If you’re worried about AI disruption and want to look for profits outside of software, here are three pretty boring Canadian stocks that could still rise strongly in the coming year.
A Canadian real estate stock
The first Canadian stock that looks increasingly interesting for 2026 is that Chartwell Retirement Homes (TSX:CSH.UN). With a market capitalization of $6.4 billion, it is the largest provider of retirement communities in Canada.
Canada is about to be hit by a wave of aging baby boomers. They want independence, but don’t want the burden of a big house. Likewise, retirement can be lonely, so community and care options are critical.
Chartwell’s communities meet many of these needs at once. The good news for Chartwell is that demand is starting to exceed supply. The demand for senior housing is expected to double over the next twenty years. Yet the new offerings are hardly keeping pace. Today, Chartwell has 95% occupancy.
That all bodes well in terms of pricing power and an opportunity to develop new units. Currently, analysts are targeting growth of more than 15% cash flow per unit in 2026 and 12% in 2027.
If it can get close to these numbers, there could still be significant upside in the stock. It delivers a 2.9% distribution yield, so you get paid to find out.
A top share in real estate services
First Service (TSX:FSV) has been a high-quality composite stock for many years. However, this stock has fallen 17% in the past year. It’s trading at its lowest valuation since about 2018 (barring the 2020 crash).
FirstService is a leading provider of HOA, condo and apartment management services in Canada and the US. This is a nice business because it is often recurring and generates attractive cash flows. Management has taken advantage of this to acquire several property-related services, including painting, cabinet design, roofing, fire protection and restoration.
With limited major catastrophic storms in 2025, major restoration activities have been a hindrance results. Given the increasing frequency of storm events, that was probably a blip. FirstService should see a nice recovery in business in the second half of 2026.
The company continues to deploy capital strategically toward attractive opportunities. Although the stock is down today, it is a good time to add this stock for a longer-term position.
A Canadian fintech stock
Propel Holdings (TSX:PRL) is another Canadian stock that could see a rally. This stock is definitely the most volatile of this mix. This can apply to either the bottom or the top, so position the size accordingly.
Propel offers modest sized consumer loans to the subprime market. It uses a proprietary AI lending platform that can be scaled across the region. It usually uses banking partners, but also offers loans directly online.
Propel has grown by almost 40% over the past three years. While it still has ample growth in the US, it just made an acquisition in Britain that could fuel a new direction of growth.
With a price-to-earnings ratio of eight and a yield of 3.5%, this Canadian stock is attractive on a growth-value basis. It has its risks, but it could also offer attractive rewards to contrarian investors right now.
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