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20 Best Business Ideas To Start In Canada 2024: Be Your Own Boss

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Have you ever wanted to start your own business in Canada?

Starting a small business is a huge step. While there is a certain amount of risk involved in starting any business, the right idea could be your key to financial freedom. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit and you’re looking for the best business ideas to start in Canada , then look no further!

98% of employers in Canada are small businesses. If you’re ready to join their ranks and build a business from the ground up, here are some creative business ideas to get your thoughts flowing.

1) Start a Business In Canada With A Low Investment 2) Start a Business In Canada With At Least $50,000 3) Start a Business In Canada With At Least $100,000

Is It Easy To Start A Business In Canada?

Starting a business is usually a lot easier than it seems. Realistically, the only things you need to start your own business in Canada are:

  • An idea (and hopefully a business plan)
  • Business number from the CRA
  • Business licenses from your province
  • Business license from your city
  • Business bank account

Once you have your idea, you can register your business name with the CRA to receive a business number (BN) . This is what you’ll use for federal tax purposes, and it’s 100% free.

With your government-issued BN, you’ll then be able to apply for a business license through your province. This can cost anywhere from $75 to $300, depending on the type of business you’re starting and provincial regulations.

In total, starting a business in Canada can cost as little as $500, if you file for all of the paperwork yourself (rather than hiring an accountant).

  • If you live in Ontario, be sure to check out my complete guide on how to register a business in Ontario .

Best Businesses To Start With a With A Low Investment

Starting a business in Canada doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. Here are some simple business ideas that you can start with little to no money in Canada.

1. Social Media Marketing Agency

Social Media Marketing Agency

  • Average Investment Needed To Start: None
  • How Much You Can Make: $1,000 – $10,000+ per month
  • How To Start: Learn social media marketing, work with local businesses

Local businesses often need a lot of help when it comes to social media marketing. Many small business owners simply don’t have the time or skills to tap into the power of social media.

If you have a good mind for marketing and know your way around social media apps like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, this can be a great online business to start .

The hard part is finding clients. I suggest starting off by offering a low-cost service to a friend’s business and then asking them to refer you to more clients. Let your work speak for itself, and soon you’ll be able to charge clients $500 a week or more to manage their social media profiles.

2. Coffee Stand

Coffee Stand

  • Average Investment Needed To Start: $2,000 – $3,000
  • How To Start: Buy coffee materials, sell at events

According to CBC , Canadians drink more coffee than just about any other country in the world, making this a great small business idea. Starting a small coffee stand is a great way to tap into this ever-growing market. A simple stand might consist of:

  • A small food cart or collapsable table
  • Several large coffee carafes to store brewed coffee
  • Paper cups, lids, and sleeves
  • Flavoured syrups
  • Sugars and creamers

A great way to earn money with your coffee stand would be to register with local events, such as sports matches, car shows, or local festivals.

Early morning events tend to be more profitable, as people are already used to drinking coffee in the morning.

3. Window Cleaning Business

Window Cleaning Business

  • Average Investment Needed To Start: $300
  • How Much You Can Make: $1,000 – $8,000+ per month
  • How To Start: Buy window cleaning materials, advertise to local businesses and homes

Looking for an easy side hustle to start? Window cleaning is an incredibly simple service that almost all storefronts and residential homes need. The materials are usually very cheap and consist of:

  • Window cleaning solution

You’ll also probably need a ladder to reach higher windows. For commercial jobs that require a higher lift, you can always rent a lift from an equipment rental company. Retail storefronts are likely going to be your best customers, though, and most windows are less than 15 feet tall.

Most window cleaners charge a set rate per pane or based on the square footage of the glass.

4. AirBnB Rental (Rental Arbitrage)

AirBnB Rental (Rental Arbitrage)

  • Average Investment Needed To Start: $3,000 – $5,000
  • How Much You Can Make: $500 – $6,000+ per month
  • How To Start: Rent a property under your name, then list it on AirBnB for more

Rental arbitrage is one of the best ways to get into real estate with minimal investment.

The process is incredibly simple too. All you need to do is rent an apartment, condo, or home under your name. Then, you can list that property on AirBnB as a short-term rental.

Let’s say that your monthly rent is $2,000. If you list it on AirBnB for $180 per night and have a 75% occupancy rate, then you could earn over $4,000 per month.

Be careful with this strategy though, as it might violate terms of rental agreements, so make sure to read the fine print.

