In Canada, you can buy bonds through your brokerage account or through a financial broker who will buy them directly from the issuing government or firm.
Buying a Bond ETF
A bond fund, such as a bond ETF, is the best option to buy bonds in Canada. Bond funds can invest in corporate or government bonds, short or long-term bonds, or a combination of all three. If you’re overwhelmed by the number of options, a broad market bond fund that includes both local and international bonds of varied terms from firms and governments is a good place to start. A bond ETF is the simplest and most cost-effective way to invest in a wide portfolio of bonds.
To buy shares of a bond ETF, just go to your brokerage account during trading hours, choose the ETF, and buy the number of shares you want to add to your portfolio. Because ETFs are traded on a stock exchange, your order will be filled and the bond fund shares will be added to your portfolio as soon as the transaction is finished. For any other ETF purchase, you will be charged the same commissions as your brokerage account.
Is Canada a bond seller?
Bonds issued by the Government of Canada offer significant returns and are backed by the federal government. They come in periods ranging from one to thirty years and, like T-Bills, are almost risk-free if held until maturity. With a period of more than one year, they are regarded the safest Canadian investment available. Until maturity, when the whole face value is repaid, they pay a guaranteed, fixed rate of interest. No matter how much you invest, the Government of Canada guarantees every penny of principal and interest. Even if you usually hold your assets until they mature, it’s comforting to know that Government of Canada Bonds are fully marketable and can be sold at any time for market value. Both U.S. and Canadian dollars can be used to buy Government of Canada Bonds, and both are considered Canadian content in your RSP/RRIF.
Key Benefits
- Regardless of the size of the investment, the safest Canadian investments are available in Canada.
- For RSP purposes, investments denominated in US dollars are considered Canadian content.
What kind of bonds are available in Canada?
Fixed income securities come in a variety of shapes and sizes, each with its own set of considerations for investors. Here are a few examples:
An investor makes a loan to an issuer in the form of a bond. In exchange, the issuer agrees to pay the investor a fixed rate of interest (the coupon) every six months and to redeem the bond’s principal (or face value) at a later date. Governments and corporations are the most common bond issuers.
Investors can choose from a variety of various types of bonds, including:
Bonds are issued by the federal, provincial, and municipal governments to pay deficits or raise money for program spending. Maturity terms typically run from two to thirty years, with interest paid semi-annually. The most popular bond issuance have maturities of five, ten, and thirty years.
- Credit ratings vary depending on the province’s taxing capacity and the debt’s creditworthiness.
- Credit ratings vary depending on the municipality’s taxing capacity and the debt’s creditworthiness.
- Depending on specific issues and liquidity, may provide greater or lower yields than provincial issues of comparable grade.
Corporate bonds are obligations issued by businesses in order to raise funds for operations and initiatives. Debt-issuing companies are given a rating based on their financial health, future prospects, and past performance. Credit rating agencies Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s must rate investment-grade bonds as “BBB-” or “Baa3” or above. Corporate bonds are more risky than government bonds and are more likely to default. However, bigger yields are usually associated with increased risk than “safe” government bonds. Depending on the issuer, liquidity fluctuates.
Non-investment grade bonds have a credit rating of below “BBB-” for S&P or “Baa3” for Moody’s. Because they are riskier and their ability to repay their debt is more dubious, these bonds are typically referred to as high-yield or junk bonds. It is critical to properly evaluate these bonds and weigh the dangers. When compared to investing in a higher-quality bond, there is a greater risk of capital loss.
Coupons are made from federal, provincial, or municipal bonds in which the semi-annual interest payments (coupons) and the principal amount (residue) are separated and marketed as distinct securities. These instruments are bought at a bargain and mature at par ($100) when they reach maturity. In general, the bigger the discount, the longer the term to maturity.
Coupons and residuals pay no interest until maturity and give the holder the entire face value of the instrument at that time. The interest is compounded annually at the time of purchase at the yield to maturity. A Canadian strip coupon with a yield of 6% maturing in five years, for example, would be marketed at $74.72 and mature at $100. Although no money is paid out until the bond matures, the bond’s interest accrues each year and must be reported as income on annual tax returns.
Strip coupons, when compared to traditional bonds, eliminate reinvestment risk by paying no cash flows until the investment matures. Coupons may have greater yields than bonds, but their price is more volatile than a bond of same term and credit rating.
Coupons provide investors with both safety (most are backed by the government or a high-quality corporation) and a guaranteed payout if held to maturity. Strip coupons are still popular in tax-advantaged accounts like RRSPs and RRIFs.
Financial institutions such as chartered banks, trust firms, and mortgage and loan companies provide Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GICs), which are deposit investments. GICs pay a fixed rate of interest for a given length of time.
Many GICs are insured by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC) for up to $100,000 (principal and interest), as long as certain conditions are followed. Each issuer can give full CDIC coverage, so you could invest $400,000 with four separate issuers – all of which are fully CDIC insured and held in one account.
