My investment portfolio on date of April 2, 2025

Savings: $10,382.06

Stocks and Units investment portfolio $CAN 

Methanex Corporation (MX)

Fortis Inc. (FTS)

Pembina Pipeline Corporation (PPL)

iShares S&P/TSX Capped REIT Index (XRE)

New Flyer Industries Inc. (NFI)

TMX Group Inc. (X)

K-Bro Linen Inc. (KBL)

TransCanada Corp (TRP)

South Bow Corporation (SOBO)

Canadian National Railway Co (CNR)

Enbridge Inc. (ENB)

Loblaw Companies (L)

Savaria Corporation (SIS)

WSP Global Inc. (WSP)

George Weston Limited (WN)

Power Corporation of Canada Subordinate Voting Shares (POW)

Brookfield Asset Management Inc. Class A Limited Voting Shares (BAM.A)

Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD)

Canadian Imperial Bank Of Commerce (CM)

Royal Bank of Canada (RY)

Alaris Equity Partners Income Trust (AD.UN)

Ag Growth International Inc. (AFN)

National Bank of Canada (NA)

Telus Corp (T)

TOTAL: $157,465.40

Stocks and Units investment portfolio $US:

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK.B)

General Mills Inc. (GIS)

Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth Index Fund (VONG)

Pfizer Inc. (PFE) 

CSX Corporation (CSX)

Brookfield Infrastructure Corporation (BIPC)

Nu Holdings Ltd. (NU)

TOTAL: $6,509.43 US: $9,287.65

Tax-free savings account (TFSA):

Dumont Nickel Inc. (DNI)

CT Real Estate Investment Trust (CRT.UN)

Canadian National Railway Co (CNR)

Exchange Income Corporation (EIF)

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (BIP.UN)

Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners L.P. (BEP.UN)

Andrew Peller Limited (ADW.A)

Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD)

Boyd Group Services Inc. (BYD)

Canadian Apartment Properties Real Estate Investment Trust (CAR.UN)

Data Communications Mgmt (DCM)

Royal Bank of Canada (RY)

Toromont Industries Ltd (TIH)

Boralex Inc. Class A Shares (BLX)

Northland Power Inc. (NPI)

Calian Group Ltd. (CGY)

Canadian Utilities Limited (CU)

WSP Global Inc. (WSP)

Granite Real Estate Investment Trust (GRT.UN)

Cargojet Inc. (CJT)

Nutrien Ltd. (NTR)

Canadian Imperial Bank Of Commerce (CM)

SIR Royalty Income Fund (SRV.UN)

ATCO Ltd. (ACO.Y)

Aecon Group Inc. (ARE)

Brookfield Asset Management Inc. Class A Limited Voting Shares (BAM.A)

Metro Inc. (MRU)

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. (ATD)

Fortis Inc. (FTS)

CGI Inc. (GIB.A)

TMX Group Limited (X)

Brookfield Infrastructure Corporation Class A Exchangeable Subordinate Voting Shares (BIPC)

Brookfield Renewable Corporation Class A Exchangeable Subordinate Voting Shares (BEPC)

Suncor Energy Inc. (SU)

Rogers Communications Inc. (RCI.B)

Telus Corp (T)

Bitcoin Fund The Class A units (QBTC)

Purpose Bitcoin ETF CAD ETF non-currency hedged units (BTCC.B)

3iQ CoinShares Ether ETF (ETHQ)

Tilray Inc (TLRY)

North West Company Inc. (The) (NWC)

Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS)

National Bank of Canada (NA)

Hammond Manufacturing Company Limited Class A Subordinate Voting Shares (HMM.A)

Saputo Inc. (SAP)

Labrador Iron Ore Royalty Corporation (LIF)

Intertape Polymer Group Inc. (ITP)

Parex Resources Inc. (PXT)

Wescan Energy Corp. (WCE)

Verde Agritech Plc Ordinary Shares (NPK)

Wajax Corporation (WJX)

Whitecap Resources Inc. (WCP)

Goodfellow Inc. (GDL)

Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. (AQN)

Pembina Pipeline Corporation (PPL)

TransCanada Corp (TRP)

A&W Revenue Royalties Income Fund (AW.UN)

Total Energy Services Inc. (TOT)

Empire Company Limited Non-Voting Class A Shares (EMP.A)

Power Corporation of Canada Subordinate Voting Shares (POW)

Alaris Equity Partners Income Trust (AD.UN)

Westshore Terminals Investment Corporation (WTE)

Finning International Inc. (FTT)

Element Fleet Management Corp. (EFN)

Ninepoint Energy Income Fund ETF (NRGI)

Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund (CHE.UN)

Hamilton Enhanced U.S. Covered Call ETF (HYLD)

Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS)

Emera Inc. (EMA)

Kraken Robotics Inc. (PNG)

Brookfield Corporation Class A Limited Voting Shares (BN)

Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. (INE)

TOTAL: $127,420.45

RSP investment portfolio: 

Emera Incorporated (EMA)