5. Painting Company

Painting Company

  • Average Investment Needed To Start: $1,500
  • How To Start: Buy painting supplies, paint homes and businesses

You can purchase a decent spray painting machine, paint rollers, brushes, a ladder, and tape for around $1,500. Once you have your tools, you can sell your services to homeowners and small businesses.

This is one of the best small business ideas for those who enjoy hands-on work and have an artistic side.

You can earn up to $500 for painting small bedrooms and up to $10,000 for painting an entire home interior. Prices are subjective based on quality and difficulty, which allows you to set your own prices.

cheap business ideas canada

6. AI Automation Business

If you’re looking for a business idea to take advantage of the emerging AI economy, you can’t go wrong with an AI automation business. OpenAI, the founder of Chat GPT, has created its AI as an open-source model, allowing anybody to download and customize the AI’s source code.

The best part is that you don’t even need to be a programmer to program your own AI. You can use Chat GPT to write all of the code for your personal AI by giving it instructions in plain English.

From here, you can approach small businesses and offer to create a custom AI to help them with their inventory, customer service, or whatever else they may need AI services for.

I would recommend charging an initial development fee to create the AI, and then leasing it to the business for a monthly fee. Once they see how it helps them streamline their business operations, they’ll have no problem continuing to pay the fee.

cheap business ideas canada

7. Cell Phone Repair Business

  • How Much You Can Make: $3,000+ per month
  • How To Start: Buy small electronics tools, fix phones

When was the last time that you cracked your screen? If you’re like me, then it probably wasn’t too long ago.

Although many cell phone owners opt to use their phone’s insurance to replace broken phones, not everybody opts in for the monthly insurance service offered by cell phone companies.

If you want to make money fast , a cell phone repair business is incredibly affordable to start, and you can honestly start your business out of your home or garage until you can afford to rent a small office space.

As a cell phone repair specialist, you’ll take phones apart, replace screens, charging ports, buttons and more. You can learn all of the skills you need by spending a day on YouTube and practicing with your own phone.

If you’re still not 100% confident, you can even offer to do your first few jobs for free to gain more experience.

To give you an idea of how much you could make, a screen repair job can easily cost between $100 and $250 and usually won’t take longer than a couple of hours.

cheap business ideas canada

8. Personal Training Business

  • Average Investment Needed To Start: $500
  • How To Start: Get certified, offer online and in-person training sessions

The fitness industry is projected to grow by 171% by 2028 in Canada. You can become a certified personal trainer within a few weeks and start taking your own clients.

One of the easiest ways to make money as a personal trainer is to find in-person clients through your personal connections and the local community. You can take them to your local gym (as long as they don’t have personal training rules) and exercise with them there or do callisthenics in the park.

Once you save up some money, you can rent a small office space and turn it into a personal training gym for your clients.

I would argue that the real money comes from acquiring clients online and selling online courses, though. If you can build a social media brand , you’ll be able to start selling personalized training and nutrition courses to clients online.

You can even charge a monthly fee for virtual consultations, check-ups, or video workout sessions.

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Best Businesses To Start With At Least $50,000

If you’re working with a little bit more money, here are some of the best business ideas to start if you’re working with around $50,000.

9. Food Truck

Food Truck

  • Average Investment Needed To Start: $35,000 – $50,000
  • How Much You Can Make: $500 – $8,000+ per month
  • How To Start: Buy a food truck, market it, and sell food

If you’re a decent chef or have a unique food idea, then a food truck can be a very profitable business opportunity. It’s a great way to get into the industry without having to invest hundreds of thousands into a full-blown restaurant.

You can purchase pre-built food trucks for around $30,000. Then, you’ll need to get it wrapped with your logo and modify the kitchen space to your needs.

The hard part is advertising and growing your business. Once you’re popular in your local area, though, your food truck can earn thousands of dollars per week by setting up in a regular location or selling food at events.

10. Landscaping Company

Landscaping Company

  • Average Investment Needed To Start: $25,000 – $60,000
  • How Much You Can Make: $2,000 – $15,000+ per month
  • How To Start: Buy landscaping equipment, a truck, and a trailer

If you like working outdoors, then a landscaping company is one of the best small business ideas during the spring and summer months. You’ll need to account for the following equipment to start:

  • Push mower: $200
  • Riding mower: $10,000
  • Pickup Truck: $15,000 (used) $40,000 (new)
  • Equipment trailer: $7,000
  • String trimmer: $650
  • Edger: $650
  • Hedge trimmer: $500

Once you build your customer base, it’s a business that you can scale by hiring employees. If you’re concerned about not having business in the winter, you might have to pivot to something like snow removal during that season.

