Ski rental delivered to your door

Visiting families and groups staying in vacation rentals, chalets and hotels, who want to avoid shop queues and carrying kids and gear around.

Rental fee per person per day or week, plus a delivery or fitting fee. Partnerships with property managers and hotels can bring steady bookings.

• Boot and ski fitting and basic binding knowledge
• Scheduling and route planning
• Customer service and clear communication

• Commercial general liability and vehicle insurance; check that your policy covers business use of the van and rented gear
• Trained binding adjustment, since a wrong setting can cause injury
• Signed rental agreements and waivers that work for remote bookings; check suitable wording for your province
• Municipal business licence and any rules on storing stock at home; check with your municipality
• Quebec has French-language rules for websites and customer service, so check requirements if you operate there
• Winter driving, late returns and lost or damaged gear; use deposits and a clear returns process
• Highly seasonal, with busy holiday weeks and quiet spells

Estimates suggest startup costs of typically around $8,000 to $35,000, depending on your gear fleet, vehicle and storage space. A van or trailer and a small storage space are the main setup needs.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on bookings, location and how many holiday weeks you cover. The business is highly seasonal, with busy holiday weeks and quiet spells.

Check that commercial general liability and vehicle insurance cover business use of the van and rented gear, trained binding adjustment, rental waivers for remote bookings, and your municipal licence. In Quebec, check French-language rules for websites and service.