GICs have typically provided a return that is slightly greater than treasury notes (T-bills). They are popular with investors since they are deemed safe and fully guaranteed up to the CDIC level, as long as certain criteria are met.
GICs from a wide range of financial institutions are available to RBC Direct Investing clients.
The minimum initial investment varies each term, although it begins at $3,500 for registered accounts and $15,000 for non-registered accounts. The principal value of a security is the amount for which it is issued and redeemed at maturity, excluding interest.
You may be able to meet your financial needs while boosting your income by investing in GICs that pay annual, semi-annual, monthly, or compound interest.
Treasury bills (T-bills), commercial paper, and banker’s acceptances are examples of money market instruments that are sold at a discount and mature at par (face value). Your return is the difference between your purchase price and par value.
Short-term debt instruments issued by the federal and provincial governments are known as T-Bills. T-Bills are a popular investment for individual, institutional, and corporate investors since they are fully backed by the applicable government issuer and offer a high level of security.
T-bills are issued in 30-, 60-, or 90-day, six-month, or one-year maturities with a maximum maturity of one year. They are extremely liquid, and many investors choose to keep them rather than cash. They are available for purchase at any time.
T-bills are considered very safe because the issuing government completely guarantees them; yet, they have a lesser potential return than most other assets.
T-bills have a $10,000 minimum par value and are traded in $1,000 increments.
Your return is the difference between your purchase price and par value. This is referred to as interest income.
BAs are short-term credit investments that a borrower makes for payment at a later date. Banks “accept” or “guarantee” BAs upon maturity, providing a high level of security for short-term investors.
Banker’s acceptances are extremely liquid and often issued every one to three months.
When compared to other short-term investments, a BA’s yield to maturity (rate of return) can be appealing. Due to their poorer credit rating, BAs provide a slightly greater rate of return than T-bills.
RBC Direct Investing has a $50,000 minimum initial investment and trades in $1,000 increments.
Corporations issue unsecured promissory notes, which are known as CP investments. Companies use CP to fund seasonal cash flow and working capital needs at cheaper rates than they would with traditional bank loans.
CP is commonly issued for one, two, or three months, but it can be issued for any length of time between one day and one year. CP is extremely liquid and can be bought or sold at any time.
When compared to other short-term options such as T-bills or BAs, investors choose CP since it often gives the highest return. For a variety of reasons, CP investments are regarded as relatively safe. First and foremost, the corporations that issue the notes are often substantial and well-established. Furthermore, majority of the CP sold by RBC Direct Investing have an R1 grade (investment grade) rating from one of the major Canadian rating agencies.
RBC Direct Investing’s minimum initial investment is $100,000 par value, and it trades in $1,000 increments.
Crown corporations are government-owned businesses that are controlled by Canada’s sovereign. Crown entities such as the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the Federal Business Development Bank, the Export Development Corporation, and the Canadian Wheat Board issue short-term promissory notes. Many crown corporations issue commercial paper in both Canadian and United States currency.
Crown corporate paper has a high liquidity level. It’s easy to sell it at market value before it matures, and it’s available for one month to one year.
The Government of Canada fully guarantees Crown corporate paper, which has the same excellent quality as Government of Canada T-bills but pays a little greater rate of return.
The minimal initial investment is $100,000 par value when available in inventory.
Investing in Mutual Funds or Exchange Traded Funds is another approach to obtain exposure to fixed income (ETFs)
Mutual funds and Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) are pooled investment vehicles with significant variances, although they may provide the following benefits over portfolios made up of individual fixed income securities:
- Convenience: Bonds are widely available, simple to buy and sell, and allow easy access to the bond market.
- Diversification: Because fund managers have access to greater pools of capital, they can diversify by kind, sector, credit quality, and maturity more easily.
- Professional management: Can be actively managed by professionals, allowing for continued market participation. This can help to mitigate the effects of interest rate fluctuations.
- Liquidity: These funds are liquid investments that can usually be reinvested easily.
Money market instruments, bonds, and other fixed income securities are also investments made by mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
When you’ve decided which type of product is ideal for you, utilize the Fixed Income Screener, Mutual Fund Screener, or ETF Screener to narrow down your options.
Is it still possible to purchase Canada Savings Bonds?
The Government of Canada declared in its most recent federal budget, presented on March 22, 2017, that the sale of Canada Savings Bonds (CSB) and Canada Premium Bonds (CPB) will end in November 2017.
On behalf of the Government of Canada, a formal notification was delivered to all Payroll Savings Plan owners and contributors from the Canada Savings Bonds Program.
Until October 2017, your CSB contributions will be taken from your monthly pension.
To learn more about what this announcement implies for bondholders, go to the Canada Savings Bonds Program’s website and look under “Questions and Answers.”
What is the yield on Canadian government bonds?
The bond pays a fixed annual interest rate of 4%. You’ll earn $5,000 back if you hold the bond until it matures. A year later, you’ll receive 4% interest, or $200.