11. Sell With Amazon FBA

Sell With Amazon FBA

  • Average Investment Needed To Start: $10,000 – $50,000
  • How Much You Can Make: $100 – $20,000+ per month
  • How To Start: Buy wholesale items, store them in an Amazon warehouse, sell them online

If you’re looking for online business ideas, Amazon FBA ( fulfilled by Amazon ) is an interesting way to earn passive income. It involves purchasing wholesale products at a bulk discount, listing them on Amazon for retail price, and selling them for profit.

With the FBA program, you won’t have to lift a finger. You can ship your inventory directly to Amazon, where it will be safely stored. They’ll handle all shipping and handling for a cut of your profits.

All you have to do is set up your online store . The most important part is to make sure that you do your product research and find a good niche product that’s in high demand or trending. There is risk involved though — if your product does not sell, you could be out your entire investment.

12. Commercial Cleaning

Commercial Cleaning

  • Average Investment Needed To Start: $30,000 – $50,000
  • How Much You Can Make: $1000 – $7,000+ per month
  • How To Start: Buy cleaning tools, truck, and trailer, then advertise to businesses

If you don’t mind late nights, then commercial cleaning can be a great small business idea. You’ll usually be cleaning large offices, restaurants, warehouses, or factories after hours.

To start, you’ll usually need a good floor-cleaning machine and possibly a floor polisher as well. You’ll also need lots of mops, commercial vacuums, and a truck-and-trailer setup to store everything in as well.

If you’re looking for an additional side hustle, you can even use some of your tools to open up a small car wash business on the side!

13. Mobile Pet Grooming

Mobile Pet Grooming

  • Average Investment Needed To Start: $40,000
  • How Much You Can Make: $500 – $10,000+ per month
  • How To Start: Buy a large Sprinter-style van, equip it with grooming tools

If you like animals, this is an excellent small business idea. The pet grooming market is constantly growing , so your services will always be in demand.

To start with, you’ll need a large climate-controlled van that can hold all of your grooming equipment. This will be your biggest investment. Then you can market your services online and through local pet stores and shelters.

cheap business ideas canada

14. Open A Convenience Store

  • Average Investment Needed To Start: $50,000
  • How Much You Can Make: $15,000 – $25,000 per month
  • How To Start: Rent a store space, buy shelves and coolers, stock it

There will always be a need for convenience stores. Sure, you can save money by going to the grocery store or ordering online, but those aren’t convenient .

People visit convenience stores because they’re fast, quick, and easy. They want to grab a snack and a cold drink and be in-and-out in less than 3 minutes.

To start with, you’ll need to lease a store space. Then, you can buy some secondhand shelves to stock snacks and other necessities, as well as a few coolers to keep cold drinks in.

If you get a license to sell beer, wine, tobacco, and lottery tickets, you’ll get even more customers.

As long as your convenience store is in an area with steady traffic and there isn’t too much competition, it’s almost guaranteed to succeed.

Best Businesses To Start With At Least $100,000

If you have access to around $100,000 in capital, here are some profitable businesses to start in Canada. If you play your cards right, you may be able to turn these “small” business ideas into big business.

15. Purchase A Rental Property

Housesit

  • Average Investment Needed To Start: $30,000 – $100,000
  • How Much You Can Make: $5,000+ per month
  • How To Start: Buy a property, rent it to tenants

$100,000 is enough to make a 10% down payment on a $1 million property, and depending on where you live, that could be a multi-unit household, which could develop into a very profitable business.

Rent out each of the units and make sure that your income covers your mortgage, taxes, and maintenance/repairs. You get to keep the difference. If you can hire a property manager, then this is an almost entirely passive income business model.

16. Car Rentals

Car Rentals

  • Average Investment Needed To Start: $50,000 – $100,000
  • How To Start: Buy cars, rent them out on Turo

With $100,000 you could purchase two or three used luxury-style vehicles and rent them out on Turo. Turo is an app that works like AirBnB, allowing owners to rent vehicles out to drivers.

This can be a particularly lucrative side hustle if you live in Toronto .

A $30,000 vehicle can be rented for up to $100 per day or more. You can rent vehicles on a daily or weekly basis. If you want the business to be truly passive, you can hire a driver to deliver the vehicles to customers.

