adjustments may be needed to create the right incentives and achieve a sustainable rebalancing in risk exposures. Measures should also be considered to promote a liquid private-label mortgage securitisation market in Canada.

Suggested Citation

  • Lawrence L. Schembri, 2014. "Housing Finance in Canada: Looking Back to Move Forward," National Institute Economic Review, National Institute of Economic and Social Research, vol. 230(1), pages 45-57, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:niesru:v:230:y:2014:i:1:p:r45-r57
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Alan Walks & Brian Clifford, 2015. "The political economy of mortgage securitization and the neoliberalization of housing policy in Canada," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 47(8), pages 1624-1642, August.
    2. Allen, Jason & Grieder, Timothy & Peterson, Brian & Roberts, Tom, 2020. "The impact of macroprudential housing finance tools in canada," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 42(C).
    3. John Muellbauer & Pierre St-Amant & David Williams, 2015. "Credit Conditions and Consumption, House Prices and Debt: What Makes Canada Different?," Staff Working Papers 15-40, Bank of Canada.
    4. Martin Kuncl, 2016. "Assessment of the Effects of Macroprudential Tightening in Canada," Staff Analytical Notes 16-12, Bank of Canada.
    5. Gregory Bauer, 2014. "International House Price Cycles, Monetary Policy and Risk Premiums," Staff Working Papers 14-54, Bank of Canada.
    6. Jason Allen & Timothy Grieder & Brian Peterson & Tom Roberts, 2016. "The Impact of Macroprudential Housing Finance Tools in Canada: 2005–10," Staff Working Papers 16-41, Bank of Canada.
    7. Karpestam, Peter & Johansson, Sebastian, 2019. "Interest-only-mortgages and housing market fluctuations in Denmark," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(C).
    8. Emilios Avgouleas, 2015. "Bank Leverage Ratios and Financial Stability: A Micro- and Macroprudential Perspective," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_849, Levy Economics Institute.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    housing; mortgage; securitisation; Canada;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R31 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Real Estate Markets, Spatial Production Analysis, and Firm Location - - - Housing Supply and Markets
    • R38 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Real Estate Markets, Spatial Production Analysis, and Firm Location - - - Government Policy
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages

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