Most Canadians have a misunderstanding that they don’t have enough money to invest. You don’t need thousands of dollars to start investing. Being invested in the market can begin with as little as $100. That small step can grow into meaningful wealth over time.
Five years from now, in March 2021, the world was emerging from the pandemic. It was clear that in a year or two, everyone would be vaccinated and life would return to normal. At that time, oil stocks were trading at a record low, creating a buying opportunity to hop onto the recovery rally.
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If you’d invested $100 in Suncor Energy five years ago
In March 2021, Suncor Energy (TSX:SU) stock had recovered slightly from the March 2020 panic. The company had to slash dividends as the demand shock lasted longer than expected, and every day was burning cash. But it is often in crisis that one finds opportunities. It was but a cyclical downturn and not an energy shift that would alter demand forever.
If investing in Suncor Energy at $29 per share, $100 would have bought three shares. At that time, nobody knew the lockdown would be followed by wars. The Russia-Ukraine war and the Gulf war have made oil one of the most precious commodities, with the oil price touching US$125/barrel. You can imagine the gains Suncor can make with a low West Texas Intermediate breakeven, which, according to Fitch Ratings, is US$43/barrel.
Fast forward five years: Suncor used the surplus cash to pay down debt and increase dividends. Today, that $100 invested is worth $262.47, plus $28.41 in dividends — a total of $290.88. That’s more than a threefold return.
| Year | Suncor Dividend per share | Dividend income on three shares |
| 2025 | $2.28 | $6.84 |
| 2024 | $2.18 | $6.54 |
| 2023 | $2.08 | $6.24 |
| 2022 | $1.88 | $5.64 |
| 2021 | $1.05 | $3.15 |
| Total | $28.41 |
Even if it was not Suncor but a TSX 60 exchange-traded fund, your $100 would have grown to $160, despite a tech meltdown, a housing market correction, a tariff war, and a semiconductor supply shortage.
If you’d invested $100 in Lundin Gold five years ago
When the markets are uncertain, investors often find solace in gold. What if you had invested that $100 in Lundin Gold (TSX:LUG)? In March 2021, the stock was trading at $9.51 per share, which would have bought you 10 shares for $100. The value of these 10 shares is now $949.6. With dividends included, being invested in gold proved highly rewarding. Each of the bearish events listed above triggered a gold price rally.
The benefit of being invested during a crisis
The last five years show that a crisis can create future robins. Not every stock will outperform, but being invested in even one strong performer can offset weaker positions.
Instead of delaying investment, consider investing just $100 in contrarian stocks that could yield different results in different environments, such as market downturns and periods of growth. If even one stock outperforms, it will offset the underperformance of the others.
Where to invest now
Now is a good time to buy as the TSX 60 Index has slipped 7.7%. Some good stocks to consider are Shopify and Lundin Gold. Being invested in diverse sectors helps balance risk and reward.
