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Investment Q&A

Not investment advice or solicitation to buy/sell securities. Do your own due diligence and/or consult an advisor.

Q: Hi I’m 37 years old, considering myself a moderate risk investor. Can you recommend your top 5 ETFs in order? (CND or US) I prefer to buy and forget.

Thank you
Read Answer Asked by Nick on January 28, 2026
Q: Would like to get some guidance. I have ~$250K cash in a LIRA and would like to invest it in an ETF. I would like some guidance in terms of which ETF I should invest in. Should I invest in VFV or VOO?

In the long run, which one is a better investment choice for a Canadian, considering foreign exchange rates, MER, fund performance and dividend withholding taxes?

Based on my research a LIRA is exempt from the US withholding tax, similar to a RRSP.

Also, aside from the factors above that I’m considering, from your perspective are there any other pertinent factors that I’m missing?
Read Answer Asked by Sal on January 17, 2026
Q: I'm looking for a lo-volatilty ETF with some growth for a long term hold. Which would u recommend or do you have a better option?
Read Answer Asked by Graeme on January 12, 2026
Q: I would appreciate your guidance on investing available cash in my portfolio. I recently sold my NVIDIA holdings, and as a result, approximately 50% of my RRIF investments are currently in cash, and about 5% of my non-registered (open) investment accounts are also in cash. I currently hold VFV, VGRO and XIC in my open account along with approximately 20 equities. I do not currently hold any ETFs in my RRIF account. My objective is to fully invest this cash before the end of 2025. I would appreciate your recommendations on the following:
• Top five investment ideas (ETFs and equities) suitable for my RRIF account, and
• Top five investment ideas (ETFs and equities) suitable for my non-registered (open) account,
with the following parameters in mind:
• Investment horizon: 5 to 10 years
• Risk profile: Moderate
Thank you in advance for your assistance. I value your research and look forward to your recommendations. Best wishes to you and your team for the Holiday Season, and warm regards for a healthy and prosperous New Year.
Read Answer Asked by Don on December 22, 2025
Q: What are your thoughts on the ETF SPMO? Would you see this as a reliable investment for a more growth forward investor during the long run? Would you combine this with a more stable dividend ETF to balance risk? Or would you prefer see someone invest in a Broad market ETF such as VFV. Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Kevin on November 19, 2025
Q: I have US stocks and CAD stocks but also want to keep a large portion of my portfolio in indexes. I have VFV and similar for trakcing S&p and have added VEQT in the last few years for world diversification. I have a small amount in XAW, but does it make sense to have more in XAW since i have a bunch of individual canadian stocks? or do you have a preference for canadians to own one of these over the other?
Read Answer Asked by Danielle on November 09, 2025
Q: I currently hold the above ETFs in a RESP and wonder if I should add any other ETF or this is good enough and just keep adding to these ones. Money not needed for 9 years.

Thanks
Read Answer Asked on November 04, 2025
Q: I currently hold these ETF's in a RESP. I have only XIC ,ZNQ and IWO at a 11% weight , would you be comfortable bringing them up to 15-20% each ?

Is there any other ETF you would add ?I am looking at XAW.

Thanks
Read Answer Asked on August 28, 2025
Q: With these two etf's both modeling the S&P 500 and returns since inception appearing to be only .69% apart why do they have such different pricing per unit? I assume both are treat similar in tax treatment?

Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Kolbi on July 07, 2025
Q: Hi,

I have a Lump sum and I have close to an equal 25/25/25/25% split for these etfs/company. because i am in my low 40s i want to make sure i get my growth somewhat better in my younger years. Do you think this would be acceptable or should i be leaning more towards a xeqt/vfv split?
Read Answer Asked by Ross on June 17, 2025
Q: Hi All at 5i!! A young friend is starting to invest in his TFSA. He has a long time horizon. Basically, he wants to just put the money into the TFSA and let it grow until retirement in an uncomplicated manner. (IOW no individual stocks). If you were to suggest an ETF, would VFV fit the bill, or would he be better off investing in a more structured ETF which encompasses several markets (US,Canadian etc) and a small bond holding as well?. What would you suggest?


Cheers,
Tamara

Read Answer Asked by Tamara on May 27, 2025
Q: Just read an article in the Globe and Mail, and other articles in The Economist:

"Investors have bet heavily on the U.S. economy. That’s not a great idea", by Ian McGugan

Given the concerns about the US these days (huge and increasing debt, failure of rule of law, outsized weighting in the world stock market, unhappy bond market, declining USD), should one reduce the exposure to US Indexes in a passive indexing portfolio with a long term horizon (5-10 years)?

If so, where would be a better place right now to put this money? Europe? Gold? Cash? Other?

Thanks in advance for your opinion.
Read Answer Asked by Alfred on April 21, 2025
Q: Greetings 5i,

I'm looking to decrease some of my US investments and want to sell XUS (I also own VFV). I'm looking at either VIU or XEF as a replacement for XUS. Does this make sense and if so do you have a preference for either of these ETFs or would you recommend something else as a replacement?

Thank you.
John.
Read Answer Asked by John on March 20, 2025
Q: Hello,
Is today a good day to invest in Canadian Company CGI? What is a good target buy price?
Also I hold Amazon in an RRSP and Vanguard in an RESP. Is it a good time, with the market drop, to increase holdings?
Thank you,
Jovan
Read Answer Asked by jovan on March 10, 2025
Q: Hello, 1.How does one protect them selves from large market crashes?
2. If one were to start a portfolio with only index funds, etfs which are the ones you would suggest. Maximum 5 etfs. Thanks.

Shyam
Read Answer Asked by Shyam on February 19, 2025
Q: What is your opinion of this ETF? The performance history is really good beating the S&P and others over the last 10 years. They have had a couple of splits in the past and hold about 235 stocks in total. I looked at the top holdings and they are almost the same as the VOO /VFV. Would this be a good sub for the VFV or VOO? The price per unit is low
Read Answer Asked by Kolbi on February 13, 2025
Q: I am just starting my TFSA and am starting young, I am wondering what are some good long term investments in the current environment? The companies listed are what I have recently bought shares in.
Read Answer Asked by Nancy on February 10, 2025