17. Create a Coworking Space

Create a Coworking Space

  • Average Investment Needed To Start: $80,000 – $100,000
  • How Much You Can Make: $2,000 – $20,000+ per month
  • How To Start: Buy an office space, furnish it, rent it out to members for a monthly rate

Now that remote work has become the new normal, coworking spaces are a great way to capitalize on commercial office space.

You can buy or rent a commercial office space, furnish it with modern desks, printers, chairs, and other office supplies and rent the space out to members.

It works just like a gym — members pay for access and can come and go as they please. You just have to pay a daily cleaner and keep up with utilities.

18. Heavy Equipment Rental Company

Heavy Equipment Rental Company

  • Average Investment Needed To Start: $35,000 to $100,000
  • How Much You Can Make: $4,000 – $20,000+ per month
  • How To Start: Buy heavy equipment, rent it out to contractors

Many contractors don’t own their own heavy equipment. When large jobs come up, small contractors often pay thousands of dollars per week to rent front-end loaders, excavators, tractors, and more, making this a lucrative business opportunity.

All you have to do is keep up with maintenance on the equipment and have a space to safely store the equipment when it’s not being used.

19. Luxury Spa

Luxury Spa

  • Average Investment Needed To Start: $100,000
  • How Much You Can Make: $3,000 – $15,000+ per month
  • How To Start: Build a high-end luxury spa, hire aestheticians, market it

High-end spa treatments can easily cost hundreds of dollars. By creating a luxurious space and hiring licensed professionals, you can create a one-of-a-kind luxury spa that caters to high-end clients who want to treat themselves.

The beauty industry will never go out of style. You just have to market it the right way.

cheap business ideas canada

20. Towing Company

  • How Much You Can Make: $10,000 – 15,000+ per month
  • How To Start: Buy a tow truck, apply for licenses, and start towing

Accidents occur quite frequently in Canada, and many drivers need their vehicles towed immediately after. In addition to towing post-accident vehicles, towing companies are also:

  • Requested to transport vehicles to and from auto shops
  • Contracted by police
  • Contracted by dealerships for repo jobs
  • Contracted by the city to tow illegally parked cars

If you can lock in multiple contracts and connections, starting a tow company is among the most profitable business ideas. A new tow truck can easily cost up to $80,000 or more, especially if you’re looking at the larger flatbed models that can carry larger vehicles.

Depending on your business model, you may also need to rent an empty lot (and build a fence around it), to temporarily store vehicles that you’ve towed.

As a solopreneur, you can earn between $40,000 and $50,000 per year in net profits. The real money comes from expansion, though. Once you build your business credit, you can request a loan for a second or third truck and hire professional drivers, allowing you to operate 24/7 around the clock.

With multiple trucks and drivers on the road, you can eventually grow your towing business to a full-time passive income-generating machine.

Best Business Ideas To Start In Canada

I hope this inspired you and gave you some ideas to build on. There are countless profitable business ideas out there, and the chances are that the best one has never been discovered.

The market rewards innovation and risk, so the more creative and bold you can be with your business, the more you stand to earn (and also possibly lose, so be sure to do some market research first!)

If you want to learn more about how to save money to launch your dream business, be sure to check out my guide to saving money in Canada , so you can start building capital.

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Author: Michele Sponagle

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Best small business ideas for Canadians

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Small businesses have a lot going for them. At their best, they can offer their owners freedom, financial gain, and prestige. Even when you take into account the investment of time, the responsibility, and the personal and financial risks, the allure of independent work life is hard to ignore. In some ways, the biggest hurdle is getting started. That includes thinking about all your small business ideas, identifying the best small business ideas  for you , and mapping a plan forward. If you’re considering starting a small business in Canada — whether it requires an office or can be done remotely — this article is for you.

Small business ideas for Canadians

If you’re looking for a list of the best small business ideas to think about, there’s no shortage. It depends on your current set of skills, where your interests lie, and whether you’re willing to go back to school to get specialized training. Here are some possibilities worth pondering.

1. Monetize an existing hobby

This tops our list because you’re already part-way there. These are jobs based on things you’re already interested in and like to do. You just have to find ways to turn them into money-makers.

  • Antiques or art dealer
  • Thrift or vintage store owner
  • Professional eBay seller

2. Sell your own products

You might be a sourdough bread savant, a face mask master, or something else entirely. But if you’re a creator of some kind, your products could be saleable. If you’re interested in setting up an Etsy shop or your own e-commerce store, selling your goods could be a great way to make money and a simple way to get started.

  • Handmade soaps or beauty products
  • Food specialties, like preserves, cakes, and pastries
  • Curated gift baskets
  • Selling meal kits and food prep services

3. Launch your career in showbiz

If you love performing in front of people, you could make extra money in an entertainment-related pursuit.

