3-Year GIC Rates in Canada
| Provider | Rate |
|---|---|
5.00% | |
WealthONE | 5.00% |
Oaken | 4.80% |
Haventree Bank | 4.78% |
4.75% | |
ICICI | 4.75% |
Equitable | 4.71% |
Hubert | 4.70% |
Bridgewater Bank | 4.68% |
Laurentian | 4.65% |
Peoples Bank | 4.65% |
LBC Digital | 4.65% |
Manulife | 4.50% |
Outlook Financial | 4.50% |
Canadian Western Bank | 4.30% |
FirstOntario Credit Union | 4.30% |
4.25% | |
4.25% | |
Meridian | 4.25% |
Sun Life | 4.25% |
Simplii Financial | *4.17%* |
Alterna Bank | 4.15% |
Affinity Credit Union | 4.10% |
National Bank | 4.10% |
4.00% | |
ATB Financial | 4.00% |
4.00% | |
3.75% | |
motusbank | 3.25% |
Note: GIC rates shown are for non-redeemable GICs with annual compounding.
*Compounded monthly
What Are 3-Year GICs?
Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GICs), or GICs, are among the most common types of investments available in Canada. GICs offer a guaranteed return on investments while keeping the initial investment protected, making them a very low-risk investment. The term of the GIC dictates the length of investment and also determines the interest that will be paid on the investment. For example, with a 3-year GIC, the principal is invested for a period of 3 years, and you will receive interest on your investment each year. Most GICs also allow for the interest to be compounded annually.
All GICs that have a term length longer than 1 year, including 3-year GICs, are categorized as long-term GICs. The interest rate on GICs typically increases with the term length, meaning 5-year GICs usually have a higher interest rate than 3-year GICs. In rare situations, longer-term GICs are less than the shorter-term GICs, such as what we are observing in January 2024. This situation is called an inverted yield curve and generally signifies that interest rates are expected to drop in the future.
3-Year GIC Rates vs Bond Yields
3-Year GIC Rate 5.00%* as of May 2024 | 3-Year Bond Yield 3.97%** as of January 2024 |
3-Year GIC Rate 5.00%* as of May 2024 | |
3-Year Bond Yield 3.97%** as of January 2024 |
*Highest rate offered by providers listed on WOWA.ca
**From ca.investing.com (End of the day on January 25, 2024)
Investors often compare government bonds and GICs, as both of them offer guaranteed returns on investments. When you purchase a GIC, you essentially deposit the money with a financial institution for a fixed length of time and earn interest on it. On the other hand, you can lend money to the government or corporations by purchasing their bonds, and you can earn an interest for the same. Comparing the average returns of 1-year GICs and bonds in the longer term, bonds have historically outperformed GICs in terms of annual returns over the last 40 years.
However, there have been short-term scenarios where GICs have outperformed bonds, such as that observed in 2022-2023. During this time, the Bank of Canada significantly raised its policy interest rate, due to which the bond yield experienced a sharp decline. Meanwhile, GIC rates increased in this period and provided higher returns than bonds.
Types of 3-Year GICs
Non-Redeemable, Redeemable and Cashable GICs
GICs can be classified under three categories based on their redemption -
Non-Redeemable GICs: These GICs cannot be redeemed or cashed until maturity. This means if you invest in a 3-year non-redeemable GIC for 3 years, your principal investment would be locked away for 3 years, and you won’t be able to access those funds during this time.
Redeemable GICs: These types of GICs can be redeemed before maturity at predetermined interest rates that are significantly lower than the initial rate of the GIC. The redemption rate generally depends on when you redeem.
Cashable GICs: Cashable GICs can also be redeemed before the maturity date. These GICs generally have a 30-day waiting period, during which a redemption would yield no interest. After the waiting period, the interest rate offered is applied, and you receive interest up to the date of redemption. Cashable GICs typically have a 1-year term, but you can renew the GIC when it matures to continue investing it in for a longer period such as 3 years.
Registered and Non-Registered
GICs can be held in non-registered accounts as well as in a registered account, such as a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA), Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP), Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) and First Home Savings Account (FHSA). Investing in GICs through registered accounts can have potential tax benefits. Therefore, you may consider investing in registered GICs if you have a TFSA contribution room or RRSP contribution room available for the year.
3-Year GIC Insurance
Most 3-year GICs available in Canada are insurable up to a certain limit. The CDIC (Canadian Deposit Insurance Corporation) insurance insures GICs offered by federally regulated providers, such as banks and credit unions, up to a maximum of $100,000 per account. This means that the principal plus interest of up to $100,000 for each account remains protected in case the financial institution fails. On the other hand, provincial regulators insure GICs offered by provincial credit unions, and the limit varies depending on the insurer.
Best 3-Year GICs in Canada
RBC 3-Year GIC Rates
- Minimum Investment: $1,000
- Eligible for: RRSP, TFSA, RESP, RRIF, LIF, and RDSP (min. $500)
Current RBC Non-Redeemable GIC Rates as of May 17 2024
TD 3-Year GIC Rates
- Minimum Investment: $1,000
- Eligible for: RRSP, TFSA, RESP, and RRIF
Current TD Non-Redeemable GIC Rates as of May 17 2024
Scotiabank 3-Year GIC Rates
- Minimum Investment: $500
- Eligible for: RRSP, RESP, TFSA, RDSP, RIF, LIF, LRIF, and RLIF
Current Scotiabank Non-Redeemable GIC Rates as of May 17 2024
BMO 3-Year GIC Rates
- Minimum Investment: $1,000
- Eligible for: RRSP, TFSA, RESP, RIF, and RDSP
Current BMO Non-Redeemable GIC Rates as of May 17 2024
CIBC 3-Year GIC Rates
- Minimum Investment: $1,000
- Eligible for: RRSP, TFSA, RRIF, and LIF
Current CIBC Non-Redeemable GIC Rates as of May 17 2024
National Bank 3-Year GIC Rates
- Minimum Investment: $500
- Eligible for: RRSP and TFSA
Current National Bank Non-Redeemable GIC Rates as of May 17 2024