Business Services Ideas You Can Start in Canada

331 ideas

These 335 business services ideas are for people who want to earn by helping other businesses save time, stay organized or grow. Many build on work experience you already have, such as a home-based HR consultant for small employers, a small business and self-employed tax preparer, or a small business energy savings advisor.

Swipe through these ideas →

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

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

Online bookkeeping for small businesses

Keep the books, payroll and GST/HST filings for small businesses on a monthly fee, working remotely from anywhere in Canada.

C$1k-4k
Side hustle
Online

Notary stamping and signing a legal document on a desk at an office.

Mobile notary who comes to you

Witness signatures and certify documents at clients' homes, workplaces or care homes, evenings and weekends included.

C$600-3k
Side hustle
Out and about

Notary office with walk-in and booked clients

Run a small notary office offering signings, certified copies and other documents, where your province allows it.

C$4k-15k
Part-time
Own premises

Advisor with clipboard checking insulation and thermal readings in a building.

Small business energy savings advisor

Review shops, restaurants and offices for energy waste and recommend practical ways to cut their bills.

C$500-4k
Side hustle
Out and about

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

Construction cost and compliance consultant

Advise small developers and builders on budgets, permits and code compliance for their projects.

C$2k-10k
Full-time
Out and about

A transcriptionist wearing headphones typing clinical notes at a computer.

Home medical transcription for clinics

Turn doctors' dictation into clean, accurate written reports for local clinics and specialists from your home office.

C$1.5k-5k
Part-time
From home

Medical transcription and editing side hustle

Take on medical transcription and speech-recognition editing work from larger companies, fitted around your other commitments.

C$500-2.5k
Side hustle
From home

A man in a suit handing a legal envelope to a person on a street.

Solo process server for law firms

Deliver court papers to people on behalf of local law firms and paralegals, paid per serve.

C$500-3k
Side hustle
Out and about

Process serving agency with a small team

Run a regional service that hands out serves to a few contract servers and handles the paperwork.

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

Shipping containers loaded at a port for export to overseas buyers.

Home-based export trader for a niche product

Buy a Canadian product from local makers and sell it to overseas buyers, running it from your laptop.

C$2k-10k
Side hustle
From home

Full-time exporter shipping pallets and containers

Gather goods from several Canadian producers and ship them in bulk to regular overseas buyers.

C$25k-100k
Full-time
Own premises

A digger and generator parked on a construction site for hire.

Compact equipment hire with delivery

Rent mini excavators, skid steers and compact machines to contractors and homeowners, delivered to site.

C$60k-180k
Part-time
Own premises

Small tool and trailer hire from home

Start small by renting a few trailers, generators, compactors or power tools to locals from your driveway or garage.

C$3k-15k
Side hustle
From home

A consultant presenting a branding strategy chart to a client in a meeting room.

Freelance marketing consultant

Help local small businesses with marketing plans, branding and promotion from your home office.

C$300-2.5k
Side hustle
From home

Part-time marketing lead for growing firms

Act as the outsourced marketing head for a few growing businesses on monthly retainers.

C$500-3k
Part-time
Online

Stack of plain white envelopes arranged on a warehouse shelf.

Online envelope reseller for local businesses

Sell standard and printed envelopes in bulk to printers and offices, with orders shipped straight from your supplier.

C$500-2.5k
Side hustle
From home

Envelope supplier with local stock and delivery

Hold popular envelope sizes in a small unit and give local printers and offices fast, reliable delivery.

C$8k-40k
Full-time
Own premises

Recruiter meeting a senior executive candidate in a modern office.

Boutique headhunting firm with a small team

Run a small search firm with a researcher or two, taking on several leadership searches at once for regional employers.

C$10k-50k
Full-time
Own premises

Rows of coin-operated storage lockers in a busy public venue.

Coin lockers for local venues

Install a small bank of pay-to-use lockers in a gym, pool, arena or trailhead and share the income.

C$3k-12k
Side hustle
Out and about

Luggage lockers for tourist spots

Run larger locker banks near stations, attractions, beaches or ski hills where visitors need short-term storage.

C$10k-40k
Part-time
Out and about

A finance broker reviewing loan documents with a client across a desk.

Mortgage broker working from home

Help home buyers and owners find a mortgage and earn commission from the lender when the deal closes.

C$2.5k-8k
Part-time
From home

Small business and equipment finance broker

Connect local business owners with lenders for equipment, vehicle or working capital loans and earn a commission.

C$500-3k
Side hustle
Online

About these ideas

Others are more practical, like a business address and mail service. Start by asking what problem you can solve for a business owner, and whether you can reach those owners easily. Think about how much of your income would come from a few clients, and whether you need credentials, insurance or a licence for the work. Rules vary by province, so check with your provincial and local authorities before you commit. Compare ideas by startup cost, hours and how soon you could land a first paying client.

More ideas

Questions

Do I need qualifications to start a business services company in Canada?

It depends on the service. Some work, such as tax preparation, insurance advice or HR consulting, may involve training, registration or licensing that varies by province. Check the rules for your chosen service with the relevant regulator before you take on clients.

How do I find my first clients for a business services idea?

Start with people who already know your work, such as past employers, colleagues and local small business owners. Local business associations, chambers of commerce and online networks can help too. Check which type of client values your skills enough to pay for them.

What costs and registrations should I check before starting?

Look at business registration and name rules in your province, whether you need to register for GST/HST, and what insurance suits your work. Also check any professional liability cover, software costs and home-based business rules with your municipality.