GCNS
iShares ESG Conservative Balanced ETF Portfolio

Full GCNS fund page
VS
ZSP
BMO S&P 500 Index ETF

Full ZSP fund page

iShares ESG Conservative Balanced ETF Portfolio (GCNS) and BMO S&P 500 Index ETF (ZSP) offer distinct profiles for Canadian ETF investors. A direct comparison shows that GCNS focuses its top 3 sector exposures on Sovereign, Information Technology, and Municipal, while ZSP leans towards Information Technology, Communication Services, and Consumer Discretionary. When evaluating costs, GCNS features a management fee (MER) of 0.22%, compared to 0.08% for ZSP. Performance-wise, GCNS has returned 5.43% year-to-date with +$14 M in net flows, whereas ZSP is at 10.41% with +$419 M. Use the comparison tool below to benchmark these funds across top 10 holdings, yield, sector weights and historical returns.

NAV Performance and Flows

-1.00.01.02.03.04.0%May 8May 15May 25Jun 1Jun 8

Key Data

Historical performance and flows

As of June 8, 2026
1M3MYTD1Y3Y
Perf.
GCNS
+1.17%+5.15%+5.43%+13.29%+41.97%
ZSP
+2.18%+12.21%+10.41%+26.91%+86.05%
Flows
GCNS
+$5 M+$7 M+$14 M+$32 M+$50 M
ZSP
-$47 M+$51 M+$419 M+$1,431 M+$4,964 M

GCNS vs ZSP exposure

Countries

GCNS
Canada
63.33%
USA
24.41%
Other
12.26%
ZSP
USA
97.06%

Sectors

GCNS
Sovereign
15.47%
Information Technology
14.29%
Municipal
11.80%
Financials
11.32%
Other
10.21%
Banks
8.52%
Other
28.40%
ZSP
Information Technology
36.41%
Communication Services
10.68%
Consumer Discretionary
10.06%
Financials
9.94%
Health Care
8.26%
Industrials
8.01%
Other
16.63%
As of June 8, 2026

Top 10 Holdings

GCNS
NVIDIA
3.81%
BROADCOM LIMITED
1.48%
ROYAL BK CANADA
1.28%
Canada, Bond 2 1jun2028 10Y
1.24%
TORONTO DOMINION
1.22%
SHOPIFY SUBORDINATE VOTING
1.00%
Canada, Bond 1 1jun2027 10Y
0.95%
Canada, Bond 1.25 1jun2030 10Y
0.94%
BANK OF MONTREAL
0.72%
Canada, Bond 2.25 1jun2029 10Y
0.72%
ZSP
NVIDIA
8.33%
APPLE
6.50%
MICROSOFT-T
5.16%
AMAZON.COM INC
4.21%
ALPHABET INC-CL
3.33%
BROADCOM LIMITED
3.16%
ALPHABET INC-CL
2.67%
META PLATFORMS
2.40%
TESLA
1.72%
BERKSHIRE HATHWAY
1.44%

Diversification

GCNS
Total weight of top 10 holdings out of 1,376 total
13.36%
ZSP
Total weight of top 10 holdings out of 502 total
38.91%

Characteristics

Compare
GCNS
ZSP
ProvideriSharesBMO
ManagementActively managedPassively managed
Benchmark-S&P 500 CAD Total Return Index - CAD
Replication MethodDirect (Physical)
Asset ClassEquity, Fixed IncomeEquity
Dividend PolicyDistributingDistributing
Trailing 12m distribution yield2.00%0.76%
Meets ESG criteriaYesNo
Inception DateSeptember 14, 2020November 14, 2012

Frequently asked questions about GCNS and ZSP

Which ETF has performed better year to date: GCNS or ZSP?
As of June 8, 2026, GCNS has returned 5.43% year to date, while ZSP has returned 10.41%. ZSP is ahead on YTD performance.
Which ETF is larger by assets under management: GCNS or ZSP?
As of June 8, 2026, GCNS manages $76.08 M in assets, while ZSP manages $23.66 B. ZSP is the larger fund by AUM.
How are GCNS and ZSP managed?
GCNS is actively managed by iShares. It does not track an index. ZSP is passively managed by BMO. It tracks the S&P 500 CAD Total Return Index - CAD benchmark.
What sectors do GCNS and ZSP emphasize?
GCNS is most exposed to Sovereign, Information Technology, and Municipal. ZSP is most exposed to Information Technology, Communication Services, and Consumer Discretionary.
Which ETF is attracting more investor flows: GCNS or ZSP?
Year to date, GCNS has seen +$14.40 M in net flows, compared with +$418.96 M for ZSP. ZSP has attracted more net investor money so far.
How do the fees of GCNS and ZSP compare?
GCNS has an expense ratio of 0.23%, while ZSP has an expense ratio of 0.09%.
What are the top holdings of GCNS and ZSP?
GCNS's largest holdings include NVIDIA and BROADCOM LIMITED. ZSP's top holdings include NVIDIA, APPLE, and ALPHABET INC-CL.
Which ETF is more diversified: GCNS or ZSP?
GCNS holds 1238 securities, while ZSP holds 477. On holdings count, GCNS is the more diversified portfolio.

Recent articles about GCNS and ZSP

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