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Stocks for Beginners

Investing in stocks can feel intimidating at first, but it’s one of the most effective ways to build long-term wealth. For beginners, the key idea to understand is that there’s no “perfect” time to start—because historically, markets have trended upward over long periods despite short-term ups and downs. Whether markets are rising or falling, consistent investing over time has rewarded patient investors, making any time a good time to begin if your focus is long-term growth.

More importantly, the stock market allows your money to work for you, rather than relying solely on your own time and effort to generate income. By investing in stocks, you’re putting your capital to work in businesses that grow, innovate, and generate profits—often compounding returns year after year. Instead of trading hours for dollars, investing gives you the opportunity to build wealth in the background while you focus on your career, goals, or everyday life.

To learn more about Stocks for Beginners and how to actually buy stocks in Canada, take a look at our Guide to How to Start Investing in Canada for all the details.

Recent Stocks for Beginners News

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Dividend Stocks

How Much to Invest in RioCan for $300 a Month in Dividends

| Demetris Afxentiou

How much should you invest in RioCan for $300 a month in dividends? Explore its retail business, monthly payout and…

Read more »

Quality Control Inspectors at Waste Management Facility
Stocks for Beginners

Would I Buy Waste Connections for a 10-Year TFSA? Here’s My Case

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Waste Connections earns my interest for a 10-year TFSA, with recurring demand and cash generation balanced against a demanding valuation.

Read more »

Hourglass and stock price chart
Energy Stocks

Enbridge Q3: Profit Nearly Doubles, and I Don’t Think the Dividend Stock is Done Yet

| Kay Ng

Enbridge starts investors off with a near 5.9% dividend that can continue to grow with a steady growth profile.

Read more »

diversification is an important part of building a stable portfolio
Dividend Stocks

Want $6,000 a Year From Your TFSA? Here’s the Portfolio Size to Aim for

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

A $150,000 starting target can support a $6,000 annual TFSA income goal without requiring an extreme yield.

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dividend stocks bring in passive income so investors can sit back and relax
Stocks for Beginners

Shopify’s Results Disappointed Wall Street: Buy, Sell, or Hold Before the Holiday Shopping Season?

| Jitendra Parashar

Shopify stock plunged 8% after its latest earnings despite strong financial growth. Here's why holding the stock could be a…

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Energy Stocks

Hydro One Stock: A Growing Grid Doesn’t Mean You Should Pay Any Price

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Hydro One’s grid investment supports growth, but my preferred entry offers a better starting yield than today’s price.

Read more »

A glass jar resting on its side with Canadian banknotes and change inside.
Stocks for Beginners

Investing With a Small Budget in an Uncertain 2027

| Kay Ng

Build an emergency fund before investing for the long term across equity and fixed-income investments.

Read more »

Canadian energy stocks are rising with oil prices
Energy Stocks

Suncor vs. Canadian Natural: Which Dividend Would I Rely On When Oil Falls?

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Canadian Natural is my income preference through weaker oil prices, while Suncor offers refining exposure and a newly increased dividend.

Read more »

diversification and asset allocation are crucial investing concepts
Dividend Stocks

What $30,000 Split Between a Bank and a Utility Could Pay in Dividends

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

An equal bank-and-utility split turns $30,000 into roughly $1,000 in annual dividends, with different businesses supporting the payments.

Read more »

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Dividend Stocks

5 of the Best Canadian Dividend Stocks to Buy and Hold in Your TFSA

| Demetris Afxentiou

Here's a look at five top Canadian dividend stocks for any income-focused TFSA investor with picks spanning multiple sectors.

Read more »

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

Brookfield Asset Management vs. Brookfield Corporation: Which Stock Would I Own?

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Brookfield Corporation gets my growth allocation, while Brookfield Asset Management offers more current income with a higher payout commitment.

Read more »

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Dividend Stocks

Telus Reset its Dividend: Here’s My Buy, Sell, or Hold Take

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Telus’s smaller dividend offers a fresh starting point, but debt reduction has to earn investors’ patience.

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Dividend Stocks

Dollarama vs. Alimentation Couche-Tard: Which Stock Fits a 10-Year TFSA?

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Couche-Tard gets my next 10-year TFSA purchase because its earnings expectations come with a much lower valuation than Dollarama’s.

Read more »

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Energy Stocks

Rates Are Rising Again: Is Emera Still a Sensible Retirement Stock?

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Emera still offers retirement income, but borrowing costs and per-share earnings decide how comfortably that payment can grow.

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ETFs can contain investments such as stocks
Dividend Stocks

How to Use a TFSA to Generate $200 in Monthly Tax-Free Income

| Demetris Afxentiou

Use a TFSA to build $200 in monthly tax-free income with XEI and ZRE. See how these ETFs work and…

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Energy Stocks

How Much Would You Need to Invest in Enbridge to Average $200 a Month?

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Enbridge’s current dividend needs roughly $42,600 in shares to average $200 monthly, with payments arriving every quarter.

Read more »

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Dividend Stocks

How to Turn Your TFSA Into $1,000 a Month in Tax-Free Income

| Demetris Afxentiou

Build toward $1,000 a month in tax-free income with a TFSA. See how Enbridge, Scotiabank and ZWC could help, and…

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Energy Stocks

Is Pembina Pipeline’s 4.3% Dividend Worth Buying as a Long-Term Hold?

| Kay Ng

Pembina is a relatively low-risk dividend stock to buy for long-term income and steady growth, especially on meaningful market dips.