  • YouTube performer

4. Assist behind the scenes

You didn’t think we’d really leave the introverts out, did you? Big events like weddings, retirement parties, and business retreats only  seem  seamless. They’re the result of a lot of people doing their jobs—and one of those jobs could be yours.

  • Event planner
  • Photographer/videographer

5. Get back to basics

The wisdom of learning a trade didn’t just become obsolete with the Internet. There will always be homes and cities, and they will always need maintenance.

  • Electrician
  • House painting
  • Small appliance repairs

6. Sweat equity

There is always plenty of demand for a business that can provide the muscle.

  • Home stagers, decluttering/organization expert

7. Focus on fitness

Staying healthy is a huge concern for many Canadians, especially with new guidelines put in place due to COVID-19. If you can offer services in this sector, you’ll appeal to a large potential customer base, especially if you’re willing to take courses to get certified or licensed.

  • Personal trainer
  • Physiotherapist
  • Nutritionist

READ MORE :  7 steps for how to start your own business in Canada

8. Share a skill

Chances are, you’re really good at some things. Maybe you’d like to start a small business coaching others and teaching them a skill. Some require certification, like high-level coaches for sports, but others don’t.

  • Music or art instructor
  • Language teacher

9. Get local

Now might not be the time to start a travel agency, but if you’re interested in showing people the best of your area, consider running tours or creating a local attraction.

  • Horseback riding guide
  • Sport fishing guide
  • Culinary, garden, or history-themed tours

READ MORE: Consider peer-to-peer loans with Lending Loop

10. Let’s get digital

Some businesses don’t require much if any, face-to-face interaction with the public. That’s a major bonus for the real introverts in the crowd. If your product or services can be delivered digitally, you’ll enjoy a large measure of location independence and ample alone time.

  • Writer/Editor
  • Graphic designer
  • Web site developer
  • Virtual assistant

11. Get paid just to live

Believe it or not,  just living  can be a business opportunity. When people live away from their properties or travel from their homes, they often want someone there to take care of things. You can also think of ways to make money on your real estate assets.

  • House or pet sitter
  • Property manager
  • Airbnb host

This is really only an overview of the small business ideas out there, but it should give you a bit of inspiration on what you could do. The opportunities are endless!

How to determine which small business is right for you

There’s no one business idea that works everywhere and for everyone. Any of the above ideas are viable, but figuring out what’s the best business to start involves some brainstorming. There are (at least) two parts to finding a winning idea: thinking about (1) your potential customers and their problems; and (2) what skills/expertise you can offer.

Businesses thrive by offering solutions to their customers. This means that you need to be reasonably sure people want what you’re selling.

Conversely, you need to be able to deliver what you promise. It won’t make much sense to start a dog-walking business if you’re allergic to dogs.

Finding the convergence of those two things will go a long way to shortlisting your best small business ideas.

READ MORE :  What type of business should you start in Canada?

Starting a small business can be daunting, especially in the era of COVID-19. But it’s also an enormous adventure, and if you’re successful, the payoff is plenty. These small business ideas should kick your brain into high gear. What comes next is up to you!

Once you’ve taken the first steps to start your small business, think about putting resources in place so that you can manage your biz like a boss. For starters, get a  business credit card  to separate your professional and personal expenses. It will make  filing your tax return simpler , and you may even get rewards that you can use to support your business. Another task to tackle is to look at getting  a small business loan  to finance start-up costs such as equipment, office expenses, and insurance. Finally, make sure you have an organized bookkeeping system in place. That could mean using an Excel spreadsheet, subscribing to online accounting software, or hiring a bookkeeper.

READ MORE:   Best business loans for small businesses in Canada

About our authors: faces of finance

Michele Sponagle

Michele Sponagle is a prolific, award-winning journalist who has contributed features to a wide range of top media outlets, such as The Globe and Mail, Washington Post, Ottawa Citizen and Maclean's. She has been an avid investor since she was 18 years old and has written about personal finance for publications like the National Post and Chatelaine.

Keph Senett

Keph Senett is a Canadian freelance writer whose areas of expertise include personal finance, travel and sports. When not writing, she spends her free time trying to figure out how to qualify for a soccer squad in Asia, Australia, or Antarctica.

