Bank of Canada 2026 Rate Dates: Plan Ahead

A lot of Canadians treat Bank of Canada rate decisions like surprise plot twists. They shouldn’t.

The Bank of Canada has already published its 2026 schedule for policy interest rate announcements—eight dates that can (and often do) ripple through mortgage rates, HELOC interest, savings account yields, GIC rates, and market expectations. If you’re a homeowner, saver, or investor, this is one of those “quietly useful” pieces of information that can save you real money.

Here’s the practical angle: you can’t control the rate decision, but you can control your timing, your buffers, and your next move—especially if you know when the big announcements and major Bank publications land.

The 2026 Bank of Canada rate announcement schedule (all dates)

The key point: Bank of Canada policy interest rate announcements in 2026 happen on eight fixed dates, and markets often reprice before and after them.

Here are the 2026 policy rate announcement dates:

• Wednesday, January 28
• Wednesday, March 18
• Wednesday, April 29
• Wednesday, June 10
• Wednesday, July 15
• Wednesday, September 2
• Wednesday, October 28
• Wednesday, December 9

All announcements are scheduled for 9:45 a.m. Eastern Time.

Which 2026 rate dates include the Monetary Policy Report?

The Monetary Policy Report (MPR)—the Bank’s bigger, more detailed read on inflation, growth, and risks—comes out at the same time as the rate decision on four dates:

• January 28
• April 29
• July 15
• October 28

If you follow rates closely, these are the dates to circle twice. The decision matters, but the message in the MPR can move expectations for months.

Why these dates matter for your mortgage, debt, and savings

The simple truth: your day-to-day interest costs and interest earnings are linked to the policy rate, especially for variable-rate borrowing and many floating-rate products.

If you have a variable-rate mortgage or HELOC

If you’re on a variable-rate mortgage, or you use a home equity line of credit, rate decisions can affect you fast.

What I’ve found works best is treating each announcement as a risk checkpoint:

• Know your current rate and payment structure (payment changes vs amortization changes)
• Estimate the impact of a 0.25% move on your monthly cost
• Decide your trigger: “If payments rise by $X, I’ll increase payments / make a lump sum / refinance.”

Even if the Bank doesn’t move rates, lenders and markets often adjust pricing around expectations.

If you’re renewing a fixed-rate mortgage in 2026

Fixed-rate mortgages don’t move one-for-one with the policy rate, but rate announcements can still influence bond yields and lender pricing.

A practical renewal timeline:

1. 120–90 days before renewal: start watching lender offers and rate holds
2. 60–45 days before renewal: compare fixed vs variable with real numbers
3. 30 days before renewal: avoid last-minute pressure; lock your choice

If your renewal window is near an MPR date (Jan/Apr/Jul/Oct), build in extra time. Those are the moments when the Bank’s outlook can reset the market’s mood.

If you’re trying to earn more on savings (HISA, GICs)

When rates are elevated (as they’ve been recently), people leave money sitting in low-yield accounts far too often.

Use the 2026 schedule to set a routine:

• After each decision: review your HISA rate and whether your bank quietly changed it
• Around MPR dates: check GIC pricing (terms sometimes reprice as expectations shift)
• If you’re building an emergency fund: prioritize access + reliability, then optimize yield

A quarter-point difference doesn’t sound like much—until it’s on a five-figure balance for a full year.

The other 2026 releases to watch (because they move expectations)

The key idea: rate decisions don’t happen in a vacuum. Two surveys and one financial stability report help shape the narrative around inflation, spending, and credit conditions.

Business Outlook Survey + Consumer Expectations Survey (2026 dates)

These releases are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time:

• Monday, January 19
• Monday, April 20
• Monday, July 6
• Monday, October 19

Why you should care:

• If businesses plan to raise prices, inflation pressure can stick around.
• If consumers expect higher inflation, that can influence wage demands and spending patterns.
• If both cool off, it can support a shift toward easier policy over time.

You don’t need to read every chart. You just need to know whether expectations are heating up or settling down.

Financial Stability Report (2026 date)

The Financial Stability Report is scheduled for:

• Thursday, May 28 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time

This one matters if you’re thinking about housing risk, household debt, lending standards, or market stress.

For everyday planning, I treat it like a “credit conditions forecast.” If stability risks rise, lenders often get more cautious—sometimes independent of the policy rate.

A 2026 rate-decision game plan (savers, homeowners, investors)

The best approach is boring: create a repeatable checklist that runs eight times a year.

Homeowners: reduce payment shock and renewal stress

Your goal is to stop reacting and start managing.

• Run a sensitivity test: what does +0.25% and +0.50% do to your monthly cost?
• Build a rate buffer: even $100–$300/month extra can protect you later
• Use prepayments strategically: prioritize high-rate debt first
• Time your renewal shopping: start early enough that you’re not forced into a bad deal

Snippet-worthy truth: The cheapest mortgage is the one you can comfortably afford if rates don’t cooperate.

Savers: stop accepting “default” interest

If your bank pays you a low rate because you didn’t ask questions, that’s not a market problem—it’s a habit problem.

• Keep your emergency fund accessible, but make sure it’s not asleep
• Consider a GIC ladder if you’ll need cash in stages (3/6/12/18 months)
• Re-check rates after major announcements; repricing can be quick

Investors: focus on time horizon, not headlines

Rate days can jolt markets, but long-term plans don’t need constant surgery.

• If you’re investing for 10+ years, don’t trade every announcement
• If you’re nearing retirement, interest rates matter more—consider how your bond duration and cash needs line up
• Keep contributions automatic; consistency beats prediction

Common questions people ask about Bank of Canada rate announcements

Do mortgage rates change the same day as the Bank of Canada decision?

Sometimes, yes—especially for prime-linked products like HELOCs and many variable-rate loans. Fixed mortgage rates can move before the decision if markets already expect it.

If the Bank holds the policy rate, does that mean I should do nothing?

No. A “hold” can still come with a message that signals future cuts or hikes. For planning, you’re watching the direction of travel, not just today’s number.

What’s the one date type that matters most?

If you only have time for a few, prioritize the four MPR dates (Jan/Apr/Jul/Oct). That’s when the Bank pairs the decision with a deeper economic outlook.

Use the 2026 schedule to stay calm—and make better money moves

This post is part of our Interest Rates, Banking & Personal Finance series because this is where personal finance gets real: rates don’t just live in headlines; they show up in your payment, your savings yield, and your options.

Print the 2026 schedule, drop the dates into your calendar, and decide in advance what you’ll check after each announcement (mortgage rate, HELOC interest, savings account yield, renewal plan). That tiny system is how you stop feeling whipsawed by interest rates.

If you’re going into 2026 with a renewal coming up, debt you want to crush, or cash you want to earn more on, what’s your plan for the next rate announcement—wait and hope, or set rules you’ll actually follow?