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Dividend Stocks

Intact Stock: Would I Buy It for Growth, Income, or Both?

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Intact’s modest yield makes profitable long-term growth the main attraction, with catastrophe losses putting the next purchase to a test.

Read more »

diversification and asset allocation are crucial investing concepts
Dividend Stocks

How I’d Use $500 a Month to Build a Dividend Portfolio Before Retirement

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

A $500 monthly habit can build retirement income through contributions, reinvestment, and businesses that keep cash after their payouts.

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Dividend Stocks

CT REIT vs. SmartCentres: Which Monthly Payer Fits a TFSA Better?

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

CT REIT offers a larger payout cushion, while SmartCentres produces more monthly cash from the same investment.

Read more »

rail train
Dividend Stocks

Canadian National vs. CPKC: Which Railway Would I Hold Through a Slowdown?

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

CN offers my preferred mix of earnings progress and starting income, while CPKC brings a bigger cross-border growth ambition.

Read more »

man studies at computer
Dividend Stocks

No Workplace Pension? Here’s the Math Behind a $1,000-a-Month Income Goal

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

A $1,000 monthly income goal becomes more manageable when you separate the capital target from the savings needed to reach…

Read more »

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Stocks for Beginners

3 of the Best Canadian Stocks to Buy and Hold in a TFSA

| Puja Tayal

Learn why now is a good time to buy Canadian stocks as the market dynamics shift due to changes in…

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Dividend Stocks

Nutrien’s Dividend Is Only Part of the Story: Here’s the Recovery Case

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Nutrien’s recovery case rests on better asset decisions and spending discipline, with a dividend providing income along the way.

Read more »

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Stocks for Beginners

TD vs. Royal Bank: Which Dividend Stock Would I Buy With $10,000?

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

TD offers slightly more current income, while Royal Bank's broader earnings mix earns my preference for a patient holding.

Read more »

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Stocks for Beginners

What $10,000 in Freehold Royalties Could Add to Your Income Over a Year

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Freehold could produce about $634 in annual income from a $10,000 budget, with commodity prices still influencing the payment.

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Tech Stocks

OpenText’s Revenue Fell Again, But Here’s What Investors Could Be Missing

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

OpenText’s latest results reveal growth beneath falling revenue, with its AI opportunity depending on turning customer demand into stronger earnings.

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Stocks for Beginners

Ivanhoe Sits on 43,000 Tonnes of Unsold Copper as Prices Stay High: Is the Stock a Buy?

| Demetris Afxentiou

Ivanhoe holds 43,000 tonnes of unsold copper at Kamoa-Kakula. Does this make the miner a buy for your portfolio right…

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Tech Stocks

Lightspeed Stock Drops 14% After Earnings: Here’s Why I’d Buy the Dip

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Dax Dasilva explains how better customer deals and AI that tackles merchants’ daily chores could strengthen Lightspeed’s recovery.

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Energy Stocks

GIC or Dividend Stock? The Better Fit for Money You Won’t Need for 10 Years

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

A 10-year horizon gives a dividend stock room to grow, while a GIC remains the better fit for a fixed…

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Dividend Stocks

How I’d Build a $250-a-Month Income Plan Without Chasing the Biggest Yields

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

A roughly $75,000 portfolio can supply $250 a month on average without relying on unusually high yields.

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Energy Stocks

Fortis Just Raised Its Dividend: Is the Stock Worth Buying for Income?

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Fortis's new dividend increase comes with a larger spending plan, offering steady income growth at a modest starting yield.

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Tech Stocks

Your TFSA Doesn’t Need Another Speculative Stock: Here’s the Growth Case for CGI

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

CGI offers a growth case built on paying clients, rising per-share earnings, and a shrinking share count.

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Dividend Stocks

Manulife vs. Sun Life: Which Stock Makes More Sense for a Retirement TFSA?

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Sun Life offers slightly more starting income, while both insurers bring growth opportunities and market-sensitive risks.

Read more »

dividend stocks are a good way to earn passive income
Dividend Stocks

Starting With $25,000: How I’d Build Towards $500 a Month in Dividends

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

A $25,000 starting portfolio can become a useful income engine, with contributions doing more of the work than a giant…

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Dividend Stocks

Higher Rates Are Back: Can Brookfield Infrastructure Keep Growing Its Payout?

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Brookfield Infrastructure's growing cash earnings support its payout, with financing costs setting the pace of the next increase.

Read more »

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Dividend Stocks

Telus vs. BCE: Which Dividend Looks Better After the Cuts?

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Telus and BCE now offer similar starting yields, making payout coverage and recovery demands the more useful comparison.

Read more »

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Dividend Stocks

What $20,000 in CT REIT Could Pay You Without Selling a Single Unit

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

CT REIT could turn a $20,000 investment into roughly $93 a month, with rent and payout coverage doing the supporting…

Read more »

Hand Protecting Senior Couple
Stocks for Beginners

Royal Bank Stock: What I’d Pay for a Dividend I Plan to Hold for Years

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Royal Bank's dividend has room behind it, but I'd want a better starting yield before making a large income purchase.

Read more »