Overall, we remain hopeful that rising global demand for Canadian goods and services, combined with the continued high level of oil prices, will stimulate business investment in Canada and shift the economy onto a more sustainable growth track.
Consistent with this view, manufacturers interviewed by the Bank for our spring Business Outlook Survey indicated that, in an effort to improve competitiveness or to create opportunities for growth, they are planning to increase their investments in machinery and equipment. Such intentions are somewhat more prominent among small and medium-sized firms and among export-oriented firms.