Interest rate spread in Canada
Canada: Interest rate spread was 2.6% in 2017. ▲ Rising
Interest rate spread in Canada, 1971–2017
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in lending rate minus deposit rate, %.
Analysis
Canada recorded 2.6% for interest rate spread in 2017.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 35.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, interest rate spread in Canada peaked at 4.2% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 1.0%, in 1972.
Canada ranks 112th of 140 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 47 years of available data.
Interest rate spread in Canada, year by year
| Year | lending rate minus deposit rate, % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 2.1% | — |
| 1972 | 1.0% | -50.6% |
| 1973 | 1.3% | +23.3% |
| 1974 | 1.4% | +14.1% |
| 1975 | 2.1% | +43.5% |
| 1976 | 1.4% | -32.3% |
| 1977 | 1.5% | +10.4% |
| 1978 | 1.5% | -2.7% |
| 1979 | 1.6% | +5.6% |
| 1980 | 2.7% | +72.4% |
| 1981 | 3.3% | +22.1% |
| 1982 | 2.9% | -13.1% |
| 1983 | 3.8% | +32.4% |
| 1984 | 3.1% | -18.5% |
| 1985 | 2.8% | -10.7% |
| 1986 | 3.4% | +23.1% |
| 1987 | 3.8% | +11.5% |
| 1988 | 4.2% | +9.2% |
| 1989 | 4.2% | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 4.2% | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 4.2% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 3.6% | -14.9% |
| 1993 | 2.7% | -23.4% |
| 1994 | 2.9% | +6.0% |
| 1995 | 3.4% | +16.2% |
| 1996 | 3.1% | -9.0% |
| 1997 | 3.1% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 3.5% | +15.4% |
| 1999 | 3.6% | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 3.8% | +6.4% |
| 2001 | 3.6% | -6.1% |
| 2002 | 3.4% | -5.0% |
| 2003 | 3.6% | +6.2% |
| 2004 | 3.2% | -10.3% |
| 2005 | 3.6% | +12.7% |
| 2006 | 4.0% | +10.0% |
| 2007 | 4.0% | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 3.2% | -19.7% |
| 2009 | 2.3% | -28.8% |
| 2010 | 2.4% | +4.5% |
| 2011 | 2.5% | +5.0% |
| 2012 | 2.5% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 2.5% | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 2.5% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 2.7% | +10.2% |
| 2016 | 2.6% | -3.7% |
| 2017 | 2.6% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.5% | 1.0% | 2.1% | 9 |
| 1980s | 3.4% | 2.7% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.4% | 2.7% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.5% | 2.3% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.5% | 2.4% | 2.7% | 8 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More financial sector data for Canada
- Total reserves in months of imports, annual growth rate 3.66 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total reserves in months of imports, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Total reserves in months of imports, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (SDR), annual growth rate -0.1913 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (SDR), per unit of GDP 0.031 SDR per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (SDR), per capita 1,725 SDR per person (2025)
- Reserves excluding gold (SDR), annual growth rate -0.1235 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserves excluding gold (SDR), per capita 2,202 SDR per person (2025)
- Total reserves (gold at market value) (SDR), annual growth rate -0.1235 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total reserves (gold at market value) (SDR), per capita 2,202 SDR per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is interest rate spread in Canada?
- Interest rate spread in Canada was 2.6% in 2017, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest interest rate spread recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 4.2% in 1989.
- What is the lowest interest rate spread recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.0% in 1972.
- How does Canada rank for interest rate spread?
- Canada ranks 112th out of 140 countries with data for 2017.
- Is interest rate spread rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Interest rate spread (lending rate minus deposit rate, %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Interest rate spread is the interest rate charged by banks on loans to private sector customers minus the interest rate paid by commercial or similar banks for demand, time, or savings deposits. The terms and conditions attached to these rates differ by country, however, limiting their comparability.