Frequently Asked Questions
Our most asked questions about Harvest ETFs and our products.
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ETF Basics
Registered Accounts,
Distribution & Tax
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ETF Mechanics
Performance & Risk
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Top 10 Asked Questions
1. What is an ETF and how are they traded?
Like a mutual fund, an ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a basket of securities designed to achieve a specific investment objective. Unlike mutual funds, ETFs are listed on stock exchanges. This means they can be traded (bought/sold) at different prices by investors throughout the day, much like stocks.
Unlike stocks, new ETF units can be created or redeemed based on changes in demand.
2. What makes Harvest ETFs different from other ETF providers?
Harvest ETFs generates income through an active covered call writing strategy and has a strong record of making consistent monthly cash distributions to unitholders of its ETFs. This approach is based on a focus to build and preserve wealth by investing in strong, growth-oriented businesses and using covered calls for income generation.
3. How do covered call strategies in Harvest ETFs generate income?
At Harvest ETFs, our actively managed strategy allows flexibility in selling call options, enhancing income and managing exposure to market growth. By selling call options on a portion of the securities held in an ETF, the ETF collects a premium (fees) from the options buyers, which forms part of the monthly cash distributions to unitholders. Below are the percentages of the portfolios on which Harvest ETFs writes call option to generate income:
- Equity Income ETFs: Cap call option sales at 33% of holdings to retain growth potential.
- Fixed Income ETFs: Utilize up to 100% for higher premiums and reduced volatility.
- Balanced Income ETFs: Invest a minimum of 75% in ETFs that write covered calls for balanced income and growth.
- Enhanced Income ETFs: Cap call option sales at 33% of holdings to retain growth potential (plus up to 25% leverage).
- Single Stock ETFs: Cap call option sales at 50% of holdings to retain growth potential (plus up to 25% leverage on Enhanced series).
This approach optimizes income generation while maintaining strategic market exposure.
4. What are the fees associated with Harvest ETFs?
Harvest ETFs fees include management fees, brokerage commissions, and ETF expenses. There is an additional interest cost associated with borrowing with Harvest Enhanced Income ETFs and Harvest Enhanced High Income Shares ETFs, which employ modest leverage.
For information on fees on individual Harvest ETFs, please visit the fund facts page for the corresponding fund
5. Which Harvest ETFs provide the highest monthly income?
This depends on your income needs and the sector or stock exposure that you want. All of Harvest’s Income ETFs seek to provide attractive monthly cash distributions to investors. Harvest ETFs offers a diverse stable of Income ETFs that have a range of high income and risk rating. It is worth noting that higher yields are generally associated with higher levels of risk, so always check the risk for the ETFs before investing.
6. Are Harvest ETFs suitable for long-term growth or income-focused portfolios?
Harvest Passive Growth ETFs are designed to capture growth industries or Mega-Trends. These portfolios invest in the businesses that we have identified with the greatest potential for growth or an index that will provide growth opportunities from the industry or Mega-Trend.
Meanwhile, Harvest Income ETFs, which focus on Equity Income, Fixed Income, Balanced Income, Enhanced Income, and High-Income Shares portfolios, aim to generate high monthly cash distributions through an active covered call strategy. Enhanced Income ETFs and Enhanced High Income Shares ETFs apply modest leverage for even higher levels of income and growth potential.
7. Do Harvest ETFs offer Dividend Reinvestment Plans (DRIP)?
All Harvest Equity Income ETFs are eligible for the Harvest Distribution Reinvestment Program (DRIP). If you hold units of one of those ETFs, you may opt into the DRIP program through your financial advisor or by contacting your brokerage firm, provided your investment dealer supports participation in the Harvest DRIP program.
You can see the list of Harvest DRIP eligible ETFs and learn more about the program here.
8. Why am I receiving part of my capital back?
ROC represents a deferral of tax until the units are sold. It can occur due to timing differences between cash generated within the fund and its taxable income under tax laws.
9. How can I purchase Harvest ETFs, and what is the minimum investment?
To buy Harvest ETFs you will need to open an investment/brokerage account (like a TFSA or RRSP) at an investment/securities dealer or work with a licensed financial advisor to assist you with the process. All purchases and sales of Harvest ETF can then be made in the account through the investment/securities dealer or your financial advisor. Harvest Portfolios Group Inc. is an investment fund manager and an ETF issuer and not a securities /investment dealer. This means that Harvest cannot open investment accounts, accept any trading orders or provide specific personal investment advice to investors. The minimum investment that you can make in our ETFs is the cost to buy one unit of the ETF at it’s current trading price. So, if you can only afford one unit of an ETF, then you can buy it to get exposure to the securities it holds.
10. What sectors or themes do Harvest ETFs focus on?
At Harvest ETFs, we believe in wealth creation and preservation through investment in leading businesses, long-term growth industries, or growth trends.
Harvest ETFs offer sector exposure to spaces that include healthcare, technology, consumer discretionary, global utilities, global REITs, energy, US banks, Canadian equities, travel & leisure, and industrials. Learn more about our Equity Income ETFs here.
Our Passive Growth ETFs focus on sectors like global gold equities, blockchain, and renewable energy. Learn more about our Passive Growth ETFs here.
Harvest recently launched High Income Shares ETFs, with healthcare stocks like Eli Lilly and technology giants like Amazon and NVIDIA. Learn more about our High Income Shares here.
Ready to Invest?
Buying and selling our ETFs is simple: Investors can trade through their self-directed account, or contact their discount broker or financial advisor.
Below are links to some of the self directed brokerage firms available in Canada.
Use and access of third-party websites is at your own risk. Harvest ETFs is not responsible for financial advice, content, functionality or any other aspect of third-party sites. Harvest ETFs is not affiliated with any of these on-line financial service firms. Harvest ETFs will not be compensated by these firms when you place a trade or open an account. The listing of the on-line financial services firms above is not a recommendation or endorsement. By accessing the above websites, you are leaving the Harvest ETFs website and going to a 3rd party site that is independent of Harvest ETFs. Canadian investors may only purchase or trade Harvest ETFs through registered investment dealers, including but not limited to, the online brokerage firms listed above.