Ovintiv Inc. (OVV)

Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD)

Telus Corp (T)

Royal Bank of Canada (RY)

Savaria Corporation (SIS)

Thomson Reuters Corporation (TRI)

Richards Packaging Income Fund (RPI.UN)

Toromont Industries Ltd (TIH)

CAE Inc. (CAE)

CGI Group Inc. Class A Subordinate Voting Shares (GIB.A)

Boralex Inc. Class A Shares (BLX)

Quebecor Inc. (QBR.B)

Brookfield Renewable Partners L.P. (BEP.UN)

Leon's Furniture Limited (LNF)

Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS)

Brookfield Renewable Corporation Class A Exchangeable Subordinate Voting Shares (BEPC)

Cascades Inc. (CAS)

JFT Strategies Fund Class A Units (JFS.UN)

AirBoss of America Corp. (BOS)

Suncor Energy Inc. (SU)

Pender Growth Fund Inc. (PTF)

Rogers Communications Inc. Class B Non-voting Shares (RCI.B)

Algoma Central Corporation (ALC)

Finning International Inc. (FTT)

Guardian Capital Group Limited (GCG)

Information Services Corporation Class A Limited Voting Shares (ISV)

Interfor Corporation (IFP)

Maple Leaf Foods Inc. (MFI)

National Bank of Canada (NA)

Nutrien Ltd. (NTR)

Open Text Corporation (OTEX)

Taiga Building Products Ltd. (TBL)

Vitreous Glass Inc. (VCI)

Power Corporation of Canada Subordinate Voting Shares (POW)

North West Company Inc. (The) (NWC)

Whitecap Resources Inc. (WCP)

Parex Resources Inc. (PXT)

Wajax Corporation (WJX)

Canadian Imperial Bank Of Commerce (CM)

Hamilton Enhanced U.S. Covered Call ETF (HYLD)

TMX Group Limited (X)

iA Financial Corporation Inc. (IAG)

Ninepoint Energy Income Fund ETF (NRGI)

Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. (IVN)

ARC Resources Ltd. (ARX)

Sprott Physical Gold Trust (PHYS)

Keyera Corp. (KEY)

ADENTRA Inc. (ADEN)

Hammond Manufacturing Company Limited Class A Subordinate Voting Shares (HMM.A)

Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS)

Pembina Pipeline Corporation (PPL)

Manulife Financial Corporation (MFC)

Ag Growth International Inc. (AFN)

Brookfield Asset Management Inc. Class A Limited Voting Shares (BAM.A)

Morguard North American Residential Real Estate Investment Trust (MRG.UN)

Russel Metals Inc. (RUS)

Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNQ)

Dynacor Group Inc. (DNG)

Calian Group Ltd. (CGY)

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. (ATD)

Canadian Western Bank (CWB)

Capital Power Corporation (CPX)

Stantec Inc. (STN)

Topaz Energy Corp. (TPZ)

Alaris Equity Partners Income Trust (AD.UN)

Wescan Energy Corp. (WCE)

Goodfellow Inc. (GDL)

ATS Corporation (ATS)

Parkland Corporation (PKI)

Total: $87,602.50

CIBC Dividend Growth Fund + CIBC Emerging Markets Index Fund + CIBC Monthly Income Fund: $4,001.93

Others: $1,159.90

NBI Income Fund: $1,364.50

Manulife Fidelity NorthStar GIF CAP

Manulife Simplicity Growth Portfolio 

Maritime Life CI Harbour Seg Fund

Maritime Life Fidelity True North Seg Fund

Manulife GIF MLIA B World Invest

Total: $10,345.32

Other various: $57,147.17

TOTAL: $161,621.32

Social Capital at Desjardins Membership share: $35

Online money: $22

Savings + Stocks, units, mutual funds + Tax-free Savings account + RRSP:

TOTAL: 

$466,233.88

On date of April 2, 2025

Welcoming the month of April in Montreal!

It’s now my second week in Montreal. Basically, I went from this—somewhere in New Brunswick—to this:

To this, Montreal:

In Montreal, The Bay is my favorite store, followed by Simons and Uniqlo. The Bay is located right downtown in an iconic building. I was quite sad to learn about The Bay’s financial distress. I had a gift card, so I went and spent it. I bought a nice top and a pair of sandals. The sandals weren’t on a super bargain sale, but I didn’t want to lose the money on my gift card.

Recently, I also bought a really nice black Calvin Klein trench coat and another Ralph Lauren trench in a great khaki green at Winners. I adore Ralph Lauren—it’s definitely my favorite designer. I own a few Ralph Lauren pieces: a blazer, a few t-shirts (which I call shoulder t-shirts), a pair of jeans, a summer dress, and now a spring jacket. I had a great spring coat from The Bay that I bought many years ago, but the interior started deteriorating, so I treated myself to a new one. Winners is a great place to shop for clothes, though I’ve never been lucky enough to find a good pair of shoes there. I know Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein are U.S. brands, but at some point, a girl needs to put clothes on her back.

