Canadian retirees want a predictable, regular supply of revenue. This makes a safer high-yield dividend inventory a key element of any well-diversified portfolio. That requirement is extra related this 12 months as market volatility and rising prices have gotten extra frequent.
That shift has pushed traders away from chasing development shares to determine and develop a dependable money circulation. That’s the place the attraction of high-yield dividend shares will help to bridge that hole. Even higher when the businesses paying these dividends supply a protracted historical past of paying shareholders throughout financial cycles.
Whereas there’s no scarcity of nice choices in the marketplace that supply these safer high-yield dividends, there are two segments worthy of be aware. Telecoms and banking are defensive sectors which have sizable moats and rising income streams.
Let’s have a look at an instance from each sectors.

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BCE (TSX:BCE) is one in every of Canada’s largest telecom suppliers, providing important providers throughout subscriber-based segments equivalent to wi-fi, wireline, web, and TV.
Telecoms like BCE are inclined to function like utilities as a result of subscribers have grown reliant on the providers they supply in all financial environments. The truth is, the defensive attraction of these providers has grown significantly within the years for the reason that pandemic.
This makes BCE’s money flows comparatively secure, which in flip helps its lengthy‑standing dividend program. The corporate has a protracted historical past of paying dividends and has maintained its popularity as a dependable revenue supply for Canadian traders. The truth is, BCE has paid its dividend with out fail for properly over a century.
BCE’s enterprise mannequin is constructed on that recurring subscriber income, which helps clean out earnings even when the broader financial system slows. Its giant buyer base and nationwide infrastructure give it a powerful aggressive place.
The corporate additionally affords long-term development attraction by means of its Ziply Fiber acquisition, which expands its U.S. footprint and accelerates its fibre development technique.
One danger price noting is the high-capital prices related to telecoms upgrading and sustaining their networks. That features 5G enlargement, which has stretched BCE in recent times. In recent times, the telecom minimize its dividend, paused annual upticks and decreased employees within the face of rising prices.
Fortuitously, these efforts have proved useful. The corporate’s dividend is now extra sustainable, and BCE at the moment trades up 10% 12 months thus far and affords a yield of 4.92%.
BMO: An enormous‑financial institution dividend anchor for lengthy‑time period stability
Financial institution of Montreal (TSX:BMO) is the oldest of Canada’s large financial institution shares. BMO affords a well-diversified enterprise mannequin that features private banking, business lending and wealth administration.
The financial institution has operations in Canada and in the USA. BMO’s U.S. operations stem from a sequence of well-executed acquisitions over the previous decade. These offers have helped elevate BMO right into a place as one of many largest banks within the U.S., with a presence in 32 state markets.
Whereas that U.S. presence affords development potential, BMO’s Canadian presence gives a layer of defensive stability backed by a powerful regulatory surroundings and conservative lending practices.
That additionally signifies that BMO’s dividend, which it has paid out with out fail for practically two centuries, is without doubt one of the safer high-yield dividends in the marketplace. As of the time of writing, BMO affords a yield of three.39%.
For retirees, BMO affords publicity to a defensive sector to offset market uncertainty. Throw within the financial institution’s stellar quarterly dividend, and you’ve got one of many most secure high-yield dividend choices in the marketplace.
Closing ideas
BCE and BMO supply retirees two completely different however complementary sources of secure revenue. BCE gives important‑service stability by means of telecom operations, whereas BMO delivers lengthy‑time period dividend power by means of its diversified banking mannequin.
In my view, one or each shares must be core holdings in any well-diversified portfolio.
Purchase these safer high-yield dividend picks, maintain them, and watch your revenue develop.