What TFSA Millionaires Understand That Most Canadian Investors Don’t

Long-term TFSA wealth often comes from holding strong businesses through volatility.

| More on:
Key Points
  • Patient TFSA investors may benefit from owning durable businesses through volatility.
  • Shopify (TSX:SHOP) generated 34% revenue growth and over US$100 billion in gross merchandise value in the latest quarter.
  • Canadian Pacific Kansas City (TSX:CP) links Canada, the United States, and Mexico, making it a difficult asset for competitors to replicate.

Most investors who build huge wealth through a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) understand that successful investing isn’t about avoiding every downturn. It’s about owning strong businesses, staying patient through market volatility, and letting compounding do the heavy lifting over time – exactly the way it’s talked about in the Foolish Investing Philosophy.

That approach matters even more today because some excellent Canadian stocks are not moving in straight lines due mainly to economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions. And short-term weakness in quality stocks could hide long-term opportunity, especially when the underlying business remains important to customers.

In this article, I’ll highlight two top Canadian stocks TFSA investors may want to consider for long-term wealth creation.

Thrilled women riding roller coaster at amusement park, enjoying fun outdoor activity.

Group of friends laughing on a roller coaster ride at the amusement park during sunny day.

A commerce platform built for scale

The first stock is Shopify (TSX:SHOP), the Ottawa-based commerce platform that provides internet infrastructure for merchants of all sizes.

SHOP stock currently trades at $151.58 per share, giving the company a market cap of $199.7 billion. The shares are up 5% over the last year but down 31% so far in 2026, which shows why long-term conviction matters.

Despite weakness in its shares, Shopify’s latest results still showed strong business momentum. In the first quarter of 2026, the Canadian e-commerce giant’s revenue grew 34% year over year, while free cash flow (FCF) margin held at 15%. Its gross merchandise volume (GMV) surpassed US$100 billion in the quarter, highlighting the scale of commerce running through its platform.

Meanwhile, Shopify is also investing in merchant tools, artificial intelligence (AI), and internal systems that could make its platform more valuable over time. That long-term reinvestment is exactly what patient TFSA investors should watch.

A railway with a rare network

The second stock TFSA investors can consider right now is Canadian Pacific Kansas City (TSX:CP), or CPKC, the railway linking Canada, the United States, and Mexico through a single network.

CP stock recently closed at $120.81 per share, with a market cap of $107.2 billion. Its shares have gained nearly 10% over the last year and 20% so far in 2026. The stock also pays a small 0.9% dividend yield at the current market price.

Canadian Pacific Kansas City reported revenue of $3.7 billion in its latest quarter (ended in March), while continuing to improve network fluidity and terminal performance. Its operating ratio was 66%, and core adjusted diluted earnings came in at $1.04 per share.

Overall, this transportation giant offers a great compounding opportunity as rail networks are hard to replicate, and CPKC’s Canada-U.S.-Mexico footprint gives it a unique position in North American trade. That scarcity value can matter over decades.

These TFSA-friendly stocks could help you build long-term wealth

Together, the two stocks show that TFSA wealth can come from different sources. Shopify offers platform growth, while CP offers infrastructure-like durability. Both require patience, but neither depends on a quick trade to make the investment case work.

Although no stock is risk-free, TFSA millionaires often understand that risk is not the same as danger when the business quality remains high. Shopify and CPKC both have powerful platforms, large addressable markets, and long-term growth paths. That is what makes them worth holding patiently.

Fool contributor Jitendra Parashar has positions in Shopify. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Shopify. The Motley Fool recommends Canadian Pacific Kansas City. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

More on Stocks for Beginners

alcohol
Tech Stocks

1 Tech Stock That Has Created Millionaires and Could Keep Making More

Shopify once turned a $15,000 investment into over $1 million, but today’s Shopify needs new growth engines like AI commerce…

Read more »

A woman shops in a grocery store while pushing a stroller with a child
Dividend Stocks

TFSA Investors: 2 Canadian Stocks to Buy and Hold for Life

Two boring, durable Canadian businesses could compound well inside a TFSA, but both are priced like high-quality companies.

Read more »

ETFs can contain investments such as stocks
Dividend Stocks

3 Top Canadian ETFs to Buy for Instant Diversification

Three broad ETFs can give you instant global diversification, but you still need to watch fees, overlap, and concentration risk.

Read more »

Digital background depicting innovative technologies in quantum computing, (AI) artificial systems, neural interfaces and internet machine learning technologies
Stocks for Beginners

Here’s How This Canadian Company Could Profit From the Data Centre Boom

This Canadian stock is already seeing data centre demand turn into stronger sales, margins, and a much larger backlog.

Read more »

Canadian investor contemplating U.S. stocks with multiple doors to choose from.
Stocks for Beginners

Why I’m Not Worried About This Canadian Stock’s 32% Drop

This Canadian stock is down sharply, but its financial growth trends tell a much stronger story than its share-price chart.

Read more »

woman considering the future
Dividend Stocks

How I’d Invest $50,000 in Canadian Dividend Stocks for Lifelong Income

A $50,000 retirement portfolio can start around $2,000 a year in dividends, but dividend growth and diversification are what make…

Read more »

TFSA (Tax free savings account) acronym on wooden cubes on the background of stacks of coins
Dividend Stocks

TFSA Investors: 3 Strong Canadian Stocks to Buy and Hold for Life

A TFSA can reward decades of patience, and these three “boring” Canadian compounders aim to keep growing without relying on…

Read more »

trading chart of brent crude oil prices
Dividend Stocks

A 6.3% Dividend Stock Paying Cash Every Month

Freehold offers a 6%+ monthly dividend backed by royalties, not operating wells, but oil prices still control the story.

Read more »