5 TSX Stocks to Buy With $5,000 for Steady Returns

Here are some stable businesses to keep watch on for long-term investors looking for steady returns. Two appear to be better buys today.

Kay Ng

Kay began investing in dividend stocks around 2008 via the concept of value investing. Since then, she has expanded into growth investing, including in small caps. Her passion for investing has only grown over the years! After graduating from UBC with a BSc in Computer Science, she took university courses in financial markets, finance, and financial accounting. She has contributed her works to Motley Fool, Sure Dividend, and Seeking Alpha.

Published September 21, 8:15 pm EDT

Building a $5,000 Canadian stock portfolio does not require chasing the market’s hottest names. For investors looking for dependable long-term returns, a better approach can be combining established businesses, recurring cash flows, dividend growth, and exposure to different parts of the economy. Here are five TSX-listed examples that could form the foundation of a diversified income-and-growth portfolio.

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1. Empire

Empire (TSX: EMP.A) is a defensive business. It offers exposure to an essential part of the Canadian economy: groceries. Through Sobeys and other banners like Safeway, IGA, and Thrifty Foods, Empire generated approximately $32 billion in annualized sales and $1.3 billion in operating income, according to its latest corporate information.

The company also demonstrated steady growth in the first quarter of fiscal 2027. Sales rose 2.6% to $8.5 billion, food same-store sales growth was 1.2%, operating income rose 7.6% to $411 million, while earnings per share (EPS) rose 14.3% to $1.04.

Empire last increased its dividend by 10.2% in June, marking its 31st consecutive annual increase.

For a $5,000 portfolio, the Canadian stock can provide a defensive consumer-staples component alongside dividend growth.

2. Enbridge

Enbridge (TSX: ENB) is a natural candidate for investors prioritizing income. Its extensive energy infrastructure generates cash flows from pipelines, utilities, and other assets, while the company has maintained a roughly 30-year long dividend-growth record.

For 2026, Enbridge raised its quarterly dividend by 2.9% to $0.97, or $3.88 annually, representing its 31st consecutive annual increase. The company also targets a sustainable 60%–70% payout ratio based on distributable cash flow.

Enbridge’s combination of income, infrastructure exposure, and medium-term target to grow distributable cash flow per share by about 5% per year makes ENB a potential anchor for a portfolio seeking steady returns, which can start with ENB stock’s high yield of about 5.7%.

3. Fortis

Fortis (TSX: FTS) brings regulated utility exposure, which can complement the more economically sensitive businesses in a diversified portfolio. The company operates nine regulated utilities across Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean, serving 3.5 million electricity and natural-gas customers with 95% of transmission and distribution assets.

Fortis currently targets annual dividend growth of 4%–6% through 2030 and has increased its dividend for over 50 consecutive years. Its 2026–2030 capital plan totals $28.8 billion.

4. Canadian National Railway

Canadian National Railway (TSX: CNR) provides exposure to a critical transportation network spanning Canada and the United States. Railways can benefit from long-term economic activity while operating infrastructure that is difficult to replicate.

CN Rail increased its quarterly dividend by 3.1% in January, extending its streak of annual increases to 30 years. The company also expects to invest roughly $2.8 billion in its capital program this year.

5. Brookfield

Brookfield (TSX: BN) adds global diversification through asset management, wealth solutions, infrastructure, energy, private equity, and real estate. In the second quarter, Brookfield reported distributable earnings before realizations increased 14% to US$1.4 billion, while fee-related earnings in asset management rose 20%, driven by a 19% increase in fee-bearing capital to US$672 billion at the end of the quarter.

Although Brookfield offers a lower yield of about 0.7%, the growth stock offers higher capital and income growth potential, as well as greater business diversification. It last raised its dividend by nearly 17% in February.

The bottom line

A $5,000 portfolio could be divided equally among Empire, Enbridge, Fortis, Canadian National Railway, and Brookfield to combine groceries, energy infrastructure, regulated utilities, transportation, and global alternative investments.

All investments come with risks. The idea is to spread risks across a basket of quality stocks by building exposure to established businesses with different sources of cash flow and growth. Notably, investors should consider valuation, taxes, portfolio concentration, investment horizon, and personal risk tolerance before buying.

Currently, analysts suggest Brookfield and Enbridge stock may offer better value for long-term investing.