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.

National Bank Direct Brokerage’s Fully-Paid Securities Lending Program: Is it Worth It?

I’m going to save you some time by answering the burning question right away. In my case, I quickly came to the conclusion that National Bank Direct Brokerage’s Fully-Paid Securities Lending Program isn’t worth it. I am literally earning just a few pennies from the program. In my opinion, to truly benefit from the program, you need to have a very large non-registered portfolio in both U.S. and Canadian dollars. That amount would need to be several hundred thousand dollars for the program to be worthwhile.

This year, winter in New Brunswick feels much tougher to me. We’ve had extremely cold temperatures on a regular basis. Until recently, there wasn’t much snow, but that all changed on Thursday. Here’s how it looked...

We received a lot of snow! And there’s more on the way.

January marked my first full month with National Bank Direct Brokerage’s Fully-Paid Securities Lending Program. When I enrolled in the program several months ago, it didn’t activate because I had a margin debt linked to my Canadian non-registered account. I completely paid off my margin debt in mid-December, and ever since, I’ve noticed some lending activity.

Some of the stocks I hold in my U.S. portfolio and Canadian non-registered portfolio have been borrowed. Whenever there’s activity, I see it in my "Activity" section. I also receive a PDF notification whenever something happens in terms of lending activity. Currently, my shares of Brookfield Asset Management Inc. Class A Limited Voting Shares (BAM.A) and iShares S&P/TSX Capped REIT Index (XRE) are being lent out.

In terms of earnings, I’ve sincerely only made a few cents from the Fully-Paid Securities Lending Program. It hasn’t been a lucrative experience—at least not so far.

Here’s what I’ve learned so far:

• To be eligible, your margin debt—if you have one—must be completely paid off.
• Only the stocks you hold in your U.S. and Canadian non-registered accounts are eligible.
• You continue receiving dividend distributions even if your stocks are lent out.
• You don’t get to know who is borrowing your shares.
• There’s no specific list of stocks that can be lent; any stock you hold could be borrowed.
• You receive payment for the stocks you lend around the 6th of each month.
• If a payment is issued to you, a service fee is also charged, proportional to the amount earned.

The TSX closed this past Friday’s session at 25,483.23, down 215.28 points (-0.84%). My non-registered portfolio closed at $148,835.53, my U.S. portfolio at $6,065.49 USD, my RRSP stocks-only portfolio at $86,980.58, and my TFSA portfolio at $138,206.05. I’m doing okay, but at this pace, I probably won’t be able to reach $500K by the end of the year.

So far in February, several of the stocks I hold have increased their dividend distributions:

• Feb 14 – TC Energy (TRP) raised its dividend by 3.3%
• Feb 13 – Brookfield Corp. (BN) raised its dividend by 13%
• Feb 12 – Brookfield Asset Management (BAM) raised its dividend by 15%
• Feb 6 – Thomson Reuters (TRI) raised its dividend by 10%
• Feb 5 – TMX Group (X) raised its dividend by 5.3%

As a result, my dividend income from my non-registered and TFSA portfolios has reached $917 per month—quite an interesting sum! If I include the dividends earned inside my RRSP portfolio, my total monthly equivalent is $1,120.

Another good thing is that by the end of this month, I should exceed $6K in savings. I’m trying to stay focused on saving money, and I know I can at least reach my savings goal.

Just a few thoughts

This past Monday morning, I missed a golden opportunity to invest in stocks. I have over $13,000 sitting in cash in my RRSP portfolio. That money has been waiting to be invested for quite some time. On Monday, February 3rd, the TSX reacted to the weekend’s news, including Trump’s threat of a 25% tariff on Canadian imports to the U.S. The TSX dropped as low as 24,742.92 points, a spectacular decline. And yet, I found myself frozen in the moment, unable to press the buy button. 

My main concern was whether the market had already hit bottom or not. I was so caught off guard and confused by everything happening that I missed my chance to invest at a bargain. It was a great opportunity lost, but no worries—under Donald Trump’s presidency, market volatility is here to stay. I expected turbulence when Trump took office, but things have turned out far worse than I ever imagined. Not just in terms of tariffs, but also with the drastic restructuring of the U.S. government and the massive layoffs he has implemented. Tariffs are no longer just a threat; they have become a reality. I don’t understand why the announcement was made on a Sunday, but today, Trump officially declared a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports into the United States.

