Medical equipment showroom and rental shop

Private customers and families, care homes and retirement residences, clinics, physiotherapy and occupational therapy practices, and people using insurance or provincial program funding.

Retail margin on sales, rental income, delivery and setup fees, and supply contracts or regular orders from care homes and clinics. Repairs, servicing and accessories add steady smaller income.

• Sales and customer service with sensitivity to people's needs
• Product knowledge and fitting basics
• Stock control and supplier negotiation
• Handling paperwork for insurers and funding programs

• Health Canada medical device rules: check your licensing position as a retailer or distributor, especially if you import products
• Provincial vendor registration or authorization for assistive device funding, which can be required to bill programs
• Commercial general liability, product liability and property insurance, plus WCB or WSIB coverage once you hire (rules vary by province)
• Significant money tied up in stock and rental fleet, so start with a focused range
• Safe fitting and maintenance: poorly set up equipment can injure users, so check training from manufacturers
• Local zoning, signage and accessibility requirements for the premises
• Slow payment from care homes and funding programs can strain cash flow

Startup costs are typically around $30,000 to $120,000, depending on your premises, the range of stock and the size of your rental fleet. Treat this as an estimate, and consider starting with a focused range because stock ties up cash.

Monthly revenue is typically around $8,000 to $35,000, depending on your location, product range and how many care homes and private customers you serve. This is an estimate of revenue, not profit, and slow payments can strain cash flow.

Check Health Canada medical device rules for your licensing position as a retailer or distributor, especially if you import. Also check provincial vendor registration for assistive device funding, insurance, WCB/WSIB coverage if you hire, and local zoning, signage and accessibility requirements.