great gic debateso just a little perspective here on why i never hate on gics.
bought my first one in 1980, it was actually a canada savings bond. first year interest was 19.5 per cent with a guaranteed 10.5% for each of the next 6 years. in reality we got 12.5 per cent in year 2 then 5 years of 10.5. i worked all summer in a paper mill to save that 4000 bucks.
i have been buying gics and csb(when they existed) ever since. with a 5 year ladder over the last 42 years they have swelled quite nicely. have i made more in the market, yes of course but through the downturns of 87, 2000, 2008, 2022 and the hundreds of mini downturns of oil, or gold, or the bank stocks or whatever, my head has always hit the pillow with nary a worry
so don't shat on a sure thing and a 5% risk free investment in a tsfa or rrsp with no costs to buy or sell is never a bad thing for a certain portion of your portfolio.