yes you can get GICs at 4.5% . Very competitive with Reits with a lot less risk. I suspect that one can find bonds with plus 5% yields. If this Reit has declined 23% its yield must be in the 6% or higher level?
Yeah, I think these different assets compete for yield.
As you mentioned, GICs are at 4.5%- 4.6% today for Big Five banks. Short term corporate bonds (XSH) are exactly the same, 4.6% yield.
Corporate bonds (XCB) yield 4.9% with pretty low default risk. XCB is safer than a REIT index.
Low grade bonds get more interesting. XHB (borderline junk bonds)
yields 5.6% which is pretty amazing. Yes these are risky but probably still safer than a REIT index. So when an investor considers buying REITs for yield, they have to consider these other alternatives, like very safe bonds at 4.6% or riskier bonds at 5.6%