Let’s not forget one of his latest out-of-the-blue ideas—to take over Gaza while refusing to welcome any Palestinians into the U.S. Trump loves attention and takes up massive space in the media. What he doesn’t seem to realize is how incredibly annoying his constant chatter has become. He is not a man of action, just a bully and a big talker. Americans likely had no idea what they were signing up for when they voted for him. They certainly do now, and we are still in the early days of his presidency. I don’t want to sound harsh, but the cynical side of me believes that Americans simply got what they deserved. It’s a terrible turn for the U.S., but this could work in favor of the rest of the world. Other countries will now have a chance to shine internationally as leaders in climate change, peacekeeping, and global initiatives that the average citizen may not even be aware of yet.

Basically, the world is shifting, and from now on, it’s the U.S. on one side and the rest of the world on the other.

With all this chaos, the U.S. is no longer the country it used to be. Even visiting doesn’t seem appealing anymore. In New Brunswick, I live near the U.S.-Canada border, and I used to visit Maine quite often. But now? I can’t even remember the last time I crossed the border. Trump's presidency will have long-term effects on Canada-U.S. relations. Our Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, has been treated with shocking disrespect by both Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Regardless of how you feel about Trudeau, this level of arrogance in leadership is unacceptable. It’s truly painful to watch.

As concerned citizens, we can certainly take action in our own way. I canceled my Netflix subscription and deleted my X (Twitter) account. I’m not on Instagram, and while I still have a Facebook account, I only use it occasionally, mainly for Marketplace. Beyond that, I avoid social media as much as possible. It’s important to push back against arrogance like Trump’s, and canceling U.S.-based services and social media platforms where possible is a good step. I support a selective boycott—do what you can, in whatever way you can. A full boycott of U.S. products is probably impossible, but every little bit counts.

Recently, I’ve been focusing on saving money, a personal goal for this year and probably even beyond. I’m working on intentional spending, buying only what I truly need and avoiding unnecessary expenses. But I’ll admit, I love trying new makeup products from time to time. With a weekly "extras" budget of just $50, money goes fast! Drugstore makeup prices are no longer what they used to be, so I usually buy one small thing at a time. Lately, I really wanted to try the new Face Glue setting spray and primer by NYX. Fortunately, I found them this weekend at Shoppers Drug Mart for $15.99 each before tax—and they were totally worth it! For the price, you’re getting high-end quality.

NYX’s Face Glue gripping primer and setting spray are among the best products I’ve ever used. The Face Glue setting spray is as good as Charlotte Tilbury’s setting spray. Another NYX favorite of mine is the Buttermelt Bronzer, which I bought a few months ago and now wear regularly. I was relieved to find out that NYX is owned by L’Oréal, a French company. 

While browsing at Shoppers this weekend, I noticed that Korres products were on clearance, so I picked up a few items. Let’s just say I blew past my $50 weekly budget! To make up for it, I’ll try to cut back on spending for the rest of February...

Can Dividends Cover My Expenses? Not Quite, But Let's Break Down the Numbers for Fun!

Here we are, already in February! To offset all this tariff drama that kept me busy all weekend (not to mention that Monday was quite a nightmare), I at least got one good surprise. It looks like I’m closing out January with $4,042.92 in savings—even after paying my February rent! My goal was to hit $4,000 in savings by the end of January. I thought I wouldn’t make it, but my dividend income happily came to the rescue, pushing me over the 4k.

Now more than ever, it's crucial to build up savings. In this economic climate, I don’t think anyone can afford to go without some financial cushion. Sure, Employment Insurance (EI) is there for most workers in case of a layoff, but there’s always a waiting period before that first EI payment arrives. I’m not sure how long the delay would be, but in the meantime, wouldn’t it be comforting to have some savings to rely on? Just me saying.

By the end of February, I should have $5,750 in savings. Ideally, I’d like to reach $6,000, as that would allow me to keep $3,000 in each of my two bank accounts to avoid monthly fees. If I don’t hit that goal by the end of February, I’ll get there eventually!

I’ve lived on very little money before, sticking to a tightly controlled budget. It wasn’t hard for me back then because I was focused on building my investment portfolio. I knew exactly why I was doing it. But living on a budget now is very different from the pre-COVID era. I track my expenses and budget in an Excel sheet, and here’s what my minimum viable monthly budget looks like:

• New Brunswick: $1,285.75
• Montreal: $1,592.73

When I first moved to Montreal, I could live on a single paycheque from my job—without relying on my dividend income. Sometimes, I even had a little left over! But that’s no longer the case. Today, one paycheque only cover my living expenses in New Brunswick. And with a potential rent increase in Montreal, I’ll likely have to adjust my budget upwards.

