Retiring as a millionaire is a goal many investors aspire to achieve. While it may seem challenging, building substantial wealth is possible with disciplined investing and a long-term mindset. Starting early can make a significant difference, thanks to compounding. For instance, a $50,000 investment that grows at an annualized rate of 11% over 30 years would be worth more than $1.1 million.
With that in mind, let’s look at three Canadian stocks that could deliver strong long-term returns and help investors build significant wealth.
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Dollarama
Dollarama (TSX: DOL) is a leading discount retailer operating 1,719 stores across Canada and 410 in Australia. The company’s direct-sourcing model eliminates many intermediary costs and enhances its purchasing power, while its efficient logistics network helps keep operating expenses low. These advantages enable Dollarama to offer compelling value to consumers and maintain strong same-store sales growth across varying economic conditions.
The retailer has also delivered impressive growth by steadily expanding its store network, increasing its Canadian footprint from 652 locations in 2011 to 1,719 stores today. This expansion has fueled consistent revenue and earnings growth, helping the stock generate a remarkable 542% total return over the past decade, equivalent to an annualized return of 20.4%.
Looking ahead, Dollarama still has significant growth opportunities. Management plans to expand its Canadian store count to 2,200 by fiscal 2034 and its Australian footprint to 700 stores during the same period. The company also has exposure to the fast-growing Latin American discount retail market through its 60.1% stake in Dollarcity, which operates 752 stores across five countries. Dollarcity aims to grow its network to 1,050 stores by fiscal 2031, while Dollarama holds an option to raise its ownership stake to 70% by the end of next year. Supported by these multiple growth drivers, I believe Dollarama is well-positioned to continue delivering strong long-term returns, making it an attractive buy-and-hold stock.
Waste Connections
Another Canadian stock with strong long-term return potential is Waste Connections (TSX: WCN), a leading provider of non-hazardous solid waste management services across the United States and Canada. The company focuses primarily on secondary and exclusive markets, where competition is often limited, allowing it to generate higher margins and stable cash flows.
Waste Connections has built an impressive track record of growth through a balanced strategy of organic expansion and disciplined acquisitions. Over the past five years, it has completed approximately 100 acquisitions, adding $2.3 billion in annualized revenue. These growth initiatives have translated into strong shareholder returns, with the stock delivering a total return of roughly 285% over the last decade, equivalent to an annualized return of 14.4%.
Looking ahead, the company remains well-positioned for continued expansion. Waste Connections recently placed six renewable natural gas (RNG) facilities into service and is currently constructing six additional facilities that could become operational by the end of this year. The company also plans to continue pursuing acquisitions, supported by its strong balance sheet and healthy cash-flow generation. Management has identified a robust acquisition pipeline, including several private businesses generating $5 billion in combined revenue.
Given the essential nature of its services, its resilient business model, and multiple growth drivers, Waste Connections appears well-positioned to deliver attractive long-term returns for investors.
Celestica
My final pick is Celestica (TSX: CLS), a leading electronics manufacturing services provider that has benefitted from the artificial intelligence (AI) boom. Supported by strong execution and growing exposure to AI-related infrastructure spending, the company has delivered an extraordinary total return of approximately 2,930% over the past three years, representing an annualized return of around 212%.
I believe Celestica still has substantial growth potential. The rapid adoption of AI technologies is driving unprecedented demand for computing power, prompting hyperscalers and cloud service providers to invest heavily in data centre infrastructure. This trend is creating significant opportunities for Celestica, particularly through its advanced hardware and networking solutions that support next-generation AI workloads.
To capitalize on this growing demand, the company continues to invest in innovation and manufacturing capacity. Celestica plans to establish a new manufacturing facility in Fort Worth, Texas, which should enhance its ability to serve customers in the fast-growing data centre market and other high-value technology segments. These investments could increase production capacity, strengthen customer relationships, and support long-term revenue growth.
Given its exposure to powerful AI-driven growth trends, ongoing expansion initiatives, and strong operational execution, I believe Celestica is well-positioned to continue delivering attractive returns, making it an excellent stock for long-term investors.
