Fishing pond with café and tackle shop

Families, tourists and cottage-country visitors, fishing clubs, corporate and birthday groups, and keen anglers who come back often.

Fishing fees plus tackle and bait sales, café food and drinks, rod rentals, lessons and group packages. Some operators add ice fishing in winter where conditions are safe.

• Running a small shop or café
• Pond and fish care
• Customer service and hosting groups
• Basic bookkeeping and stock control

• Rules on holding and stocking fish differ by province, so confirm what you need before investing
• A café needs a food premises permit from the local public health unit, and may need a trained food handler on site
• Building, parking, washroom and septic requirements can add major cost, so check with your municipality early; costs are lower if you lease land with a usable building and pond already in place, and much higher if you build from scratch
• Commercial general liability insurance, plus property cover for the building and stock
• If you hire staff, check WCB or WSIB registration in your province
• Income is seasonal in most of Canada, so plan cash flow for the quiet months
• Check whether you must collect GST/HST once you pass the small supplier threshold

Estimates suggest startup costs of typically around $120,000 to $450,000. Costs are lower if you lease land with a usable building and pond, and much higher if you build from scratch. Building, parking, washroom and septic needs can add major cost.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around $4,000 to $18,000, depending on visitor numbers, café and tackle sales and group bookings. Income is seasonal in most of Canada, so plan cash flow for the quiet months.

Check provincial rules on holding and stocking fish, and get a food premises permit from your local public health unit for the café, possibly with a trained food handler on site. Also check municipal building, parking, washroom and septic requirements, insurance and WCB/WSIB.