TCSB.TO vs. VAB.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

TCSB.TO (TD Select Short Term Corporate Bond Ladder ETF) and VAB.TO (Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - TCSB.TO is a Short-Term Bond fund actively managed by TD, while VAB.TO is a Canadian Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg Global Aggregate Canadian Float Adjusted Bond Index. TCSB.TO is actively managed, while VAB.TO is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, TCSB.TO returned 2.96%/yr vs 0.66%/yr for VAB.TO. At a 0.50 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. TCSB.TO charges 0.28%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for VAB.TO.

Performance

TCSB.TO vs. VAB.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in TD Select Short Term Corporate Bond Ladder ETF (TCSB.TO) and Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF (VAB.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, TCSB.TO achieves a 1.32% return, which is significantly lower than VAB.TO's 1.62% return.

TCSB.TO

• 1D: 0.07%
• 1M: 0.98%
• YTD: 1.32%
• 6M: 1.38%
• 1Y: 4.07%
• 3Y*: 5.91%
• 5Y*: 2.96%
• 10Y*: —

VAB.TO

• 1D: -0.07%
• 1M: 1.70%
• YTD: 1.62%
• 6M: 0.78%
• 1Y: 3.12%
• 3Y*: 4.12%
• 5Y*: 0.66%
• 10Y*: 1.51%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

TCSB.TO vs. VAB.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
TCSB.TO TD Select Short Term Corporate Bond Ladder ETF	1.32%	4.71%	6.89%	6.95%	-4.39%	0.15%	5.36%	5.72%	0.13%
VAB.TO Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF	1.62%	2.28%	3.98%	6.90%	-11.86%	-2.88%	8.26%	6.77%	1.88%

Correlation

The correlation between TCSB.TO and VAB.TO is 0.70, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.70
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.68
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.61
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 15, 2018	0.50

Over the past year, TCSB.TO and VAB.TO have become more correlated (0.70) than their long-term average of 0.50, meaning their price movements have been converging.

Return for Risk

TCSB.TO vs. VAB.TO — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

TCSB.TO

TCSB.TO Risk / Return Rank: 57
TCSB.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 56
TCSB.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 57
TCSB.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 61
TCSB.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 51
TCSB.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 60

VAB.TO

VAB.TO Risk / Return Rank: 21
VAB.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 20
VAB.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 18
VAB.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 19
VAB.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 24
VAB.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 21

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

TCSB.TO vs. VAB.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for TD Select Short Term Corporate Bond Ladder ETF (TCSB.TO) and Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF (VAB.TO). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	TCSB.TO	VAB.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.88	0.72	+1.16
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.69	0.98	+1.70
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.37	1.12	+0.25
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.49	1.10	+1.39
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.64	2.61	+8.02
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

TCSB.TO vs. VAB.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current TCSB.TO Sharpe Ratio is 1.88, which is higher than the VAB.TO Sharpe Ratio of 0.72. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of TCSB.TO and VAB.TO, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	TCSB.TO	VAB.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.88	0.72	+1.16
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.02	0.10	+0.91
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.23	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.59	0.39	+0.20

Drawdowns

TCSB.TO vs. VAB.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum TCSB.TO drawdown since its inception was -14.90%, smaller than the maximum VAB.TO drawdown of -18.39%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for TCSB.TO and VAB.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	TCSB.TO	VAB.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-14.90%	-18.39%	+3.49%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-1.64%	-2.83%	+1.19%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-1.64%	-5.31%	+3.67%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-7.22%	-15.82%	+8.60%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-18.39%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-1.92%	+1.92%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.32%	-4.11%	+2.79%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.38%	1.20%	-0.82%

Volatility

TCSB.TO vs. VAB.TO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for TD Select Short Term Corporate Bond Ladder ETF (TCSB.TO) is 0.67%, while Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF (VAB.TO) has a volatility of 1.59%. This indicates that TCSB.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VAB.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	TCSB.TO	VAB.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.67%	1.59%	-0.92%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.77%	3.45%	-1.68%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.18%	4.38%	-2.20%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	2.93%	6.58%	-3.65%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	5.94%	6.48%	-0.54%

TCSB.TO vs. VAB.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

TCSB.TO has a 0.28% expense ratio, which is higher than VAB.TO's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

TCSB.TO vs. VAB.TO - Dividend Comparison

TCSB.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.66%, more than VAB.TO's 3.32% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
TCSB.TO TD Select Short Term Corporate Bond Ladder ETF	3.66%	3.65%	4.89%	4.97%	2.72%	2.37%	3.84%	3.00%	0.06%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
VAB.TO Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF	3.32%	3.33%	3.19%	2.95%	2.87%	2.48%	2.50%	2.65%	2.79%	2.77%	2.75%	2.78%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both TCSB.TO and VAB.TO in my portfolio?

TCSB.TO and VAB.TO have a correlation of 0.70, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, TCSB.TO or VAB.TO?

On fees, VAB.TO is cheaper at 0.09% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, TCSB.TO or VAB.TO?

VAB.TO is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.28% for TCSB.TO.

What is the main difference between TCSB.TO and VAB.TO?

TCSB.TO is categorized as Short-Term Bond, while VAB.TO is Canadian Government Bonds. They also come from different issuers: TD and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.28% for TCSB.TO and 0.09% for VAB.TO.