@iancjh Step 1 - open a brokerage account. You can do so at any of the big 5 banks. They charge a lot for fees, but if you’re purchasing infrequently, it shouldn’t matter. If you’re purchasing more frequently, go for a discount broker like Questrade.
Step 1a - for you I’d recommend a tfsa over rrsp.
step 2 - purchase an SP500 ETF. An etf is, in simple terms, a stock that tracks the returns of an index or other benchmark. You can google sp500 etf and you will get a lot of examples. But VFV, VSP, etc) if you’re interested you can look into whether or not you want a cad hedged one or not. But some would argue it doesn’t really matter over the long term.
My suggestion to you is to read a book on the topic. I would suggest “I will teach you to be rich” by ramit sethi
I have read 100s of books on finance, have a masters in finance, and I would say that book is most appropriate in your situation. It is one of my favourites, and if you get it In Audiobook format, he’s an amazing narrator and it’s an easy listen.
all the best
Edit: edited to opine on tfsa or rrsp