Is the Bank of Canada investing in bonds?
In March 2020, the Bank of Canada launched an asset buy program to enhance market functioning in the Government of Canada (GoC) bond market, in response to unruly market conditions. The Bank agreed to the following in the Government of Canada Bond Purchase Program (GBPP), which was announced on March 27, 2020:
GBPP purchased all maturities throughout the yield curve to meet their commitments.
The GBPP’s focus shifted from restoring market functioning to delivering additional monetary stimulus through a quantitative easing (QE) program in July 2020. (see Bank of Canada 2020a). It’s crucial to assess the impact of this massive and unprecedented quantity of purchases (about $307 billion as of August 31, 2021) on GoC bond yields, especially given it was the first time the Bank deployed a QE program as part of its extended monetary policy toolkit in Canada.
When we examine the influence of the GBPP announcement in March 2020 on GoC bond yields, we find that:
However, determining the actual impact of the GBPP is challenging because numerous factors influence GoC bond yields. The GBPP, for example, occurred at a time when gross GoC bond issuance tripled. To put it another way, we can’t see or estimate what the level of GoC bond yields would have been if the GBPP hadn’t existed.
Furthermore, because it only measures the surprise component of the GBPP announcement, the yield impact of the initial announcement likely underestimates the impact of the GBPP. The GBPP’s entire impact is anticipated to be greater, given that market participants:
- Because of the initial announcement, you might have been expecting the Bank to announce an asset purchase program.
- the market dysfunction seen in the GoC (see Fontaine, Ford and Walton 2020)
- Market expectations that the Bank would cut the policy interest rate to its effective lower bound of 0.25 percent were also altered.
- They most certainly boosted their estimates of the program’s total expected size later, especially as it transitioned from an instrument aimed primarily at restoring market functioning to one used to deliver further monetary policy stimulus1.
We also look at how GoC bond rates react to the Bank’s daily GBPP bond purchases. D’Amico and King (2013) coined the term “flow effect” to describe this response. On GoC bond yields, we detect a minor and transient flow effect that tends to reverse in the four days following the GBPP operation.
With efficient markets, a little flow effect is expected. That is, the GBPP’s price/yield impacts should reflect new knowledge and altered expectations regarding the volume and type of securities to be purchased over the duration of the program. These expectations may shift over time, although they do not always vary on operating days. As a result, the operations themselves are consistent with a tiny flow effect. These operations give very little new material information that could affect security prices beyond what markets already know from earlier announcements and operations.
Where can I get bonds?
Buying government bonds in India has never been easier thanks to the NSE’s mobile and web-based apps (National Stock Exchange). “NSE goBID” is the NSE app for purchasing government bonds. NSE provides its users with both a mobile app and a web-based platform.
What motivates the Bank of Canada to purchase bonds?
Our asset purchases, along with our record-low policy interest rate, can boost spending and investment now that financial markets are functioning normally. The goal is to ensure that household and corporate demand is sufficient to match what the economy can generate. When expenditure is high enough, the economy will run at near-full capacity, resulting in full employment and inflation that is close to target.
This is how it goes. When the Bank of Canada purchases bonds, the price of the bonds rises but the return, or yield, falls. Credit is more affordable due to lower yields. As a result, households and businesses are encouraged to borrow in order to spend and invest. Quantitative easing, or QE for short, is when we buy Government of Canada bonds.
QE can help people and firms spend and invest in a variety of ways. If our purchases reduced the yield on five-year government bonds, for example, lower interest rates on five-year fixed-rate mortgages would result. As a result, it is less expensive to borrow money to purchase a home.
QE also has other effects on the economy. It has the potential to make banks more willing to lend to individuals and enterprises. Because our purchases provide banks with increased liquidity, they are able to lend to a broader range of borrowers.
Furthermore, QE sends the message that we want to keep our policy interest rate low for a long period as long as inflation is kept under control. It’s a strategy we employ once we’ve dropped our policy rate as low as we can. If the economy need QE, our policy rate must be as low as possible. QE can assist firms and consumers lower longer-term borrowing costs by giving investors more confidence that our overnight interest rate goal will remain low.
In addition, the Bank is purchasing existing business bonds. This can help the economy by making it less expensive for businesses to invest and create jobs. Companies, on average, pay a higher interest rate to borrow money than governments. Our purchases can help bridge the interest rate gap that exists between firms and governments when they issue bonds. This makes it easier for businesses to borrow money in order to hire new employees or grow their operations. Credit easing, or CE, is a term used to describe this.
We buy assets from financial institutions, not companies or governments, for both QE and CE.
Is the income from bonds guaranteed?
The Treasury Department sells Treasury notes through an online auction. There are two possibilities once an investor has purchased the note. The investor has the option of holding the bond until it matures, at which point the initial investment will be repaid. The sum invested is guaranteed to be paid back by the US government if the investor retains the bond to maturity.