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The Top 20 Small Business Ideas You Can Run from Home in Canada

By Arthur Dubois | Published on 08 Dec 2023

Various business ideas illustrated with Canadian flags in the background

Starting a small business from home is an excellent way to create a flexible schedule while pursuing your entrepreneurial dreams. In Canada, there are plenty of opportunities for home-based businesses, and many entrepreneurs have already found success. Whether you’re looking to launch a side hustle or build a full-time business from home, there are many small business ideas that you can explore. This article will highlight the top 20 small business ideas that you can run from home in Canada.

1. Online Retail Store

Setting up an online store can be an excellent home-based business idea if you have a passion for a particular product or niche. Platforms like Shopify and Amazon make it easy to launch your online store and reach a global audience. You can sell anything from handmade crafts to digital products like e-books and online courses.

2. Freelance Writing or Editing

If you have a passion for writing, you can leverage platforms like Upwork and Fiverr to become a freelance writer or editor offering your services to clients worldwide. You can write anything from blog posts to product descriptions and help businesses improve their online presence.

3. Graphic Design Services

If you’re skilled in design, there’s a growing demand for graphic design services worldwide. You can market your services on various platforms, including 99designs, Freelancer, and Upwork. You can design anything from logos and business cards to social media graphics and websites.

4. Social Media Management

As the importance of social media continues to grow, so does the demand for social media management services. You can help businesses by creating engaging content and managing their social media accounts. You can also offer paid advertising services and help businesses reach their target audience.

5. Virtual Assistant Services

Virtual assistant services continue to be one of the most popular home-based business ideas. You can offer administrative support and help businesses manage their operations from the comfort of your home. You can handle tasks like email management, scheduling, and bookkeeping.

6. Online Tutoring or Coaching

If you have a passion for teaching, you can start a home-based business offering online tutoring or coaching services. Platforms like Chegg and VIPkid make it easy to find clients from around the world. You can teach anything from math to languages and help students improve their skills.

7. Web Development Services

If you’re skilled in web development or design, you can build a home-based business offering website design services. Website builders like Wix, WordPress or SquareSpace make it easy to create visually stunning and functional websites for clients. You can also offer services like website maintenance and search engine optimization.

8. Online Fitness Training

If you’re passionate about fitness and wellness, you can start an online fitness training business, offering personalized workout plans and coaching services. You can use platforms like Zoom and Skype to connect with clients and help them reach their fitness goals.

9. Home-Based Catering or Baking

If you enjoy cooking or baking, you can start a home-based catering or baking business, offering your services to individuals and businesses in your community. You can specialize in anything from cupcakes to gourmet meals and cater events like weddings and corporate parties.

10. Handmade Crafts or Artwork

If you have a creative side, you can start a home-based business selling handmade crafts or artwork online or at local markets and fairs. You can create anything from jewelry to pottery and showcase your unique style and creativity.

11. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a great way to make money from home without needing to create your products. You can promote other businesses’ products and earn a commission on each sale you make. You can promote anything from beauty products to tech gadgets and earn passive income.

12. Podcasting or YouTube Channel

If you have a passion for creating content, you can start a podcast or YouTube channel from home, sharing your knowledge and expertise with a global audience. You can talk about anything from personal finance to travel and build a loyal following.

13. Professional Consulting Services

If you have expertise in a particular field, you can start a home-based consulting business, offering professional advice and services to businesses and individuals. You can consult on anything from marketing to finance and help businesses improve their operations and profitability.

14. Home-Based Daycare

If you enjoy caring for children, you can start a home-based daycare offering your services to families in your community. You can provide a safe and nurturing environment for children and help parents balance work and family responsibilities.

15. Pet Sitting or Dog Walking

If you love animals, you can start a home-based pet sitting or dog walking business, offering your services to pet owners in your community. You can provide companionship and exercise for pets and help owners take care of their furry friends.

16. Personal Stylist or Image Consultant

If you have a flair for fashion, you can start a home-based personal styling or image consulting business, offering your services to clients looking to improve their style and image. You can help clients choose the right clothes and accessories and create a unique and stylish look.

17. Event Planning Services

Event planning is a growing industry, and you can start a home-based business offering event planning services to individuals and businesses in your community. You can plan anything from weddings to corporate events and help clients create memorable and successful events.

18. Home Staging or Interior Design

If you have an eye for design, you can start a home-based staging or interior design business, offering your services to homeowners and real estate agents. You can help clients create a beautiful and functional living space and increase the value of their property.

19. Photography or Videography Services

If you have a passion for photography or videography, you can start a home-based business offering your services to businesses and individuals in your community. You can specialize in anything from wedding photography to corporate videos and capture special moments and memories.

