October 8, 2026 – Canadian investors are navigating an increasingly complex investing environment with high confidence in their portfolios, according to new survey research conducted on behalf of PICTON Investments by Pollara Strategic Insights. Yet the survey also reveals that this confidence may not be matched by a full understanding of the risks shaping today’s markets, or the tools available to help manage them.
The survey found that two-thirds (67%) of Canadian investors are concerned about market volatility affecting their investments over the next 12 months. Nevertheless, most (83%) are confident their portfolios are well diversified.
Diversification – by investing in a mix of stocks, funds, sectors, and geographies – may help to offset risk, but it cannot guarantee profits or against losses. Moreover, as a relatively small number of companies now account for an increasingly significant share of major global stock market indices, the diversification conversation has become more nuanced. While 57% of investors say they are familiar with this trend, familiarity is much lower among older, more established investors aged 55 and older (46%) than with younger investors aged 18 to 34 (68%).
Investors continue to rely predominantly on traditional investment products. Among Canadian investors, mutual funds (55%), GICs (42%), stocks (40%), and ETFs (31%) are the most commonly held investments, while only 8% report holding alternative investments such as private equity, private credit, hedge funds, and liquid alternatives.
Indeed, alternative investment vehicles such as hedge funds and liquid alternatives remain unfamiliar territory for most investors, with just 31 per cent saying they are familiar with them. Yet that lack of familiarity does not appear to reflect a lack of interest: 60% of investors say they would like to learn more about how alternative investment strategies could impact their portfolios. When asked what would make them more comfortable about considering them, the most common answer among Canadian investors was a better understanding of the risks and benefits (25%), followed closely by a recommendation from their financial advisor (22%) and more education about how they work (20%).
At a time when investors are seeking greater stability and resilience within increasingly concentrated markets, the findings suggest the opportunity isn’t simply to introduce new investment solutions. It’s to help Canadians better understand the risks they may already face and the broader range of tools available to build more diversified portfolios.
These are some of the key findings arising from an online survey conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights, on behalf of PICTON Investments, from August 6 to 14, 2026. The survey was conducted amongst N=3,020 adult Canadians. Online surveys cannot officially be assigned a margin of error, but a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of ±1.8%, 19 times out of 20. The survey identified a sub-sample of N=1,968 Canadian investors – that is, adults who individually or jointly hold investments within at least one of the following categories: Stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, GICs, bonds, real estate investment products, cryptocurrency, and alternative investments. Unless otherwise noted, findings cited in this release are based on this investor sub-sample. A probability sample of this size would be accurate to within ±2.2%, 19 times out of 20. The dataset has been weighted using the latest Statistics Canada gender, age, and geographic statistics to ensure the total sample is representative of the Canadian population. Pollara Strategic Insights is a member of the Canadian Research Insights Council (CRIC), and this research was conducted in compliance with CRIC standards.
For more details, please see the PICTON Investments release, associated data tables, and articles in Wealth Professional Canada, Investment Executive, and Benefits & Pensions Monitor.