It always takes me a little time to adjust when coming back to Montreal, especially after spending the months from mid-October to mid-March in New Brunswick. This year, my father celebrated his 75th birthday (I’ll be turning 45 in August!). I wanted to stay at least until his birthday, and then my mom’s birthday followed shortly after, so I waited until after both their birthdays to return to Montreal. Coming back always comes with a bit of stress from leaving my old folks behind, but at the same time, I’m quite happy to be in my little apartment, enjoying my own space.

I'm trying to build a new routine. Yesterday was the first time I went to the gym in a long time. When I’m in New Brunswick, especially during the winter, I can’t go to the gym as much as I’d like. I also can’t go out or shop as often as I want. So being in Montreal comes with a lot of perks. One thing that affects my health when I’m in New Brunswick is that I basically live at the same pace as my old folks, and I don’t get to exercise as much as I should. And I cannot simply do whatever I want while spending the winter with them.

Last night marked my first day back at the gym. I managed to burn 600 calories in 57 minutes on the elliptical. I kept my eyes on the timer the whole time—goal achieved, 600 calories in 60 minutes. I’m not totally out of shape, but I definitely need to get more active. Let see if I can make it to 600 calories withing 55 minutes this evening. I usually prefer going to the gym in the evening. I am not a morning person—at all.

Now that I’m back in Montreal, I recently ordered a copy of Derek Foster’s new book, God and Santa. It’s obviously not one of his usual financial books, but I wanted to read it. You can learn more about it here: https://godandsanta.com/about-the-book/

Since returning to Montreal, I’ve already spent quite a bit of money, but it was expected. I went straight to the hairdresser as soon as I arrived—I badly needed a haircut. Of course, I also went shopping. I went to the movies and saw The Monkey by Stephen King. I highly recommend it. It’s a horror movie, but it’s funny—you’ll laugh out of disgust, if that makes any sense!

As for savings, I closed March with exactly $10,382.06. I submitted my tax return early and hope to get $5,000 back, though that might be a bit optimistic. I should be able to reach $15,000 in savings by June, or even more, depending on my tax refund.

The stock market remains volatile, and I think it will unfortunately stay that way for a while—possibly the next four years… But today was a good day. The TSX closed at a satisfying 25,033.28 points (+0.46%). Anything above 25,000 points is reassuring, considering the mess that is the U.S. government. Thanks to the idiots’ club, I estimate my current net worth to be around $464,000. My highest net worth ever was back in January of this year, at $469,813.55. Right now, I have everything I need to reach the $500K mark with ease. My portfolio isn’t just a portfolio—it’s a work of art, absolute perfection. But thanks to the U.S., I have no idea when I’ll be able to make my dream come true, and that’s frustrating. Nearing $500K, my net worth is finally starting to look like something interesting.

Here’s how my numbers looked at today’s market close:
Non-registered portfolio: $155,270.14
U.S. portfolio: $6,485.04 USD
RRSP portfolio (stocks-only): $87,226.57
TFSA: $126,350.25

My numbers remain solid, but investing in stocks isn’t an easy task these days. I still have over $13K in cash sitting in my RRSP portfolio, quietly waiting to be invested. And that’s okay—I’ll have cash ready when the TSX drops again.

Earlier, I received an email saying that I was featured in the 10 Best Canadian Dividend Blogs and Websites of 2025 on FeedSpot: https://bloggers.feedspot.com/canadian_dividend_blogs/

How cute is that?

I don’t know about you, but lately, I’ve been stuck on this song—I love it so much! Good job, North West! The other songs on FKA Twigs’ album are quite different and don’t have the same pop/dance vibe. But this one? That’s my song of the moment! I must admit that I didn't know FKA Twigs before hearing this cool song.

I’m no longer on X/Twitter, but you can now follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/sunnyjnb.bsky.social

Recent investments in my RRSP portfolio

When I noticed that the TSX was closing today’s session with a +298.82-point gain, I thought I was going to catch up a bit on my portfolio value, but I only gained a few hundred. I am certainly not sitting on a $466K net worth right now!

My non-registered portfolio closed the session at $150,748.05, my U.S. portfolio at $6,262.88 USD, my RRSP portfolio at $86,867.19, and my TFSA portfolio at $128,405.80.

It was quite something to watch the TSX drop to the 24,300-point range yesterday. I had, and still have, a few thousand in cash available in my RRSP to invest. Yesterday, I tried to take advantage of the market dip by buying a few stocks, but I only invested in a few shares of the following:

• Exchange Income Corporation (EIF)
• Finning International Inc. (FTT)
• Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS)
• Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNQ)
• Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD)
• Suncor Energy Inc. (SU)
• TMX Group Limited (X)
• Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CM)

The reason I still have several thousand left uninvested is that I wasn’t sure if 24,300 points was going to be the bottom. One thing is for sure—the tariff situation is just getting started. There will likely be plenty of other market dips to invest in. In these conditions, I prefer to invest gradually.

