Creative business ideas you can start from home in Canada

97 ideas

These 97 creative business ideas can be run from a spare room, a corner of the basement or a small workshop. They suit people who already have a craft or skill, such as writing, sewing, music or making, and want to turn it into paid work without renting premises.

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Under 1k 1k to 5k 5k to 20k Over 20k Out and about Own premises Online

Students collecting rented instruments from a music hire counter.

Student instrument rental from home

Rent beginner violins, flutes and other band instruments to local students by the month.

C$1.5k-7k
Side hustle
From home

Sheet music scores and licensing paperwork spread across a desk.

Indie publisher for local songwriters

Manage songwriters' copyrights, register their songs and collect royalties, working from home.

C$500-3k
Side hustle
From home

A consultant coaching a client before a television interview in a studio.

Freelance media and PR consultant

Help small businesses and local groups get press coverage and prepare for interviews, working from your home office.

C$300-2k
Side hustle
From home

A designer sketching floor plans and drawings for a home extension.

Home-based residential building designer

Design home additions, renovations and small builds for local homeowners, and prepare drawings for permit applications.

C$2.5k-12k
Part-time
From home

Interior designer reviewing room layout plans with fabric and paint samples.

Residential interior designer

Design layouts and finishes for renovations and new homes, working from a home studio and visiting client sites.

C$1.5k-8k
Part-time
From home

Editor working on video timeline across two monitors in an editing suite.

Freelance video editor for local businesses

Turn raw footage into polished promo, social and training videos for small businesses and creators from your home office.

C$500-3.5k
Side hustle
From home

Solo branding studio for small businesses

Create names, logos and brand guidelines for local start-ups and small businesses from your home office.

C$500-3k
Side hustle
From home

Shelves of archived film reels and photograph boxes in an organised library.

Stock photo and footage portfolio

Shoot photos and short video clips, then license them through stock marketplaces to designers and publishers.

C$300-3k
Side hustle
From home

Sculptor shaping a bronze or clay figure in a studio.

Home studio sculptor taking commissions

Make sculptures in a garage or shed studio and sell them through commissions, craft fairs and online.

C$500-4k
Side hustle
From home

Students shaping clay on pottery wheels during a hands-on group class.

Small-group pottery classes from a home studio

Teach hand-building to small groups in a garage or spare room, with a shared kiln or a local firing service.

C$3k-12k
Side hustle
From home

Maker assembling a detailed scale model of a building on a workbench.

Home studio architectural model maker

Build scale models of buildings and products for architects and developers from a workshop at home.

C$1.5k-6k
Side hustle
From home

Home-based branding and design studio

Design logos, brand kits and print material for local small businesses from your home office.

C$500-3k
Side hustle
From home

Designer working on a website layout on a laptop at a desk.

Freelance website designer for local businesses

Design and build simple, good-looking websites for tradespeople, shops and clinics in your community.

C$300-2k
Side hustle
From home

Website designer for one niche, with monthly care plans

Focus on one type of client, such as contractors or dentists, and add steady monthly income from site care plans.

C$500-3k
Part-time
From home

Designer pinning a made-to-measure gown on a client in an atelier.

Home studio bespoke clothing designer

Design and sew one-of-a-kind outfits for private clients from a studio in your home, by appointment.

C$2k-10k
Side hustle
From home

Music producer working at a mixing desk in a recording studio.

Home studio music producer

Record, produce and mix songs for local artists and bands from a small studio set up at home.

C$1.5k-6k
Side hustle
From home

Rolls of newsprint running through a printing press producing daily newspapers.

Monthly community newspaper

Publish a printed local paper for your town or neighbourhood, paid for by local advertisers and subscribers.

C$4k-20k
Part-time
From home

A taxidermist working on a mounted animal specimen in a workshop.

Home taxidermy studio for hunters

Mount game heads, birds and fish for local hunters and anglers from a workshop at home.

C$2k-8k
Side hustle
From home

Students learning to stitch fabric together in a sewing class.

Home studio stitching classes

Teach hand sewing, embroidery or machine basics to small groups in a spare room or at your kitchen table.

C$300-2k
Side hustle
From home

Editors reviewing printed book pages around a publishing office table.

Small press book publisher

Choose, edit and publish a handful of titles a year in a niche you know, sold online and through local shops.

C$3k-15k
Side hustle
From home

Silversmith shaping a silver ring with hand tools at a bench.

Home studio silver jewellery maker

Make silver rings, pendants and earrings at home and sell them online, at markets and as custom commissions.

C$1.5k-6k
Side hustle
From home

Sculptor carving a decorative pattern into a block of stone by hand.

Home studio stone carver for commissions

Carve garden pieces, house plaques and custom sculptures to order from a garage or backyard studio.

C$2k-8k
Side hustle
From home

A jewellery designer sketches ring designs at a studio desk beside tools.

Home-studio jewellery designer

Design and handmake jewellery at home, then sell it online and at local markets.

C$300-2k
Side hustle
From home

Custom jewellery maker

Create one-of-a-kind rings and keepsakes to order for people marking big moments.

C$2k-10k
Part-time
From home

About these ideas

You might begin with something light like a side hustle copywriter for local businesses, or choose a hands-on trade such as men's alterations from a home studio or a scale model maker from a home workshop. Before you commit, think about space, noise, tools and materials, and how you will find your first few customers. Check your municipality's rules on home-based businesses, and consider how much you can realistically earn per hour once your time is counted. Start small, test demand, then build.

More ideas

Questions

Do I need a licence to run a creative business from home in Canada?

It depends on your city or town and the type of work. Check your municipality's rules on home-based businesses, whether a business licence or zoning approval applies, and whether your province requires you to register a business name.

What should I check before using my home as a workshop or studio?

Look at your lease or condo rules, home insurance coverage, noise and fumes, and storage for tools and materials. If clients will visit, also check parking, accessibility and whether your municipality limits customer traffic at home.

How do I charge for creative work when I'm starting out?

Work out your costs for materials, software, tools and time, then compare with what similar local providers charge. Consider whether you need to register for GST/HST, and check with the Canada Revenue Agency or an accountant about your situation.