TSI’s senior analyst, Scott Clayton, has isolated six elite Canadian service providers uniquely positioned to thrive in the face of ongoing trade and tariff uncertainties. Featured in our latest Globe and Mail column, these cross-border powerhouses stand out because they export vital services—like engineering, consulting, and property management—rather than physical goods. Because services generally bypass trade penalties, these businesses are primed to capture massive U.S. revenue while keeping your portfolio safe.
We deployed our strict 12-point TSI Dividend Sustainability Rating System to isolate the companies combining massive footprints in the American market with fortress-like balance sheets and secure cash flows. These aren’t just businesses surviving the current trade climate; they’re cash-generating leaders with the financial health required to steadily grow their distributions over time.
The selected firms represent a diverse mix of powerful service sectors spanning commercial real estate, global data management, engineering, and multinational convenience retail. From a Toronto-based property giant pulling 90% of its sales from south of the border to an engineering and nuclear design pioneer, each entity pairs immense operational strength with a business model insulated from shifting political policies.
Our screening process started with a broad list of dividend-paying Canadian service firms with major U.S. operations. From there, we put each contender through our rigorous rating framework: payout histories, management’s dedication to shareholders, industry stability, and the ability to maintain the positive earnings needed to guarantee ongoing dividend safety across complex market cycles.
Excerpt from theglobeandmail.com, July 9, 2026
Sustainable dividends from Canadian service providers positioned to maintain, or even lift, their sales in the U.S. despite lingering tariff uncertainty.
Last week’s July 1 deadline for the governments of Canada, Mexico and the U.S. to renew the existing trade agreement for a 16-year term came and went with predictable outcomes: Canada and Mexico indicated their desire to renew, with the U.S. refusing to do the same.
As a result, the agreement is likely to stay in place till 2036, with annual reviews going forward.
The annual review process itself doesn’t generate new tariffs, but it won’t necessarily block them either. The U.S. could well seek to impose tariffs on Canada and other countries through other legal channels without running afoul of the U.S, Supreme Court ruling confirming congressional authority over tariffs.
Our analysts at The Successful Investor believe investors can help protect their portfolios with those Canadian stocks most likely to hold up very well regardless. These U.S.-facing companies provide services, rather than produce physical products. That’s a plus, because services are generally not subject to tariffs.
Many of these companies have small yields reflective of their strong share-price gains over the last few years. Even so, we think they can go higher.
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We started our search with a list of Canadian service providers offering dividends. We then singled out those with strong prospects and significant U.S. operations before applying our TSI Dividend Sustainability Rating System. It awards points to a stock based on key factors:
- One point for five years of continuous dividend payments
- Two points for more than five
- Two points if it has raised the payment in the past five years
- One point for management’s commitment to dividends
- One point for operating in non-cyclical industries
- One point for limited exposure to foreign currency rates and freedom from political interference
- Two points for a strong balance sheet, including manageable debt and adequate cash
- Two points for a long-term record of positive earnings and cash flow sufficient to cover dividend payments
- One point for an industry leader
Companies with 10 to 12 points have the most secure dividends, or the highest sustainability. Those with seven to nine points have above average sustainability; average sustainability, four to six points; and below average sustainability, one to three points.
6 tariff-resistant Canadian dividend payers built for growth
Our TSI Dividend Sustainability Rating System generated six stocks.
FirstService Corp. (with a 0.8% yield), based in Toronto, has two main businesses: FirstService Residential, which provides an array of property management services, and FirstService Brands, which includes Paul Davis Restoration, CertaPro Painters and California Closets. It generates 90% of its revenue in the U.S.
Colliers International Group Inc. (0.3%), also based in Toronto, offers a range of services, including helping clients buy and sell commercial real estate, arrange financing, and assess properties for tax purposes. It generates 52% of its revenue in the U.S.
Headquartered in Edmonton, Stantec Inc. (1.0%) is a leading seller of consulting, project-delivery, design and technology services. It generates 52% of its revenue in the U.S. Thomson Reuters Corp. (2.8%), based in Toronto, sells specialized information (mainly through electronic channels) to professionals in the legal, and tax and accounting fields. It also owns the Reuters news service. It generates 72% of its revenue in the U.S.
Montreal-headquartered AtkinsRealis Group Inc. (0.1%) is a leading engineering services and nuclear design and refurbishment company. It generates about 21% of its revenue in the U.S. And finally, Laval, Quebec-headquartered Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. (0.9%) operates convenience stores, mostly in North America and Europe. The company generates 57% of its revenue in the U.S.
