Non-medical home care agency, run from home

Adult children arranging care for parents, older adults paying privately, and families who need respite from caring. Some clients may have extra coverage through private insurance or veterans' programs.

You charge clients an hourly rate and pay caregivers a lower hourly wage. The difference covers insurance, payroll costs, marketing and your income. Regular weekly hours from each client make revenue steadier.

• Patient, warm manner with older people and families
• Scheduling and organizing
• Recruiting and checking references
• Clear record-keeping

• Whether your province or city requires a licence or certification for home care providers, and what counts as non-medical care
• Commercial general liability, professional liability and bonding or crime insurance, and what your insurer needs to see
• Employee or contractor status for caregivers, as rules vary by province and misclassification can be costly
• Police vulnerable sector checks, references and privacy of client health information
• WCB/WSIB coverage and payroll obligations once you hire
• Quebec has its own rules and French-language requirements

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $5,000 to $25,000, depending on your insurance, recruiting and screening costs, and admin setup. Your insurer may also have requirements to meet before it will cover you.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around $4,000 to $20,000, depending on how many clients you serve and how many care hours you arrange. That is revenue, not profit, so allow for caregiver pay and payroll obligations.

Check whether your province or city requires a licence or certification for home care providers and what counts as non-medical care. Also check employee or contractor status for caregivers, police vulnerable sector checks, privacy of client health information, WCB or WSIB coverage and Quebec's rules.