Closing the month of February with a $466,201.33 net worth

I took a moment this past Friday to update my investment portfolio. I closed the month of February with a $466,201.33 net worth. I’m sincerely impressed by the TSX. Despite everything going on right now, it remains quite strong. About two weeks ago, I reached my highest net worth ever: $469,813.55. At now $466K now, I’m not too far from reaching my all-time high again. 

The TSX closed this past Friday’s session at 25,393.45 points, up +265.21 points (+1.06%). That’s quite impressive, especially considering the war in Ukraine, the lack of U.S. support for international affairs, and Trump’s tariffs on Canadian imports. New tariffs are expected to be announced soon, probably tomorrow, since we’re already in March and Trump previously announced tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports. 

I have been dealing with problems of my own. We got a lot of snow this weekend in New Brunswick! Check this out:

My hard work… I cleared the side of the house, creating a small pathway just wide enough to walk through, for security purposes—just in case. This leads to the balcony behind the house.

One stock that is no longer in my TFSA portfolio is TFI International Inc. (TFII). Part of the capital from the sale went into my savings. As previously announced, I also used a portion of the funds to invest in Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. (INE).

My investment in INE closed Friday’s session with a solid +1.05% gain. By the end of the year, the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec will pay $13.75 per share to acquire INE. Between collecting INE dividends and receiving the buyout money sometime in Q4, I estimate that I’ll be collecting around $400—certainly much better than any interest I could earn from a savings account.

My latest investment in Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. (INE) is part of my strategy to build up my savings in 2025. I’m pretty much set to reach $35,000 in savings by the end of the year. That amount includes my dividend income from my non-registered and TFSA portfolios, as well as the proceeds from selling my INE shares. Without factoring in the sale of INE in my TFSA, I estimate my savings will be around $27,000 by year-end, even after budgeting over $9,500 for trips.

For clothing, I’m only budgeting $1,500. I originally planned for a no-buy year, but in my own way. I’ll still be buying, but I’ll try to control my spending and only purchase what I truly need. We’ll see how it goes!

My investment portfolio on date of February 28, 2025

Savings: $8,449.30

Stocks and Units investment portfolio $CAN 

Methanex Corporation (MX)

Fortis Inc. (FTS)

Pembina Pipeline Corporation (PPL)

iShares S&P/TSX Capped REIT Index (XRE)

New Flyer Industries Inc. (NFI)

TMX Group Inc. (X)

K-Bro Linen Inc. (KBL)

TransCanada Corp (TRP)

South Bow Corporation (SOBO)

Canadian National Railway Co (CNR)

Enbridge Inc. (ENB)

Loblaw Companies (L)

Savaria Corporation (SIS)

WSP Global Inc. (WSP)

George Weston Limited (WN)

Power Corporation of Canada Subordinate Voting Shares (POW)

Brookfield Asset Management Inc. Class A Limited Voting Shares (BAM.A)

Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD)

Canadian Imperial Bank Of Commerce (CM)

Royal Bank of Canada (RY)

Alaris Equity Partners Income Trust (AD.UN)

Ag Growth International Inc. (AFN)

National Bank of Canada (NA)

Telus Corp (T)

TOTAL: $154,562.55

Stocks and Units investment portfolio $US:

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK.B)

General Mills Inc. (GIS)

Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth Index Fund (VONG)

Pfizer Inc. (PFE) 

CSX Corporation (CSX)

Brookfield Infrastructure Corporation (BIPC)

Nu Holdings Ltd. (NU)

TOTAL: $6,381.92 US: $9,066.79

Tax-free savings account (TFSA):

Dumont Nickel Inc. (DNI)

CT Real Estate Investment Trust (CRT.UN)

Canadian National Railway Co (CNR)

Exchange Income Corporation (EIF)

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (BIP.UN)

Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners L.P. (BEP.UN)

Andrew Peller Limited (ADW.A)

Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD)

Boyd Group Services Inc. (BYD)

Canadian Apartment Properties Real Estate Investment Trust (CAR.UN)

Data Communications Mgmt (DCM)

Royal Bank of Canada (RY)

Toromont Industries Ltd (TIH)

Boralex Inc. Class A Shares (BLX)

Northland Power Inc. (NPI)

Calian Group Ltd. (CGY)

Canadian Utilities Limited (CU)

WSP Global Inc. (WSP)

Granite Real Estate Investment Trust (GRT.UN)

Cargojet Inc. (CJT)

Nutrien Ltd. (NTR)

Canadian Imperial Bank Of Commerce (CM)

SIR Royalty Income Fund (SRV.UN)

ATCO Ltd. (ACO.Y)

Aecon Group Inc. (ARE)

Brookfield Asset Management Inc. Class A Limited Voting Shares (BAM.A)

Metro Inc. (MRU)

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. (ATD)

Fortis Inc. (FTS)

CGI Inc. (GIB.A)

TMX Group Limited (X)

Brookfield Infrastructure Corporation Class A Exchangeable Subordinate Voting Shares (BIPC)

