Home bed and breakfast host

Tourists, visiting family and friends of locals, wedding and event guests, and business travellers looking for something more personal than a hotel.

A nightly rate per room, often with a small extra for breakfast, a second guest or a longer stay discount. Income depends on how many nights a month you are booked.

• Friendly and welcoming with strangers
• Tidy and reliable with cleaning and changeovers
• Basic cooking for breakfast
• Simple online listing and messaging

• Municipal rules on short-term rentals or B&Bs, which vary a lot by city and province; some limit them to your principal residence
• Your home insurance may not cover paying guests, so ask your insurer about commercial or host coverage
• If you serve food, check with your local public health unit whether a food permit or inspection applies
• Provincial or municipal accommodation taxes and GST/HST once you pass the small supplier threshold
• Quebec has its own tourist accommodation registration, so check with the provincial tourism authority
• Seasonal demand: winter can be quiet in many areas, so plan your cash flow

Startup costs are estimated at typically around $1,000 to $8,000, depending on how many rooms you prepare, furnishings, and breakfast supplies. Ask your insurer too, since home insurance may not cover paying guests.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $800 to $4,000, depending on how many rooms you offer, your location and the season. Winter can be quiet in many areas, so plan your cash flow.

Check municipal rules on short-term rentals or B&Bs, as some limit them to your principal residence. Also check insurance, any food permit or inspection with your public health unit, accommodation taxes and GST/HST, and Quebec's tourist accommodation registration if relevant.