Passive ETF Investing in Canada

Couch potato investing in Canada: hold one low-cost all-in-one ETF or a few index ETFs in a TFSA or RRSP, add money on a schedule, and rebalance yearly.

Five model ETF portfolios for Canadians, from 20/80 to 100/0 stocks and bonds, with real 2021 to 2025 returns, MERs, and a simple way to pick your risk level.

As of September 2026, XEQT and VEQT both charge a 0.17% management fee. The live difference is Canada weight and payout frequency, not a fee gap.

The best TFSA ETF in 2026 is a Canadian-listed fund you will hold. US withholding in a TFSA is not creditable, and the TFSA limit is $7,000.

VFV holds the US-listed Vanguard S&P 500 ETF and charges a 0.08% MER. VOO charges 0.03%. In an RRSP, only the US-listed fund gets the treaty exemption.

When a VEQT- or XEQT-style one-ticket ETF beats a multi-fund portfolio, and when asset location is worth the extra moving parts.

Use new contributions and registered accounts first, band-rebalance on purpose, and keep non-registered sales for the drift that cash cannot fix.

CAD-hedged versus unhedged equity, Norbert's gambit without a fake FX quote, and why a Canadian ticker does not create a treaty exemption.

How a management-expense ratio and trading costs compound, and how to compare similar Canadian funds without treating a blog figure as a live MER.

How to set a stock-and-bond mix, then place ETFs across a TFSA, RRSP, FHSA and non-registered account so tax and US withholding land in the right place.