canadian

Canada continues to deal relatively well with the COVID-19 pandemic compared to its southern neighbour. To date, the infection rate and deaths as a percentage of the total population have been much smaller than those in the U.S.


This is in part because the Canadian government acted aggressively to counter the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and keep workers at home.


Key tax and spending measures amounting to $317 billion (or 15% of GDP) include: $20 billion to the health care system to support increased testing, vaccine development and medical supplies; $212 billion in direct aid to households and firms, including wage subsidies, payments to workers without paid sick leave and access to employment insurance, and an increase in existing GST tax credits and child care benefits; plus $85 billion in liquidity support through tax deferrals.


Central banks around the world have rushed to help soften the blow to economic activity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic....

The Canadian economy ranks among the top 10 globally and has performed better than most of its large, developed peers over the past decade. The country is also among the top 15 most-competitive economies in the world; to date, it has fared relatively well at containing the COVID-19 pandemic....

While inflation remains very low, conditions for an eventual uptick may well be building. Those factors include today’s very low interest rates, massive government spending and borrowing to inject money into the economy, growing import barriers, and the higher cost of doing business in a pandemic....

Diversification is a key part of our approach to successful investing. Done right, it can help investors cut the overall risk of their portfolios. Here’s a look at two different approaches: one ETF holds bonds in addition to stocks; the other invests globally in real estate stocks.


Still, our approach to portfolio diversification generally takes a broader view....

CENOVUS ENERGY INC. $5.15 remains a buy for patient investors. The company (Toronto symbol CVE; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 1.2 billion; Market cap: $6.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.4; Dividend suspended in March 2020; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; www.cenovus.com) owns 100% of the Christina Lake and Foster Creek oil sands properties in Alberta....

CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAY CO. $146 is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol CNR; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 709.8 million; Market cap: $103.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 7.3; Dividend yield: 1.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.cn.ca) operates Canada’s largest railway, stretching across the country, and passing through the U.S....

CANADIAN TIRE CORP. (class A non-voting) is a buy. The retailer (Toronto symbols CTC $205 and CTC.A $141; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 60.8 million; Market cap: $8.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.7; Dividend yield: 3.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.canadiantire.ca) is in a strong position to cope if Ontario and other provinces force its stores to close again due to a second wave of COVID-19 infections.


That’s mainly due to the company’s heavy investments in its online operations....

Canada’s Big Five banks continue to set aside large amounts for any rise in loan losses because of COVID-19’s economic impact. Regulators have also ordered the banks to freeze their dividends to preserve capital.


However, most borrowers continue to pay their loans on time....

Emera’s share have rebounded strongly since falling to $42 in March with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. We feel the stock will continue to move higher. That’s partly because Emera is replacing its coal-fired power plants with cleaner-burning natural gas, hydro power and solar....

A: DynaCERT, $0.63, symbol DYA on the Toronto, (formerly Dynamic Fuel Systems Inc.) (Shares outstanding: 359.9 million; Market cap: $226.7 million; www.dynacert.com), continues to develop, test, make and distribute a transportable hydrogen generator....