These 3 Dividend Stocks Could Help You Sleep Better at Night

The article highlights Fortis, Empire, and Canadian Tire as dividend-focused stocks framed as potentially steadier options for income investors. It says Fortis owns regulated electric and gas utilities across Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean, and has increased its common share dividend for 52 consecutive years. For the first quarter of 2026, Fortis paid $0.64 per share, up from $0.615 a year earlier, for an annualized dividend of $2.54 and a 3.2% yield at the time of writing; it targets 4% to 6% dividend growth through 2030, supported by a capital program for regulated assets. Empire is described as owning grocery banners including Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, Farm Boy, and Foodland, with fiscal third-quarter sales up 2.1% to $7.89 billion and food same-store sales up 2%, plus adjusted EPS of $0.72. Canadian Tire declared a quarterly dividend of $1.80 per share in May 2026. The piece outlines risks such as higher interest rates, regulatory decisions, and project or impairment costs.