Leon’s, which operates Canada’s largest home furnishing chain under its own name and its subsidiary The Brick, has 299 stores nationwide. It has continued to deliver moderate sales growth despite cost-of-living pressures and the ability of consumers to defer large-ticket purchases such as furniture and home appliances.

Ottawa-based Calian employs over 5,000 people in its four divisions. The two largest are healthcare, providing clinical services, medical facilities management, and nursing and psychological services, and advanced technologies, which operates a satellite, antenna, and base station manufacturing business from Saskatoon, including work on the Canadarm 3 project.

Its other two businesses are information technology and cyber solutions and learning, which specializes in emergency preparation consulting, especially in dealing with chemical, nuclear, biological, and radiation issues (CNBR).

Montreal-based Stella-Jones is North America’s leading producer of pressure-treated wood products. Approximately half of its 2024 revenues came from sales of poles to utilities and telecom companies, which increased 6%, to $1.7 billion. The remaining sales came from railway ties (26%), also up 6% to $890 million, residential lumber (18%), down 5% to $614 million, industrial products (4%), and logs and lumber (3%). Revenues for 2024 were up 5%, to $3.47 billion, or 3%, excluding acquisitions. Meanwhile net income was down slightly, at $319 million, although earnings per share were up 1%, to $5.66 from $5.62, due to share repurchases.

CK Hutchison is the holding company for the diversified interests of Hong Kong’s wealthiest man, Li Ka Shing. It owns the world’s largest port network, with interests in six of the ten largest ports. It also owns A.S. Watson, the world’s largest health and beauty retailer, with 16,500 stores in 28 countries. It has a 75.7% stake in CK Infrastructure, Hong Kong’s largest listed infrastructure company with interests in energy, water, transportation, and waste management in seven countries. And it owns 3Telecom Group, which has 40 million mobile users in Europe and 115 million in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka.

The ETF replicates the performance of the Solactive Equal Weight Canada Utilities Index net of expenses. It holds the stocks in the same proportion as they are reflected in the index. The fund is 2.6% higher year-to-date, matching the TSX, and 20% in the past 52 weeks.