Thankfully, my dividend income is also increasing!

Today, TMX Group Limited (X) announced a 5% dividend increase. Recently, Brookfield Renewables (BEP.UN, BEPC) and CN Rail (CNR) also raised their dividends by 5%, while Metro Inc. (MRU) announced a 10.4% dividend increase. Thanks to these increases, my monthly dividend income from my non-registered and TFSA portfolios has reached $915.

That might not sound like a lot, but let’s break it down:

• New Brunswick budget: $1,285.75 – $915 = Only $370.75 left to cover
• Montreal budget: $1,592.73 – $915 = Only $677.73 left to cover

That $677.73 gap is all that stands between me and my "financial independence" in Montreal. Of course, this is just an illustration—with such a small budget, there’s no room for vacations or any extras. However, if I could find a way to cover that amount, I’d have total peace of mind in case of employment uncertainty.

If I include my RRSP dividends, my total monthly dividend income jumps to $1,117.72! As always, I don’t factor in the dividends from my RRSP—at least not for now.

I love playing with numbers like this because it shows just how powerful dividend investing can be.

My monthly budget for both New Brunswick and Montreal doesn’t include Netflix—because I canceled it. I’m enjoying my last few days with the service before my subscription officially ends. After Donald Trump’s tariff threats, I felt a patriotic obligation to cancel Netflix. It’s not something I’ll miss too much, but I admit—Netflix is fun. I also recently deleted my Twitter/X account. I’m doing my best to boycott the U.S. as much as possible.

Want to stay updated? Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/sunnyjnb.bsky.social

No more Twitter/X, Hello Bluesky and other blues

The TSX has been performing quite well lately. On January 23, I hit an all-time high, with $469,813.55. Despite economic uncertainties tied to Donald Trump’s policies, the TSX remains resilient and strong—but for how long? The TSX closed today's session at 25,419.45 points (+130.30, +0.52%). Despite these gains, my stock portfolio experienced a loss of -$1,526.18 (-0.39%) today.

Recently, one of my stocks was enrolled in the Fully-Paid Securities Lending Program at National Bank Direct Brokerage: Brookfield Asset Management Inc. Class A Limited Voting Shares (BAM.A). Additionally, my U.S. stock General Mills Inc. (GIS) has also been in the program for a while. You don’t get to choose which stocks are enrolled in the Fully-Paid Securities Lending Program, and sometimes the selection is quite surprising. At one point, my Fortis Inc. (FTS) shares were enrolled in the program for a short period. You don’t get to know the identity of the borrowers who are borrowing your stocks.

Once you enroll in National Bank Direct Brokerage’s Fully-Paid Securities Lending Program, all stocks held in your non-registered portfolios—both Canadian and U.S.—become eligible for lending at any time. You might even notice some lending activity over the weekend. January marks my first full month in the program. I’ll see how much I earn for January around February 6 or 8. I don’t remember the exact date of the payment, but it probably won’t be much. In December, for two weeks of lending, I earned just a few U.S. cents… But hey, you never know, so we’ll see how it goes.

I’ve recently decided to leave X/Twitter and have joined Bluesky instead: https://bsky.app/profile/sunnyjnb.bsky.social.

Even with a free account, posting on X/Twitter indirectly supports Elon Musk, and I no longer wish to contribute to his platform. I’ve never been a fan of Musk—his erratic behavior and lack of stability are deeply concerning.

For me, the final straw came when Musk made what appeared to be a Nazi salute during a post-inauguration rally. To make matters worse, reports surfaced about his appearance at the campaign launch of Germany’s Alternative for Germany, a far-right organization. That was the push I needed to leave the platform for good. Soon, I’ll be deleting my X/Twitter account. It’s not enough to simply stop posting—reducing the platform’s user base is a powerful way to make a meaningful impact.

Bluesky, created by the same team behind X/Twitter, offers a similar aesthetic but without Musk’s influence or presence. While I don’t fully understand why they chose to replicate Twitter, I’m grateful for the alternative. Without Bluesky, I’d have no social media platform to chat on. I do have a Facebook account, but I’m not a fan of Mark Zuckerberg, so I rarely post there. I also avoid Instagram since it’s owned by the same company…

As Canadians, we need to be mindful of where we spend our time online and what we consume. Starting February 1, Donald Trump will likely impose a 25% across-the-board tariff. With this looming threat, now more than ever, it's time to act as true patriots and buy Canadian goods. It’s frustrating to hear Trump mock Canadians, suggest that Canada should become the 51st state, and disrespect our Prime Minister. His leadership is deeply flawed, and his comments are unacceptable.

