Curated ETF Model Portfolios
Stop guessing what to buy. Choose from 5 battle-tested, ultra-low-cost ETF portfolios designed for Canadian and U.S. investors, complete with exact tickers, weighted fees, and execution guides.
Portfolio Blueprints
Select your investment strategy
Compare weighted management expense ratios (MER), complexity, and tax advantages across our 5 flagship blueprints.
The All-in-One Asset Allocation Blueprint
A complete, globally diversified portfolio contained within a single ETF ticket. Vanguard and iShares automatically rebalance thousands of underlying global stocks and bonds every trading day.
| Risk Profile | Equity / Bond Split | Vanguard Ticker | iShares Ticker | BMO Ticker | Historical 10y CAGR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-Equity (Maximum Growth) | 100% Stocks / 0% Bonds | VEQT |
XEQT |
ZEQT |
~9.8% |
| Growth (Long Horizon) | 80% Stocks / 20% Bonds | VGRO |
XGRO |
ZGRO |
~8.4% |
| Balanced (Moderate Risk) | 60% Stocks / 40% Bonds | VBAL |
XBAL |
ZBAL |
~7.1% |
| Conservative (Capital Preservation) | 40% Stocks / 60% Bonds | VCNS |
XCNS |
ZCON |
~5.9% |
The 3-Fund Core & Explore Model
Separate broad equity and fixed income building blocks. Gives you surgical control to place specific assets in optimal tax accounts (e.g. U.S. in RRSP, Canadian in TFSA).
U.S. Total Market
3,500+ large, mid, and small cap U.S. enterprises.
VUN / XUUVTI / ITOTCanadian Equity
Canadian banks, energy, industrials, and rail.
VCN / XICEWCIntl Developed
Europe, Japan, Australia, and Pacific rim leaders.
VIU / XEFVEA / IEFAFixed Income
Federal, provincial, and investment-grade corporate bonds.
VAB / ZAGBND / AGGCorporate-Class Total Return Blueprint
Engineered for taxable accounts. Uses synthetic total-return swaps to eliminate annual dividend and interest distributions entirely. 100% of return is deferred until shares are sold, compounding tax-free inside your taxable account.
Tracks S&P/TSX 60. Reinvests all bank and energy dividends automatically with 0% tracking error and 0% annual tax drag.
Tracks S&P 500. Converts all U.S. dividends into NAV growth—dodging both Canadian income tax and the 15% U.S. withholding tax.
Canadian Aggregate Bonds. Avoids the 50%+ marginal income tax rate on bond coupon interest by rolling interest into capital gains.
Dividend Growth Aristocrats
Focuses on established blue-chip cash cows with 10+ consecutive years of rising dividend distributions.
- 50% VDY / CDZ: Canadian banks, telecoms, utilities (4.2% yield).
- 35% SCHD / VYM: U.S. high-dividend quality champions (3.4% yield).
- 15% CASH.to: Liquidity and ultra-short money market buffer.
The Cross-Border Dual-Citizen Model
For U.S. citizens or Green Card holders residing in Canada. Eliminates punitive IRS Passive Foreign Investment Company (PFIC) Form 8621 filings.
- 55% VTI: Vanguard Total U.S. Stock Market (U.S. listed).
- 30% VXUS: Vanguard Total International Stock (U.S. listed).
- 15% BND: Vanguard Total Bond Market (U.S. listed).