Single houseboat rental for summer holidays

Families, groups of friends and couples taking a summer holiday, often from nearby cities or visiting cottage country.

A nightly or weekly rental rate, higher in July and August, plus fees for extras like cleaning, fuel, linens, paddleboards or pets. Revenue is seasonal, so the monthly range below is averaged over the months you operate.

• Comfortable handling and maintaining a boat
• Customer service and clear safety briefings
• Organised booking and turnaround routine

• Commercial rental rules from Transport Canada, such as safety equipment, vessel inspection and operator competency; check what applies to your boat and waterway
• Insurance: standard boat cover often excludes renting it out, so check you have the right commercial policy
• Permits or lock fees on managed waterways (for example Parks Canada canals) and local rules on wastewater and pump-out
• Winter storage, haul-out, maintenance and repairs, which can be costly, plus a short season and weather cancellations
• Your municipality's and province's business licence rules, and GST/HST registration once you pass the small supplier threshold

Startup costs are estimated at typically around $40,000 to $120,000, depending on the boat's age, size and condition, plus marina fees. Treat this as an estimate and price your own boat, insurance and storage before committing.

Monthly revenue is estimated at typically around $3,000 to $12,000, depending on how many weeks you book and your rates. Most work falls in the open-water season, usually late spring to early autumn, so income is seasonal.

Check Transport Canada's commercial rental rules, such as safety equipment, vessel inspection and operator competency, for your boat and waterway. Also check that your insurance covers renting, any permits, lock fees and wastewater rules, and your municipal and provincial licence and GST/HST requirements.