VLB.TO vs. ZFL.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

VLB.TO (Vanguard Canadian Long-Term Bond Index ETF) and ZFL.TO (BMO Long Federal Bond) are both exchange-traded funds - VLB.TO is a Long-Term Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Canadian 10+ Year Float Adjusted Bond Index, while ZFL.TO is a Canadian Government Bonds fund tracking the FTSE TMX Canada Long Term Federal Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VLB.TO returned -1.62%/yr vs -3.89%/yr for ZFL.TO. Their correlation of 0.88 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VLB.TO charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.22%/yr for ZFL.TO.

Performance

VLB.TO vs. ZFL.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in Vanguard Canadian Long-Term Bond Index ETF (VLB.TO) and BMO Long Federal Bond (ZFL.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VLB.TO achieves a 2.84% return, which is significantly higher than ZFL.TO's 2.39% return.

VLB.TO

• 1D: -0.29%
• 1M: 2.76%
• YTD: 2.84%
• 6M: 0.71%
• 1Y: 2.55%
• 3Y*: 2.57%
• 5Y*: -1.62%
• 10Y*: —

ZFL.TO

• 1D: -0.33%
• 1M: 2.93%
• YTD: 2.39%
• 6M: -0.37%
• 1Y: -0.83%
• 3Y*: -0.42%
• 5Y*: -3.89%
• 10Y*: -1.37%

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

VLB.TO vs. ZFL.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VLB.TO Vanguard Canadian Long-Term Bond Index ETF	2.84%	-1.07%	0.69%	9.27%	-21.79%	-4.94%	9.88%	11.93%	-0.45%	6.88%
ZFL.TO BMO Long Federal Bond	2.39%	-5.14%	-2.20%	7.30%	-23.89%	-7.47%	12.68%	8.73%	2.69%	2.93%

Correlation

The correlation between VLB.TO and ZFL.TO is 0.93, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.93
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.96
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.94
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 10, 2017	0.88

The correlation between VLB.TO and ZFL.TO has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.88 to 0.96 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

VLB.TO vs. ZFL.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

VLB.TO

VLB.TO Risk / Return Rank: 13
VLB.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 13
VLB.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 12
VLB.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 12
VLB.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 16
VLB.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 14

ZFL.TO

ZFL.TO Risk / Return Rank: 7
ZFL.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 8
ZFL.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 7
ZFL.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 7
ZFL.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 7
ZFL.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 8

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.

VLB.TO vs. ZFL.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Canadian Long-Term Bond Index ETF (VLB.TO) and BMO Long Federal Bond (ZFL.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.

	VLB.TO	ZFL.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.30	-0.09	+0.39
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.46	-0.05	+0.51
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.06	0.99	+0.06
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.52	-0.12	+0.65
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	0.98	-0.22	+1.20
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VLB.TO vs. ZFL.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VLB.TO Sharpe Ratio is 0.30, which is higher than the ZFL.TO Sharpe Ratio of -0.09. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VLB.TO and ZFL.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

	VLB.TO	ZFL.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.30	-0.09	+0.39
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.13	-0.27	+0.13
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	-0.11	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.08	0.16	-0.08

Drawdowns

VLB.TO vs. ZFL.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VLB.TO drawdown since its inception was -34.41%, smaller than the maximum ZFL.TO drawdown of -40.32%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VLB.TO and ZFL.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	VLB.TO	ZFL.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-34.41%	-40.32%	+5.91%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.90%	-6.68%	+1.78%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-12.17%	-14.51%	+2.34%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-27.90%	-32.25%	+4.35%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-40.32%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-20.35%	-31.87%	+11.52%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-14.13%	-12.45%	-1.68%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.60%	3.82%	-1.22%

Volatility

VLB.TO vs. ZFL.TO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard Canadian Long-Term Bond Index ETF (VLB.TO) is 2.98%, while BMO Long Federal Bond (ZFL.TO) has a volatility of 3.14%. This indicates that VLB.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ZFL.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VLB.TO	ZFL.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.98%	3.14%	-0.16%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	6.21%	7.05%	-0.84%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	8.42%	9.72%	-1.30%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	12.42%	14.71%	-2.29%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	11.21%	12.54%	-1.33%

VLB.TO vs. ZFL.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

VLB.TO has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than ZFL.TO's 0.22% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

VLB.TO vs. ZFL.TO - Dividend Comparison

VLB.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.88%, more than ZFL.TO's 2.84% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
VLB.TO Vanguard Canadian Long-Term Bond Index ETF	3.88%	3.96%	3.78%	3.47%	3.75%	2.95%	2.80%	2.84%	3.43%	2.82%	0.00%	0.00%
ZFL.TO BMO Long Federal Bond	2.84%	3.13%	3.20%	3.49%	3.77%	2.85%	2.57%	2.95%	3.00%	2.99%	3.05%	3.10%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VLB.TO and ZFL.TO in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.93, VLB.TO and ZFL.TO move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which ETF is better, VLB.TO or ZFL.TO?

On fees, VLB.TO is cheaper at 0.15% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, VLB.TO or ZFL.TO?

VLB.TO is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.22% for ZFL.TO.

What is the main difference between VLB.TO and ZFL.TO?

VLB.TO is categorized as Long-Term Bond, while ZFL.TO is Canadian Government Bonds. VLB.TO tracks Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Canadian 10+ Year Float Adjusted Bond Index, while ZFL.TO tracks FTSE TMX Canada Long Term Federal Bond Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and BMO. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for VLB.TO and 0.22% for ZFL.TO.