Brookfield Renewable Corporation Class A Exchangeable Subordinate Voting Shares (BEPC)

Suncor Energy Inc. (SU)

Rogers Communications Inc. (RCI.B)

Telus Corp (T)

Bitcoin Fund The Class A units (QBTC)

Purpose Bitcoin ETF CAD ETF non-currency hedged units (BTCC.B)

3iQ CoinShares Ether ETF (ETHQ)

Tilray Inc (TLRY)

North West Company Inc. (The) (NWC)

Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS)

National Bank of Canada (NA)

Hammond Manufacturing Company Limited Class A Subordinate Voting Shares (HMM.A)

Saputo Inc. (SAP)

Labrador Iron Ore Royalty Corporation (LIF)

Intertape Polymer Group Inc. (ITP)

Parex Resources Inc. (PXT)

Wescan Energy Corp. (WCE)

Verde Agritech Plc Ordinary Shares (NPK)

Wajax Corporation (WJX)

Whitecap Resources Inc. (WCP)

Goodfellow Inc. (GDL)

Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. (AQN)

Pembina Pipeline Corporation (PPL)

TransCanada Corp (TRP)

A&W Revenue Royalties Income Fund (AW.UN)

Total Energy Services Inc. (TOT)

Empire Company Limited Non-Voting Class A Shares (EMP.A)

Power Corporation of Canada Subordinate Voting Shares (POW)

Alaris Equity Partners Income Trust (AD.UN)

Westshore Terminals Investment Corporation (WTE)

Finning International Inc. (FTT)

Element Fleet Management Corp. (EFN)

Ninepoint Energy Income Fund ETF (NRGI)

Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund (CHE.UN)

Hamilton Enhanced U.S. Covered Call ETF (HYLD)

Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS)

Emera Inc. (EMA)

Kraken Robotics Inc. (PNG)

Brookfield Corporation Class A Limited Voting Shares (BN)

Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. (INE)

TOTAL: $131,591.31

RSP investment portfolio: 

Emera Incorporated (EMA)

Ovintiv Inc. (OVV)

Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD)

Telus Corp (T)

Royal Bank of Canada (RY)

Savaria Corporation (SIS)

Thomson Reuters Corporation (TRI)

Richards Packaging Income Fund (RPI.UN)

Toromont Industries Ltd (TIH)

CAE Inc. (CAE)

CGI Group Inc. Class A Subordinate Voting Shares (GIB.A)

Boralex Inc. Class A Shares (BLX)

Quebecor Inc. (QBR.B)

Brookfield Renewable Partners L.P. (BEP.UN)

Leon's Furniture Limited (LNF)

Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS)

Brookfield Renewable Corporation Class A Exchangeable Subordinate Voting Shares (BEPC)

Cascades Inc. (CAS)

JFT Strategies Fund Class A Units (JFS.UN)

AirBoss of America Corp. (BOS)

Suncor Energy Inc. (SU)

Pender Growth Fund Inc. (PTF)

Rogers Communications Inc. Class B Non-voting Shares (RCI.B)

Algoma Central Corporation (ALC)

Finning International Inc. (FTT)

Guardian Capital Group Limited (GCG)

Information Services Corporation Class A Limited Voting Shares (ISV)

Interfor Corporation (IFP)

Maple Leaf Foods Inc. (MFI)

National Bank of Canada (NA)

Nutrien Ltd. (NTR)

Open Text Corporation (OTEX)

Taiga Building Products Ltd. (TBL)

Vitreous Glass Inc. (VCI)

Power Corporation of Canada Subordinate Voting Shares (POW)

North West Company Inc. (The) (NWC)

Whitecap Resources Inc. (WCP)

Parex Resources Inc. (PXT)

Wajax Corporation (WJX)

Canadian Imperial Bank Of Commerce (CM)

Hamilton Enhanced U.S. Covered Call ETF (HYLD)

TMX Group Limited (X)

iA Financial Corporation Inc. (IAG)

Ninepoint Energy Income Fund ETF (NRGI)

Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. (IVN)

ARC Resources Ltd. (ARX)

Sprott Physical Gold Trust (PHYS)

Keyera Corp. (KEY)

ADENTRA Inc. (ADEN)

Hammond Manufacturing Company Limited Class A Subordinate Voting Shares (HMM.A)

Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS)

Pembina Pipeline Corporation (PPL)

Manulife Financial Corporation (MFC)

Ag Growth International Inc. (AFN)

Brookfield Asset Management Inc. Class A Limited Voting Shares (BAM.A)

Morguard North American Residential Real Estate Investment Trust (MRG.UN)

Russel Metals Inc. (RUS)

Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNQ)

Dynacor Group Inc. (DNG)

Calian Group Ltd. (CGY)

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. (ATD)

Canadian Western Bank (CWB)

Capital Power Corporation (CPX)

Stantec Inc. (STN)

Topaz Energy Corp. (TPZ)

Alaris Equity Partners Income Trust (AD.UN)

Wescan Energy Corp. (WCE)

Goodfellow Inc. (GDL)

