The best 5-year non-registered GIC rates

The best overall GICs in Canada

What is a non-registered guaranteed investment certificate?

A guaranteed investment certificate (GIC) is a financial tool that lets Canadians invest their money, and guarantees the return of your principal + a set amount of interest. A non-registered GIC, specifically, is basically any GIC that is not invested in one of the registered savings deposits that exist in Canada (i.e. RSP, RESP, RDSP, RIF). With a non-registered GIC, you invest your money for a set period of time (the “term”) and are guaranteed to earn a set amount of interest, so long as you don’t redeem your money before the GIC’s maturity date. Typically, the longer you invest for, the higher the interest rate you’ll receive.

What types of non-registered GICs exist?

As we mentioned, a non-registered GIC is any GIC that is not invested in a registered savings deposit. These include: redeemable GICs, non-redeemable GICs and even some market-linked GICs. With redeemable GICs, you earn less interest in return for the flexibility to cash out early. Non-redeemable GICs, on the other hand, pay higher interest rates as an incentive to invest for longer. And if you’re comfortable taking on a bit more risk, market-linked GICs are tied to the performance of the stock market. With them, you’re not guaranteed to see a return, but there is potential to earn a much higher one than with a regular non-registered GIC product.