Resources
Where I'd point a friend just starting out.
If someone asked me where to begin as a Canadian DIY investor, this is the short list I'd send them. It's curation, not a sales page — nothing here is affiliate-sponsored and no one paid to be included. If a link ever becomes an affiliate link, it'll be tagged clearly, right where it appears.
Learn the approach
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The reference point for low-cost index investing in Canada. Model ETF portfolios, the "why" behind them, and a lot of practical how-to. If you read one site before building a portfolio, make it this one.
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Deep, careful walkthroughs of the things that quietly cost Canadians money — foreign withholding tax, currency, and how asset-allocation ETFs actually work under the hood.
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Evidence-based investing from Canadian PMs Ben Felix and Cameron Passmore. Heavier on the academic research — great once the basics click and you want the reasoning behind factor tilts and expected returns.
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The community built around John Bogle's index philosophy. US-centric, but the core principles — own the market, keep costs low, rebalance, leave it alone — are universal.
Tax & account types
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The authoritative source on TFSA rules, contribution limits, and what counts as a "qualified investment". Boring but correct.
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Contribution limits, withdrawal rules, the Home Buyers' Plan and Lifelong Learning Plan — straight from CRA.
Tools & calculators
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Turns nominal dollars into real ones across decades. Handy for sanity-checking whether a "good" return actually beat inflation.
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Interactive backtests of the classic lazy portfolios with Monte Carlo and stress tests. See exactly how each one held up — and read the methodology for how the numbers are built and what they don't model.
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Saving for a first home? Compares, after tax, what an FHSA, TFSA, RRSP (Home Buyers' Plan), and a taxable account would leave you — using your province's 2026 marginal rate.
This list stays short on purpose — only things worth your time make it on. Got a recommendation? Send it through the contact form.