One way to defend our interests is by choosing Canadian products whenever possible. Many Canadian brands offer high-quality goods at competitive prices—you just need to be aware of what you’re buying. For example, Marcelle, a Montreal-based makeup brand founded in 1949, offers high-quality products that you can find in most drugstores at affordable prices. I’m a big fan of Marcelle's Kohl Eyeliners—I wear their Copper Coin shade almost daily.

When it comes to clothing, I frequently shop at Reitmans and Garage for basics like jogging pants. I also enjoy Uniqlo, a Japanese brand known for its minimalist style.

For skincare, I rely on Yves Rocher (France) and NIVEA (Germany). I also use L’Oréal, another French brand. While I typically buy Dove and Ivory soap (both great for sensitive skin), I could easily switch to NIVEA soap bars or another Canadian alternative. For makeup, I occasionally purchase Maybelline, NYX, and Revlon, but I’m looking forward to sticking with Marcelle for most of my needs.

My tech choices already reflect my preference for non-U.S. brands.

Phone: Samsung – I’ve always preferred it over Apple. Samsung is headquartered in South Korea.

Laptops: Acer – I own two: a Chromebook and a Windows model. I’ve been a loyal Acer customer for years, and they’ve never given me issues. Fortunately, Acer is a Taiwanese company.

Like most people, I use Microsoft Office, Google Chrome, and YouTube. For antivirus software, I rely on Norton, though I’ve considered switching to Bitdefender, a reputable antivirus from Romania. Sadly, I haven’t found a Canadian-made antivirus yet.

Back in the day, I used Kaspersky, but I stopped after the Canadian federal government banned its use within its departments—long before the war in Ukraine. Given the current geopolitical climate, I wouldn’t consider Kaspersky, which is headquartered in Moscow. Surprisingly, it’s still available in Canada, but I don’t think it’s an antivirus that Canadians should buy.

Footwear has always been a challenge for me. I love Columbia, The North Face, and… ASICS. Luckily, ASICS is a Japanese company, and their sneakers are incredibly comfortable. When it comes to footwear, ASICS is the absolute best.

Looking ahead, I plan to be much more mindful with my spending. By the end of 2025, I aim to build $20,000 in savings. It’s important that I save at least $10,000 by early summer because I want to pay for my summer vacation with money I actually have, instead of borrowing on my margin and paying it back later—like I used to. Currently, I am at exactly $3,591.55 in savings. 

Welcoming my highest net worth ever: $469,813.55!

Did you know that you can register to vote for the next leader of the Liberal Party? You have until January 26 to do so. Click here: https://liberal.ca/register/. I’ll be voting for Mark Carney because I think he’s the best candidate to defeat Pierre Poilievre.

When I saw that the TSX closed today’s session at an impressive 25,434.08 points (+122.58 points, +0.48%), I had a feeling something good was coming, but I never expected to reach a milestone. My stock portfolio grew by $2,000 today. To help boost things further, I included the paycheck I’ll be receiving tomorrow in my savings. Since I know the exact amount I’ll be receiving, I don’t feel like it’s cheating. The money is simply pending somewhere in the cloud.

I was quite surprised earlier while updating my investment portfolio. I didn’t expect to reach a net worth of $469,813.55. Before today, my highest net worth was $467,529.69, which I achieved back in November 2024.

For a moment, I thought I’d close January with $4,000 in savings, but that amount will be closer to $3,000. Unfortunately, the rent payment lowered my expectations—it seems like I forgot to account for it in my calculations. The $4,000 in savings will have to wait until next month to become a reality.

To save money, I really need to control my spending. It’s obviously easier to do so while I’m in New Brunswick, but it’s still a challenge. Generally speaking, I find that grocery prices are higher in New Brunswick than in Montreal. Here in New Brunswick, sometimes my family buys fruit—like oranges, for example—that doesn’t taste good. I never experienced this problem while living in Montreal. The prices for fruits and vegetables seem higher in New Brunswick, and the quality isn’t always great.

For vegetables, I don’t mind buying them frozen. But when it comes to fruit, I prefer grapes, clementines, and oranges. These days, though, I mostly stick to bananas and apples. I honestly can’t remember the last time I ate a clementine. The worst is paying a ridiculous price for clementines or oranges, only to discover they taste like shit. And I will leave it here :-)