Some shares may not sound very thrilling proper now, particularly when everybody’s chasing the flashy synthetic intelligence (AI) shares. However constructing wealth isn’t all the time about chasing the noise. Generally, it’s about sticking with essentially sturdy companies which have sturdy money flows, steady dividends, and a wholesome observe file of worthwhile progress. And in case you maintain such shares for sufficient time, they may ship stable returns with out all of the drama.

So, on this article, I’ll spotlight two such “boring” Canadian shares which were doing the fitting issues behind the scenes and will quietly make you wealthy by 2035.

Metro inventory

Metro (TSX:MRU) may very well be an incredible inventory that may not transfer quick, nevertheless it retains delivering sturdy outcomes quarter after quarter. The corporate operates a variety of meals and pharmacy retail banners throughout Quebec and Ontario, together with Metro, Tremendous C, and Meals Fundamentals. MRU inventory is buying and selling at $92.04 per share after climbing 11% over the past yr, giving it a market cap of practically $19.9 billion. The corporate additionally pays a quarterly dividend with a present annualized yield of 1.6%.

The corporate’s third-quarter (led to June 2025) outcomes clearly mirrored how Metro is continuous to deal with dependable execution regardless of the continuing macroeconomic uncertainties. Throughout the quarter, its gross sales rose 3.3% YoY (yr over yr) to $6.87 billion. Whereas Metro’s meals same-store gross sales have been up 1.9% YoY, it registered a 5.5% improve in its pharmacy same-store gross sales with the assistance of sturdy demand for pharmaceuticals and well being merchandise. Equally, the corporate’s on-line meals gross sales additionally jumped 14.4% from a yr in the past.

One of many key elements I actually like about Metro is its potential to maintain prices beneath management whereas increasing. Final quarter, it opened 5 new meals shops and plans to proceed that tempo within the fourth quarter. In the meantime, the corporate has additionally been investing closely in its retail community and provide chain, together with automation applied sciences and a brand new distribution centre in Terrebonne that earned it a provincial tax vacation.

With a robust stability sheet, bettering margins, and constant dividend funds, Metro has all the fitting elements to maintain compounding returns over the following decade.

Nice-West Lifeco inventory

Now, let’s flip to Nice-West Lifeco (TSX:GWO), an insurance coverage and wealth administration big that won’t seize headlines, nevertheless it delivers the place it counts. This monetary companies holding agency operates throughout Canada, america, and Europe by manufacturers like Canada Life, Empower, and Irish Life.

After surging 25% over the past yr, GWO inventory is presently buying and selling at $57.50 per share with a market cap of about $53.2 billion. It has a robust annualized yield of 4.2% with quarterly payouts.

In its second quarter of 2025, Nice-West’s file base earnings climbed by 11% YoY to $1.15 billion. This efficiency was primarily pushed by progress in its wealth and group advantages companies, and better fairness markets.

Regardless of some credit-related impacts, its base earnings within the U.S. have been nonetheless up in comparison with final yr. For the quarter, the corporate’s Canadian operations additionally posted improved outcomes, supported by sturdy incapacity insurance coverage expertise and disciplined pricing.

Nice-West ended the June quarter with a stable capital place, a life insurance coverage capital adequacy check ratio of 132%, and $2.1 billion in money. General, sturdy earnings progress, a rising dividend, and world enlargement efforts give Nice-West loads of room to maintain compounding wealth for long-term buyers.