20.Sell Online Courses

Selling courses online can be a lucrative way to turn your expertise into a profitable business. To start, choose a topic that you’re knowledgeable and passionate about, and identify your target audience. Develop a course curriculum and create engaging content, such as video lessons, quizzes, and downloadable resources. Choose a platform to host your course, such as Udemy, Teachable or Thinkific. These platforms offer features such as customizable landing pages, payment processing, and analytics tracking. 

Three Essential Steps to Start a Home-Based Business in Canada

Starting a home-based business in Canada can be an excellent opportunity for entrepreneurs to pursue their passions and achieve financial independence. However, before diving into entrepreneurship, it’s essential to have a solid plan in place. Here are some vital steps to follow when starting a home-based business:

1. Create a Business Plan

A business plan is a crucial document that outlines your business goals, strategies, and financial projections. It’s important to create a robust plan to set a clear direction for your business, which will help you make informed decisions and stay on track. Your business plan should include a detailed description of your business, market analysis, marketing strategies, financial projections, and operational plan.

For example, if you’re starting a consulting business, your business plan should include information about the consulting services you’ll offer, your target market, and your pricing strategy. You’ll also need to identify your marketing strategies, such as social media marketing, email marketing, and networking events.

2. Register Your Business

Before launching your business, make sure you register your business in Canada . This will help you protect your brand and ensure that you’re operating legally. You’ll also need to obtain any necessary business licenses and permits, depending on your industry and location.

For instance, if you’re starting a home-based food business, you’ll need to obtain a food handling permit from your local health department. If you’re starting a consulting business, you may not need any special permits or licenses, but you’ll need to register your business with the government.

3. Open a Business Bank Account

Opening a separate bank account for your business is essential for clear financial management and separating personal and business finances. This organization is key for easier tax filing and accounting. While traditional banks are a good choice, especially if you need in-person services or have complex banking needs, many fintech companies now offer cost-effective alternatives tailored for small businesses.

FAQs About Small Business Ideas in Canada

As a small business in Canada, shipping products from home can be a convenient and cost-effective way to get your products to customers. First, determine which shipping carrier and service level best suits your needs and budget. Canada Post, FedEx, UPS, and Purolator are some of the popular carriers in Canada. Ensure that your shipping materials, such as boxes and packing materials, are of good quality to protect your products during transit. Consider purchasing shipping labels and packing slips online to save time and money. Also, be aware of any customs or duties fees that may apply when shipping internationally. Finally, track your packages to ensure that they are delivered on time and that your customers are satisfied with their purchase.

Incorporating your small home-based business in Canada is not always necessary, but it does offer certain benefits. If you choose to operate as a sole proprietorship, you can register your business name and obtain any necessary licenses and permits without incorporating. However, incorporating your business can provide limited liability protection, separate your personal and business finances, and potentially offer tax advantages. It’s important to weigh the costs and benefits of incorporation and consult with a lawyer or accountant to determine the best legal structure for your small business. Regardless of whether you incorporate or not, it’s important to keep accurate records of your income and expenses, and ensure that you comply with all tax regulations and deadlines.

Bookkeeping is an essential part of managing a small business in Canada, as it helps you keep track of your income, expenses, and taxes. To get started, set up a bookkeeping system that includes a chart of accounts, a method for recording transactions, and a schedule for reconciling accounts. Use accounting software like QuickBooks or Xero to automate your bookkeeping and generate financial reports. Keep receipts and invoices for all transactions, and categorize them appropriately to simplify tax filing. Ensure that you stay up-to-date with tax regulations and deadlines, and consult a professional accountant if necessary. By staying organized and on top of your bookkeeping, you can make informed financial decisions and ensure the success of your small business.

If you run a small business from home in Canada, you may wonder if you can charge your business rent for using your home office. The answer is yes, you can charge your business rent for using your home office, but it must be a reasonable amount and you must keep detailed records to support the expense. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has strict rules for claiming home office expenses, and you must meet certain criteria to be eligible, such as using your home office for earning income on a regular and ongoing basis, and using it exclusively for business purposes. 

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Arthur Dubois

LinkedIn

35 Best Business Ideas to Start In Canada

Looking to start a business in Canada, but you're not quite sure what to start?

To start, building your own business should be a direct result of something you’re passionate about and something you truly believe in.

This is where the magic comes from - the drive, the itch to create something remarkable, and the motivation when times get tough.

Here are 35 successful business ideas and their story of getting started in Canada.

