Earning $500 a month in passive income could be possible if you invest in quality dividend stocks. Moreover, if you hold these dividend stocks in a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA), all returns are exempt from Canada Revenue Agency taxes.
Several of Canada’s largest REITs (real estate investment trusts) pay unitholders every month, and three in particular recently reported strong second-quarter (Q2) results that back up their payouts with steady growth.
For long-time TFSA holders, cumulative contribution room now exceeds $100,000. Spreading that across a handful of monthly-paying REITs spreads the risk tied to any single property type or region.
Here’s how a $100,000 TFSA split across Slate Grocery REIT (TSX:SGR.UN), Dream Industrial REIT (TSX:DIR.UN), and RioCan REIT (TSX:REI.UN) could generate more than $500 a month, based on what these companies reported on their most recent earnings calls.
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Slate Grocery REIT is recession-resistant
Slate Grocery REIT owns a portfolio built around grocery stores in the United States. It reported over 569,000 square feet of leasing completed in Q2, with renewal rents up 16.7% and new leases signed at 41% above the portfolio’s average in-place rent.
Same-property net operating income grew 2.3% on a trailing 12-month basis, and occupancy sat at 93.6%.
CEO Blair Welch pointed to a broader trend supporting the sector: tight lending conditions and high construction costs are limiting new retail supply, giving landlords like Slate pricing power as leases roll over.
Slate is still working through a strategic review announced earlier this year, and management gave no timeline on its August call. That uncertainty, paired with its high 7.3% yield, makes this a name for investors comfortable with added risk in exchange for outsized income.
Dream Industrial REIT raises dividends
Dream Industrial REIT delivered the group’s standout news. On its August 5th call, the company announced a 2.5% distribution increase, its first raise since 2013, bringing the annualized payout to $0.7175 per unit starting with the September 15 distribution.
Comparative property NOI (net operating income) grew 10.3% year over year, diluted FFO (funds from operations) per unit climbed to $0.28, up 7.8% from a year earlier, and the payout ratio sits at a conservative 63%.
Management also raised full-year guidance, now expecting same-property NOI growth of 7% to 8%, up from 5.7% in 2025.
CEO Alex Sannikov explained: “We think that growing dividend that is sustainable and that allows us to increase our retained cash flow is an important element of our total return model.”
RioCan REIT benefits from high occupancy rates
RioCan REIT is among Canada’s largest REITs. It ended Q2 with a retail occupancy rate of 98.8%, while blended leasing spreads came in at 23.1%, with new leases signed 40.8% above expiring rents.
Same-property NOI growth reached 4.3%, the fourth straight quarter above 4%, prompting management to raise full-year guidance to a range of 4% to 4.5%.
Core FFO per unit grew 5.3% year over year to $0.40, and the payout ratio improved to 73.8%, trending toward RioCan’s 70% target.
RioCan’s near-full portfolio and disciplined balance sheet make it the anchor holding for investors who want dependable, lower-risk income.
The Foolish takeaway
In the above table, we can see that investing less than $100,000 in the three Canadian dividend stocks can help you earn $500 each month.
None of these three REITs is without risk.
For instance, Slate carries strategic review uncertainty, and higher yields are generally tied to stock price volatility. But based on what management teams reported this quarter, all three are backing their payouts with real leasing strength and rising rents.
Investors looking to put idle TFSA room to work could reasonably start building a position in this trio today.
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