Start a small pilgrim hostel on a walking route

Pilgrims and long-distance walkers, plus occasional church groups, retreat visitors and cyclists.

Nightly fee per bed, with extras such as meals, laundry, packed lunches and donations. Busy in the walking season, so it usually needs a quiet-season plan such as small group retreats or off-season rentals.

• Hospitality and hosting
• Budgeting and managing a building
• Basic cooking and food handling
• Managing volunteers or part-time helpers

• Zoning, change of use and building code rules for shared sleeping accommodation, check with your municipality early
• Fire safety inspections, sprinkler or alarm needs and occupancy limits, check with your local fire authority
• Conversion costs for fire safety, accessible washrooms and a commercial-standard kitchen can be large, so get quotes first; the low end of the range assumes a building already close to code, perhaps leased from a parish
• Provincial rules for tourist accommodation or hostels, and public health permits if you serve meals
• Commercial general liability insurance and property cover suitable for overnight guests
• WCB or WSIB coverage if you hire staff, rules vary by province
• Short season, winter heating costs and weather, test whether revenue covers the year before committing
• Registering your business and checking GST/HST once you pass the small supplier threshold

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around $80,000 to $350,000, depending on the building and conversion work. Fire safety, accessible washrooms and a commercial-standard kitchen can be large costs, so get quotes first. The low end assumes a building already close to code.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on bed numbers, prices and how busy the route is. The season is short and winter heating costs are real, so test whether revenue covers the full year.

Check zoning, change of use and building code rules for shared sleeping accommodation, plus fire safety inspections and occupancy limits. Also check provincial rules for tourist accommodation, public health permits if you serve meals, insurance, WCB/WSIB for staff, and GST/HST.