Gold has been a store of value for thousands of years and remains one of the most popular alternative investments among Canadians today. Whether used as a hedge against inflation, a portfolio diversifier, or a safe-haven asset in uncertain times, gold plays a meaningful role in many Canadian investors' portfolios. This guide covers every way to invest in gold in Canada in 2025 — from physical bullion to ETFs to mining stocks.
You can buy physical gold bars or coins from the Royal Canadian Mint, authorized dealers like Kitco or the Canadian Mint Bullion Store, or major banks. Physical gold comes in various sizes — from 1-gram bars to 400-oz London Good Delivery bars.
Popular physical gold coins include:
Physical gold requires secure storage (home safe or professional vault) and may carry insurance costs. Buying and selling comes with dealer spreads (the difference between buy and sell prices). The Royal Canadian Mint's Maple Leaf coins are the most liquid in Canada.
Gold ETFs offer exposure to gold prices without physical storage or insurance concerns. They trade on stock exchanges like any other ETF and can be held in TFSAs and RRSPs.
Major Canadian gold ETFs:
Gold ETFs are the most convenient way for Canadian investors to gain gold exposure inside registered accounts (TFSA, RRSP, FHSA).
Canada is home to some of the world's largest gold mining companies. Buying shares of gold miners gives you leveraged exposure to the gold price — when gold rises, well-run miners can see their profits increase faster than the metal itself. However, miners carry additional risks: operational problems, geopolitical risk at mine sites, and management quality.
Major Canadian gold miners:
Streaming companies provide upfront financing to miners in exchange for the right to buy a percentage of future gold production at a fixed low price. They offer gold exposure with lower operational risk than miners.
Streaming companies are considered a higher-quality, more defensive way to invest in gold equities.
Several Canadian mutual funds focus on gold and precious metals equities. These are managed actively and typically invest in a diversified basket of gold mining stocks. They are available through most bank and mutual fund dealers but carry higher fees than ETFs.
All forms of gold investment are subject to Canadian capital gains tax:
There is no special precious metals tax treatment in Canada. Gold is not legal tender and is treated as capital property.
Options for storing physical gold include:
Gold is best viewed as a portfolio diversifier and inflation hedge rather than a high-growth investment. Over the long run, gold has maintained purchasing power but has not outperformed equities. Most financial advisors recommend a 5–15% gold allocation for investors seeking diversification, not a concentrated gold position.
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