VS
Compare BMO Conservative ETF (ZCON) vs iShares ESG Conservative Balanced ETF Portfolio (GCNS) to find the best fit for your portfolio. ZCON provides Sovereign, Finance, and Municipal exposures, while GCNS is primarily weighted in Finance, Sovereign, and Technology. When evaluating costs, ZCON features a management fee (MER) of 0.18%, compared to 0.22% for GCNS. Performance-wise, ZCON has returned 5.53% year-to-date with +$35 M in net flows, whereas GCNS is at 6.75% with +$26 M. Use the comparison tool below to benchmark these funds across top 10 holdings, yield, sector weights and historical returns.
NAV Performance and Flows
Key Data
Compare
ZCON
GCNS
| AuM | $118.15 M | $88.26 M |
| Management Fees | 0.18% | 0.22% |
| Exp. ratio | 0.20% | 0.23% |
| Tracking Difference | - | - |
Historical performance and flows
As of September 2, 2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | ZCON | -1.16% | -0.41% | +5.53% | +10.05% | +35.17% |
GCNS | -1.14% | -0.06% | +6.75% | +11.04% | +41.12% | |
| Flows | ZCON | +$7 M | +$17 M | +$35 M | +$47 M | +$64 M |
GCNS | +$3 M | +$12 M | +$26 M | +$37 M | +$62 M |
ZCON vs GCNS exposure
Countries
ZCON
Canada
52.05%
USA
32.65%
Other
15.30%
GCNS
Canada
63.58%
USA
24.09%
Other
12.33%
Sectors
ZCON
Sovereign
22.43%
Finance
16.59%
Municipal
13.27%
Technology
11.43%
Other
36.28%
GCNS
Finance
33.44%
Sovereign
16.79%
Technology
12.65%
Municipal
12.53%
Other
24.59%
As of September 2, 2026
Top 10 Holdings
ZCON
Canada, Bond 0.5 1oct2030 10Y
7.74%
CMHC, 1.9% 15mar2031, CAD (100)
2.89%
Province of Quebec, 1.5% 1sep2031, CAD (B128)
2.29%
Canada, Bonds 2.25% 1dec2029, CAD
2.18%
Province of Ontario, 2.65% 2dec2050, CAD (DMTN242)
2.15%
Province of Ontario, 2.05% 2jun2030, CAD (DMTN243)
2.14%
Sun Life Financial, 2.06% 1oct2035, CAD (2020-2)
2.09%
Toronto-Dominion Bank, 1.896% 11sep2028, CAD
1.63%
Apple, Inc.
1.39%
NVIDIA Corp.
1.34%
GCNS
NVIDIA Corp.
1.98%
Royal Bank of Canada
1.34%
The Toronto-Dominion Bank
1.30%
Canada, Bond 2 1jun2028 10Y
1.29%
Broadcom Inc.
1.25%
Shopify, Inc.
1.00%
Canada, Bond 1.25 1jun2030 10Y
0.97%
Bank of Montreal
0.82%
Canada, Bond 2.25 1jun2029 10Y
0.76%
Canada, Bond 0.5 1oct2030 10Y
0.74%
Diversification
ZCON
Total weight of top 10 holdings out of 19,892 total
25.86%
GCNS
Total weight of top 10 holdings out of 1,382 total
11.45%
Characteristics
Compare
ZCON
GCNS
| Provider | BMO | iShares |
| Management | Actively managed | Actively managed |
| Benchmark | - | - |
| Replication Method | ||
| Asset Class | Equity, Fixed Income | Equity, Fixed Income |
| Dividend Policy | Distributing | Distributing |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | 1.91% | 2.10% |
| Meets ESG criteria | No | Yes |
| Inception Date | February 15, 2019 | September 14, 2020 |
Frequently asked questions about ZCON and GCNS
Which ETF has performed better year to date: ZCON or GCNS?
As of September 2, 2026, ZCON has returned 5.53% year to date, while GCNS has returned 6.75%. GCNS is ahead on YTD performance.
Which ETF is larger by assets under management: ZCON or GCNS?
As of September 2, 2026, ZCON manages $118.15 M in assets, while GCNS manages $88.26 M. ZCON is the larger fund by AUM.
How are ZCON and GCNS managed?
ZCON is actively managed by BMO. It does not track an index. GCNS is actively managed by iShares. It does not track an index.
What sectors do ZCON and GCNS emphasize?
ZCON is most exposed to Sovereign, Finance, and Municipal. GCNS is most exposed to Finance, Sovereign, and Technology.
Which ETF is attracting more investor flows: ZCON or GCNS?
Year to date, ZCON has seen +$35.23 M in net flows, compared with +$26.21 M for GCNS. ZCON has attracted more net investor money so far.
How do the fees of ZCON and GCNS compare?
ZCON has an expense ratio of 0.20%, while GCNS has an expense ratio of 0.23%.
What are the top holdings of ZCON and GCNS?
ZCON's largest holdings include Canada, Bond 0.5 1oct2030 10Y and CMHC, 1.9% 15mar2031, CAD (100). GCNS's top holdings include NVIDIA Corp., Royal Bank of Canada, and The Toronto-Dominion Bank.
Which ETF is more diversified: ZCON or GCNS?
ZCON holds 11634 securities, while GCNS holds 1375. On holdings count, ZCON is the more diversified portfolio.
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