ATS Corporation (ATS)

Parkland Corporation (PKI)

Total: $87,726.29

CIBC Dividend Growth Fund + CIBC Emerging Markets Index Fund + CIBC Monthly Income Fund: $4,016.59

Others: $1,159.90

NBI Income Fund: $1,358.35

Manulife Fidelity NorthStar GIF CAP

Manulife Simplicity Growth Portfolio 

Maritime Life CI Harbour Seg Fund

Maritime Life Fidelity True North Seg Fund

Manulife GIF MLIA B World Invest

Total: $10,442.60

Other various: $57,770.64

TOTAL: $162,474.37

Social Capital at Desjardins Membership share: $35

Online money: $22

Savings + Stocks, units, mutual funds + Tax-free Savings account + RRSP:

TOTAL: $466,201.33

On date of February 28, 2025

Welcoming some Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. (INE) shares in my TFSA portfolio

The TSX closed the day at a solid 25,328.36 points. My non-registered portfolio ended today's session at $149,260.79, my US portfolio at $6,183.55, my RRSP stock portfolio at $88,015.54, and my TFSA portfolio at $131,760.91.

It seems like TFI International Inc. (TFII) might have changed its mind and decided to remain in Quebec. Good for them! TFI International Inc. (TFII) is an incredible Quebec success story, and I know what I’m talking about. I bought my TFII shares a couple of years ago for less than $40 per share. Since I’ve been holding that investment for a long time in my TFSA portfolio, I had been sitting on a nice pile of cash when it came to TFI International.

In case you missed the news, I sold all my TFII shares this past Friday, with absolutely no regrets. Even after the announcement that they were keeping their headquarters in Quebec, TFII’s stock just kept going down.

Following the sale of my TFII shares, I decided to keep a portion of the cash in my TFSA portfolio to reinvest and transferred another part to my savings account. For my TFSA portfolio, I reinvested the money yesterday in Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. (INE) shares. With the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec planning to buy INE at $13.75 per share, I thought buying and holding some INE shares inside my TFSA was a safe bet. The transaction will probably happen by the end of the year.

While waiting for my cash, I’ll be collecting some Innergex dividends, I should receive around $400 from both capital gains and dividends. So I told myself, why not? The interest earned in a savings account would provide a lot less over the year anyway. I feel it’s important to take advantage of opportunities, especially when they are almost risk-free. And even more so when dealing with high inflation that makes everything more expensive.

Saying a big thank you and farewell to TFI International Inc. (TFII)

The TSX closed this past Friday at 25,147.03 points. We lost 367.05 points, representing a -1.44% drop in our beautiful index. One positive fact is that we are still holding above the precious 25,000-point mark, at least for now. Those 25,000 points are quite important in helping me navigate market volatility these days. My stock portfolio closed the session with a $1,500 loss. Never fun, but I have to hold on and remain positive, it's not more than $1.5K. The value of my stock portfolio is slowly declining, but nothing I haven’t seen before. Still, it’s no fun.

This past Friday, I decided to sell all of my TFI International Inc. (TFII) shares. And it’s not because the company is likely to move its headquarters from Quebec to the U.S. TFI International is a phenomenal Quebec success story, so you can imagine the media noise surrounding the possible move. However, it's important to know that TFI already has three main offices in the U.S.—more than it has in Canada, from what I know. It has been said that TFI generates 70% of its business in the U.S. Given this, the company may benefit from relocating its headquarters there. That move would certainly make Donald Trump very happy.

I have been a shareholder of TFII since around 2020. I discovered the stock through Stockopedia. At the time, I bought my shares for less than $40 each. Let me say that I was sitting on a lovely pile of cash when it came to my investment in TFI International Inc. (TFII). The company hasn’t had an easy quarter, and I sincerely don’t think it will get easier. If Trump wouldn’t be the U.S. president, I probably would have held onto my shares and waited for a recovery. It sometimes takes time, but recovery sometimes happens. Personally, my way of seeing things is that the stock market always wins, but one condition being to hold on to quality assets. That’s how I’ve mostly dealt with stock market volatility over the past 17 years.

However, this time, things are different because of Donald Trump. He wants to bring Canada to its knees and won’t be kind to us. Trump, his press secretary, and other team members keep referring to Canada as the “51st state,” which is quite insulting. The relationship between the U.S. and Canada is likely to change permanently. Everything is being disrupted, making it harder than ever to figure things out. No one can predict how the stock market will react on the long run, but one thing is certain—we will be dealing with extra volatility for quite some time. Taking some profits from stocks could be a good idea.

I am usually very conservative. For the most part, I am a buy-and-hold investor, and that strategy has paid off for me. Until recently, my net worth reached $469,000. I never had large sums of money to invest. I built my net worth over time by investing in stocks that I believed would perform well in the long run. Luckily, most of my picks did.

