Home-Based Business Ideas You Can Start in Canada

734 ideas

These 734 ideas can be run mainly from your own home, which keeps start-up costs down and lets you test a business around your current life. Some are desk-based, like a solo business management consultant or home-based billing for doctors' offices.

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Designer arranging brochure pages and text on a computer screen.

Freelance desktop publisher

Lay out brochures, reports and booklets from home for local businesses and organizations.

C$500-3k
Side hustle
From home

Accountant reviewing tax forms and using a calculator at a desk.

Home-based personal tax return service

Prepare personal and self-employed tax returns for neighbours and local workers from a home office, busiest from February to April.

C$500-3k
Side hustle
From home

Designer creating a large floral arrangement for a wedding table setting.

Home-based wedding and event florist

Design bouquets, centrepieces and arrangements for weddings and events from a studio space at home.

C$1k-5k
Side hustle
From home

Exchange student smiling with a host family at home.

Student exchange and homestay placement agency

Match overseas students with local schools and vetted host families, run from a home office.

C$3k-15k
Part-time
From home

Incense sticks smoking in a shop display of wooden boxes.

Incense wholesaler for local shops

Import or source incense in bulk and supply gift shops, yoga studios and spiritual stores in your region.

C$3k-15k
Part-time
From home

Technician repairing an air compressor unit in a workshop.

Home garage compressor repair (side hustle)

Fix and service small portable compressors in your garage for contractors and hobby workshops.

C$1.5k-6k
Side hustle
From home

Engraver adding lettering to a trophy in a small workshop.

Home-based trophy and plaque engraving

Engrave trophies, plaques and medals from a spare room for local clubs, schools and teams.

C$2.5k-12k
Side hustle
From home

A carer sitting in a home and relaxing with a cat on her lap.

Home-based cat boarding

Look after cats in a quiet room of your home while their owners travel.

C$200-1k
Side hustle
From home

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

Baker serving fresh bread and pastries behind a bakery shop counter.

Home bakery for custom orders and markets

Bake bread, cakes and pastries from a home kitchen and sell by pre-order, pickup and local markets.

C$500-4k
Side hustle
From home

Workers stamping and finishing metal kitchenware in a small production workshop.

Handmade metalware from a home studio

Make small metal home and kitchen pieces in a garage or shed and sell them online and at markets.

C$1.5k-7k
Side hustle
From home

Tailcoats and evening gowns displayed on a rack in a formal wear rental shop.

Home-based formal gown hire

Rent out gowns and formal wear for proms, galas and weddings from a fitting room at home.

C$2.5k-10k
Side hustle
From home

Farmer servicing milking equipment in a dairy farm parlour with cows nearby.

Dairy parts and consumables supplier from home

Stock and deliver milking liners, filters, hoses and wash supplies to local dairy farms from a home base.

C$5k-25k
Side hustle
From home

Rows of ice and roller skates with protective gear in a skate shop.

Online skate shop with sharpening

Sell skates and gear online from home, and add skate sharpening for local customers.

C$3k-15k
Side hustle
From home

Workers assembling a new play structure in a school playground.

Playground equipment dealer (home office)

Sell play structures from established brands to schools, municipalities and daycares, and hire local crews to install them.

C$3k-12k
Part-time
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

Crates of fresh fruit and vegetables displayed outside a greengrocer shop.

Local produce box delivery

Pack weekly fruit and vegetable boxes from home and deliver them to subscribers in your area.

C$1k-6k
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

Workers sewing garments on industrial machines in a small clothing factory.

Home-based small-batch clothing maker

Sew small runs of clothing for local designers and brands from a home studio.

C$1.5k-7k
Side hustle
From home

Engineer inspecting replacement components beside an industrial furnace.

Home-based furnace parts sourcing service

Find and supply hard-to-get furnace parts to maintenance firms, shipped direct from the maker or a wholesaler.

C$1.5k-7k
Side hustle
From home

Designer reviewing a garden layout plan with planting sketches on a table outdoors.

Home-based residential landscape designer

Create garden plans, planting layouts and patio designs for homeowners from your home office, with site visits as needed.

C$500-3k
Side hustle
From home

A consultant reviewing building plans and documents with a construction site behind.

Renovation and building advisor for homeowners

Help homeowners plan renovations, check quotes and understand permits before they hire a contractor.

C$500-3.5k
Side hustle
From home

Large rolls of carpet stacked on pallets inside a wholesale warehouse.

Home-run carpet supplier with low stock

Supply flooring shops and fitters from sample books, ordering from mills and distributors with little stock of your own.

C$3k-15k
Part-time
From home

Florist arranging colourful cut flowers into a bouquet at a shop counter.

Home-based florist for gifts and small events

Design bouquets and arrangements at home and sell them by order, with local delivery or pickup.

C$500-3k
Side hustle
From home

About these ideas

Others need space and equipment, such as a small-batch coffee roaster selling online or a home workshop for small appliance repair. Before choosing, think about how much room you can set aside, whether noise, deliveries or visitors will affect your household, and how much time you can commit each week. Check your lease or condo rules, and look at what your municipality expects for home businesses. Start with the idea that matches skills you already have, then work out your first customers before spending money.

More ideas

Questions

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

It depends on your business and where you live. Check your municipality's home business rules, any provincial or industry licensing, and whether your activity needs permits for food, childcare or animals. Your local city office can confirm what applies.

Can I run a business from a rented home or condo?

Possibly, but check first. Review your lease or condo bylaws for limits on business use, client visits, signage, noise or deliveries. It is sensible to ask your landlord or condo board in writing before you start trading.

How do I choose the right home-based business idea?

Start with your skills, available space and weekly hours. Then check the likely start-up costs, whether you can reach customers online or locally, and what rules apply. Testing with a few paying customers before investing heavily can reduce risk.