The Canadian Stocks I’d Prioritize If I Had $3,000 to Invest Today

Investing in the right Canadian stocks can make a big difference in the years to come. In this article, I’ll discuss two stocks that are worthy of a place in a diversified portfolio. They are very different companies, but each one has its own solid case for investing in it.

So, if you have $3,000 to invest right now, the Canadian stocks I’d prioritize are as follows.

Cineplex

Cineplex Inc. (TSX:CGX) is a Canadian stock that is shaping up to be a solid contrarian choice. It has all the hallmarks of a contrarian stock – investors are overwhelmingly negative, and the valuation is low. There are concerns – high debt levels, falling recent attendance, and competition from streaming services, but isn’t that what makes it “contrarian”?

Importantly, Cineplex stock is addressing these issues. While the company’s debt level remains high, with long-term debt of $1.7 billion, the company has been successful in managing this. In fact, Cineplex announced an amendment to its Bank Credit Agreement last month. This amendment effectively extends the maturity date from March 2027 to September 2028 at the earliest. This gives Cineplex increased flexibility and better liquidity for the future.

Another concern is attendance, with many quarters of disappointing attendance weighing on results and sentiment. But recent box office numbers show that there’s reason for optimism. In March 2026, Cineplex reported box office revenue of $52.4 million, which was significantly higher than the prior year. Even more importantly, however, this performance is 84% of March 2019’s box office revenue, which is a positive result.

Cineplex continues to post record box office per patron (BPP) and concession per patron (CPP), with premium experiences showing strong demand. Yet, despite all of this, Cineplex’s stock price is cheap. It’s trading at $11.36 at the time of writing, which equates to a price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 18 times next year’s estimated earnings. Cineplex’s stock price graph below shows some recent strength as investors reacted to the debt announcement and favourable box office numbers in March.

Vital Infrastructure Property

Another Canadian stock that I’d prioritize if I had some money to invest right now is Vital Infrastructure Property Trust (TSX:VITL.UN). Vital Infrastructure is an owner and operator of medical facilities such as medical offices, rehabilitation centres, and diagnostic facilities.

This portfolio of properties provides stable and resilient cash flows. This is because these properties have long, sticky leases that are inflation-indexed. It’s also because these properties are healthcare properties. And the healthcare industry is a stable one that’s needed and growing due to the aging population – regardless of economic conditions.

Vital infrastructure stock is a Canadian stock that also offers an attractive dividend yield of 6.4%. So it’s a good option for those investors who are also looking for some steady income.

The bottom line

The two Canadian stocks discussed in this article are very different, but both are attractive stocks to consider investing your $3,000 in. As you can see from the table below, I’ve worked out a possible way to split your $3,000 between the two. Buying 100 shares of Cineplex stock and 330 shares of Vital Infrastructure stock gives you good exposure to the dominant Canadian movie theatre chain and annual dividend income of $118.80 from Vital.

The post The Canadian Stocks I’d Prioritize If I Had $3,000 to Invest Today appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.

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More reading

• 5 Canadian Stocks to Buy if You Want Instant Income
• 4 Canadian Dividend Stocks That Could Help You Build $500 in Monthly Income
• How to Put $14,000 in a TFSA to Work for Monthly Income That Could Last a Lifetime
• The Smartest TSX Stock to Buy With $500 Right Now
• 3 TSX Stocks That Could Bounce First When Sentiment Turns

Fool contributor Karen Thomas has positions in Cineplex and Vital Infrastructure Property Trust. The Motley Fool recommends Vital Infrastructure Property Trust. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.