When it comes to TFI International Inc., I had a capital gain of over $10K on it, and I wasn’t willing to simply watch it slip away. That’s why I decided to sell all of my TFII shares. This doesn’t mean I won’t reinvest in TFII later on. There’s always that option. But for now, I preferred to cash out. I was just too worried about seeing those valuable several thousands of dollars disappear from my sight.

Also, I am in a phase where I am building up my savings. With the cash from selling my TFII shares, I now have over $16,000 in savings. By the end of the year, I could reach between $30,000 and $36,000 in savings. And possibly even close to 40K if I receive more than expected from my tax refund. I am quite happy with that plan because, until recently, I didn’t have much savings at all. I only started seriously saving this year, after paying off my margin debt this past December.

Having savings is obviously important. It’s crucial to keep cash in an actual savings or chequing account at the bank—not just in a brokerage account. And more importantly, it’s wise to keep some physical cash on hand. In my opinion, a good number to have is at least $500 for one adult. It wasn’t that long ago that an incident prevented us from using Interac or credit cards for payments. That actually happened in July 2022 during the Rogers outage. It only lasted a short period of time, but if it happened once, it could certainly happen again.

As for cash held in a brokerage account, access could be blocked due to a technical issue with the brokerage or, in extreme cases, due to an asset freeze—if the TSX itself were to be halted. This also has happened before and could happen again. In recent Canadian history, trading on the TSX has been frozen on a few occasions. Usually, the term used for these events is “halted.” The last major market halts happened on March 12 and 16, 2020, when trading was temporarily paused to prevent panic selling caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. These halts are necessary at times, but ultimately, if the market is going to fall, it will, and nothing can stop it.

With the sale of my TFI International Inc. shares, my dividend income from my non-registered and TFSA portfolios dropped to an equivalent of $902 per month, which is still quite good. Anything over $900 is good for me. A mix of savings and dividend income can be quite helpful in times of need. With my dividend income and a $30,000 savings cushion, I could cover my expenses for close to three years if I had to dip into my savings due to unemployment. In term of employment, I’m not worried about the rest of this year. My job seems secure for at least two more years, but you can never be 100% sure with those type of things. That’s why I prefer to be prepared.

So what's up with my baby TFI International Inc. (TFII)?

Overall, today has not been a good day for my investment portfolio. I closed with an overall loss of close to $4,000. However, my US and RRSP portfolios experienced a small gain.

I own a significant amount of TFI International Inc. (TFII). Today, TFII dropped by $37.73, nearly -21%, closing at $143.78 per share. TFII has been in my TFSA portfolio for quite some time. Believe it or not, I bought my shares for less than $40 each—quite a long time ago. I probably invested in TFII sometime in 2020. What I do know for sure is that I discovered this stock through Stockopedia. Without Stockopedia, I wouldn’t have TFII in my TFSA.

I am not just a proud or very proud investor in TFI International Inc. (TFII)—I am an EXTREMELY proud investor. Experiencing massive growth on a stock like I have with TFII is life-changing. Not in the sense that I could retire early, but because it gives me the freedom to decide what to do with my money.

Since integrating TFII into my TFSA, the stock has seen significant growth. I am currently sitting on a +271.62% gain. Stockopedia has led me to some great investment “discoveries,” and TFII is one of them. You don’t hear much about TFII on BNN Bloomberg or in the news, but today was an exception—TFII's CEO was on BNN Bloomberg.

Let’s start with the good news: TFI International (TFII) announced a 13% dividend increase. It’s a welcome boost, as TFII’s dividend yield has never been particularly generous. I never held this stock for its dividends, but rather for its long-term capital appreciation—and that’s exactly what I’ve built over the past five years. When it comes to TFII, I am essentially sitting on a pile of cash.

TFI International operates in the logistics sector, which has faced challenges in both 2023 and 2024. Unfortunately, 2025 is shaping up to be another tough year. It seems like the company’s struggles began after acquiring a U.S. business a few years ago. TFI has plans to eventually move its headquarters from Canada to the U.S. Since 70% of its business is conducted in the U.S., the move makes financial sense. It might even make Donald Trump happy. Losing a great company to the U.S. is disappointing, but as a shareholder, I can’t oppose a decision that benefits the company. At the end of the day, it’s a business decision, not a patriotic one.

Despite today's downturn, I am still in a strong position, with several thousand dollars in capital gains. The big question now is: Should I sell?

When a stock faces difficulties, it’s up to each investor to decide whether to hold or sell. Selling a portion is always an option—you don’t have to sell everything. But in TFII’s case, I am leaning toward selling my entire position. The company has struggled for two consecutive years, and I don’t believe we are out of the woods yet. Even if TFII moves its headquarters to the U.S., challenges could persist.

The U.S. market is highly volatile, and the political climate, particularly with Donald Trump, isn’t helping. TFI’s exposure to the U.S. market has been a challenge for two years now, and 2025 may not be any different. Stockopedia gives TFII a strong overall StockRank, but its Value Rank is quite low. I won’t disclose the exact number—my Stockopedia subscription costs me a few hundred dollars, and I have my pride—but let’s just say it’s not great.

