Canadian household net worth rose in 2025, and not by a little. In fact, Canadian households reached $18.6 trillion in net worth in 2025, and it’s a reminder that market volatility does not hurt everyone the same way.
Statistics Canada said the gain came entirely from financial assets, mainly equity markets. The wealthiest households benefited most, with the top 20% accounting for 65.7% of Canada’s total net worth by the end of the year.
The Bank of Canada warned that the global backdrop remains unsettled. Its 2026 Financial Stability Report said financial markets have faced periods of increased volatility and reduced liquidity, especially in energy, while equity valuations remain elevated and credit spreads are tight.
That creates a useful lesson for investors. Volatility can feel like a threat when stock prices fall. But for people who keep investing through the swings, it can also become a wealth-building tool.
Group of friends laughing on a roller coaster ride at the amusement park during sunny day.
BN
Brookfield (TSX: BN) is built for markets like this. The company owns and manages assets across infrastructure, renewable power, real estate, credit, insurance, and private equity. In the first quarter of 2026, Brookfield reported distributable earnings of US$1.6 billion. It also repurchased more than US$1 billion of BN and Brookfield Asset Management shares year to date, including US$470 million of BN shares.
The stock is not a simple dividend pick with a low yield around 0.65%, so investors should buy it for long-term compounding rather than income. Shares also remain below their recent 52-week high, giving investors a more interesting entry point than during a full market rush.
The risk is complexity. Brookfield owns many moving parts, and higher interest rates can weigh on asset values, real estate, and financing costs. Investors need patience and comfort with a company that is harder to analyze than a bank or utility. Still, if volatility creates more distressed sellers, Brookfield could turn today’s uncertainty into tomorrow’s gains.
SHOP
Shopify (TSX: SHOP) is the higher-growth name on this list. The company gives merchants the tools to sell online, in stores, across social channels, and through global commerce networks. It is also building deeper artificial intelligence (AI) tools into its platform, which could make merchants more efficient and more competitive.
Volatility can hurt Shopify stock because the valuation is high. But the business continues to expand. In the first quarter of 2026, Shopify stock generated US$3.2 billion in revenue, up 34% year over year. Gross merchandise volume (GMV) passed US$100 billion in a single quarter, while free cash flow reached US$476 million and the free cash flow margin stayed at 15%.
Furthermore, Shopify stock expanded its share-buyback authorization by US$3 billion, bringing the total program to US$5 billion, after the stock came under pressure in 2026. That said, Shopify stock recently traded at 119 times trailing earnings, so even a small disappointment can send the stock lower. But long-term investors need the company to keep gaining merchant share, expanding free cash flow, and proving that AI makes its platform more valuable.
CNQ
Canadian Natural Resources (TSX: CNQ) gives investors a very different kind of volatility play. Oil and gas stocks can swing with crude prices, geopolitics, pipeline headlines, and global demand. Yet Canada’s energy role remains enormous. The Canada Energy Regulator said Canada exported 4.3 million barrels per day of crude oil (boe/d) in 2025, worth $140 billion. About 90% of that crude went to the United States.
CNQ is one of Canada’s largest oil and gas producers, with a deep asset base and a long record of returning cash to shareholders. The latest results show the strength. In the first quarter of 2026, CNR produced about 1.6 million boe/d, up 4% from the prior year. It generated adjusted funds flow of about $4.4 billion and returned about $1.5 billion to shareholders through dividends and buybacks.
The dividend is another attraction. CNQ raised its annualized dividend to $2.50 per share in 2026, marking its 26th consecutive year of dividend increases, now yielding 4.4% trading at 11.7 times earnings.
Bottom line
Brookfield, Shopify, and CNQ stock are not the same kind of stock. Yet that’s the appeal here. Investors with years to stay invested can use volatility as an entry point rather than a reason to step aside.