There is nothing wrong with selling a stock when you feel it’s time, even if it’s one you cherish. I haven’t made a final decision on selling my TFII shares, but it’s something I am seriously considering. If you are sitting on a solid gain with TFII, it might be wise to cash out and keep some dry powder for future opportunities. That, sincerely, is my best advice.

I have been listening to Hole’s beautiful song Malibu on repeat for the past 45 minutes. It kind of gave me clarity of mind. Listen to this.

Also, I am on Bluesky. Follow me here.

What Is Mercer Park Opportunities Corp. (SPAC.U)?

The weather has been quite bad, giving me plenty of time to browse Stockopedia and check on my precious stocks. The TSX performed well today, closing the session strong at 25,648.84 points. We gained 165.61 points today, up 0.65%.

My non-registered portfolio closed at $149,210.31, my US portfolio at $6,052.70 USD, my RRSP stocks-only portfolio at $86,787.96, and my TFSA portfolio at $138,704.99.

In my RRSP portfolio, JFT Strategies Fund Class A Units (JFS.UN) is one investment I've been holding for quite some time—several years, in fact. Unfortunately, my position in JFS.UN is currently down 4.65%. No major loss, but I got curious because JFS.UN is usually in the green, even if only slightly. So, I checked the major holdings of JFS.UN on its website under the "Portfolio" section:

https://funds.cifinancial.com/en/funds/alternative_investments/JFTStrategiesFund.html

I found the usual holdings, but I also noticed a newcomer: Mercer Park Opportunities Corp. (SPAC.U). It turns out that JFT Strategies Fund Class A Units (JFS.UN) has a 4.63% asset allocation in SPAC.U. I found this quite strange.

Mercer Park Opportunities Corp. (SPAC.U) has been trading on the TSX since September 2024. Upon its release, shares were priced at $10 each. Currently, SPAC.U is trading at $9.95. The only positive aspect is that its price has remained stable despite the current market uncertainties.

I just don’t understand why JFT Strategies Fund Class A Units (JFS.UN) is invested in Mercer Park Opportunities Corp. (SPAC.U). I don’t find SPAC.U appealing at all. Try searching for information on Mercer Park Opportunities—you'll only find a few things, none of which are particularly interesting. I always like to check the main holdings of JFS.UN and sometimes invest in them directly, as I did with Alaris Equity Partners Income Trust (AD.UN) and Ag Growth International Inc. (AFN). But when it comes to Mercer Park Opportunities Corp. (SPAC.U), trust me, I won’t be investing in that one.

For some reason, Mercer Park Opportunities Corp. (SPAC.U) is involved in the cannabis industry. For a second, it made me think of Trailer Park Boys, lol. It’s quite unclear what this company actually does. Mercer Park Opportunities is described as an acquisition corporation. And guess what? The company is registered in the Cayman Islands, at this exact address:

CO Services Cayman Limited, P.O. Box 10008, Willow House Cricket Square, Grand Cayman KY1-1001, Cayman Islands.

If you enter that address into Google, you’ll land directly on the website of Carey Olsen, a law firm that describes itself as a "leading offshore law firm advising financial institutions, corporations, and private clients on Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Guernsey, and Jersey law from a network of nine international offices."

https://www.careyolsen.com/professional-services/cayman-islands-corporate-services

But it doesn’t stop there. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) links this exact address to the Paradise Papers:

https://offshoreleaks.icij.org/nodes/58068212

However, there's this disclaimer on the same site:

"There are legitimate uses for offshore companies and trusts. The inclusion of a person or entity in the ICIJ Offshore Leaks Database is not intended to suggest or imply that they have engaged in illegal or improper conduct. Many people and entities have the same or similar names. We suggest you confirm the identities of any individuals or entities included in the database based on addresses or other identifiable information. The data comes directly from the leaked files ICIJ has received in connection with various investigations, and each dataset encompasses a defined time period specified in the database. Some information may have changed over time."

I’d love for someone to explain to me what these actual legitimate uses for offshore companies are! Anyway, I find it all quite interesting.

P1 Ventures, a company that appears to be based in San Francisco and claims, "We partner. From 0 to 1. With incredible African tech founders," shares the exact same Cayman Islands address as Mercer Park Opportunities Corp. Mkango Resources Ltd., a Vancouver-based company, also shares this address:

https://mkango.ca/news/holding-s-in-company-4/

Many other companies pop up on Google when you copy and paste this exact address: CO Services Cayman Limited, P.O. Box 10008, Willow House Cricket Square, Grand Cayman KY1-1001, Cayman Islands. It makes for quite an interesting read.

That being said, I still don’t understand why JFT Strategies Fund Class A Units (JFS.UN) is invested in Mercer Park Opportunities Corp. (SPAC.U). And even without knowing the reasons behind this investment, I sincerely don’t like it.

Is this the kind of thing that truly matters to me and could make me sell my shares of JFT Strategies Fund Class A Units (JFS.UN)? I haven’t figured that part out yet.