1. Become a facebook ads consultant ($96M/year)

How much you can make: $35,000 — $8,000,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $550 (?)

How long does it take to build: 45 days (?)

Kean Graham from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada started MonetizeMore about 14 years ago, a Facebook ads consultant.

  • Revenue : $8,000,000/ month
  • Founders : 1
  • Employees : 290
  • Location : Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

I originally fell in love with the online industry when working for a large online classified network. The job was an immense learning experience but once the recession hit, the company decided to lay off the marketing department. I lost the best job I ever had but I was determined to turn the bad into something great.

With the devotion to improve a little bit every single day, one can accumulate incredible improvement and success.

Five days later, I'm on a plane to South America to go on a life changing trip. Four months into my backpacking trip I was on a four-day trek through the incredible Inca trail towards Machu Picchu. By the end of it, I was sitting on top of Wayna Picchu reflecting on my experiences throughout my trip. I have had the most fulfilling time of my life and it finally clicked:

how-i-disrupted-the-ad-industry-and-grew-my-business-to-20m-year

2. Start a proposal software app ($6.84M/year)

How much you can make: $570,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $100 (?)

How long does it take to build: 205 days (?)

Kyle Racki from Halifax, Canada started Proposify about 11 years ago, a proposal software app.

  • Revenue : $570,000/ month
  • Founders : 2
  • Employees : 76
  • Location : Halifax, Canada

After high school, I studied graphic design in college and began working in agencies when I was 19 years old. That’s when I first noticed how time-consuming writing and designing proposals was, and I thought about what a solution might look like. This was in 2005 when SaaS was still relatively new. My vision was a product that was kind of like InDesign, which designers use to create professional layouts, but with the productivity and collaboration of a tool like Basecamp. I shelved that idea for many years before making a serious attempt to build it.

When I was 24 years old I left my full-time job and went out on my own as a freelancer, and shortly thereafter invited my friend and colleague, Kevin Springer to join me and create a web design and marketing agency called Headspace. We ran the business for five years, and that first business was where I made a lot of business mistakes and learned some painful lessons.

The key lessons I learned running the agency were:

how-we-built-proposify-and-grew-to-7m-arr

3. Start a photo booth business ($4.2M/year)

How much you can make: $350,000 — $500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $6,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

Scott McInnes from North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada started TapSnap over 11 years ago, a photo booth business.

  • Revenue : $350,000/ month
  • Employees : 18
  • Location : North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

My first business was a disaster!

It was a small restaurant that I opened in 1995 at 25 years old that shut down 2 years later. I was broke, jobless and in debt. I didn’t have a specific idea of what I wanted to do, but knew that I still wanted to be an entrepreneur. I spent a couple of years working, reading business books and magazines, and looking for another opportunity.

I didn’t have much money so I could really only consider opportunities that I could start for a small amount of money and build on. And, it was also important to me that I found something that I could do as a side business. Now I guess that would be called a side hustle.

my-journey-to-starting-a-4-2m-year-photobooth-company

4. Start a recruiting agency ($3.48M/year)

How much you can make: $100 — $320,000/month

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

Sharon Koifman from Montreal, Quebec, Canada started DistantJob almost 16 years ago, a recruiting agency.

  • Revenue : $290,000/ month
  • Employees : 26
  • Location : Montreal, Quebec, Canada

I started off by running and owning a hosting company called Empire Host. We had about 3K clients at the time support was run from two offices in India with nearly 30 employees.

We were also providing an outsourcing package. Our business solutions were really cheap and to be frank, our results were mediocre at best. Although the service was fine for any mom and pop shop or even an “any results will do” kind of company, we noticed that too often, people who run tech companies actually outsourced to companies such as ourselves even work that went into their core offering - because it was cheap.

At the time, what outsourcing really was, was an arbitrage business. But the concept that people would outsource big chunks of their business to a company that does not provide the same level of communication, process, quality control, and culture just because they’ll save a lot of money, that idea really stuck with me.

how-i-started-a-3m-year-remote-worker-recruitment-agency

5. Start a water filter store ($2.4M/year)

How much you can make: $1,500 — $200,000/month

How long does it take to build: 500 days (?)

Jay Vasantharajah from Canada started PureFilters over 8 years ago, a water filter store.

  • Revenue : $200,000/ month
  • Employees : 4
  • Location : Canada

Honestly… I accidentally got into the business.

I run a digital marketing agency and at the time we had a lot of HVAC Contractors as clients. One of my clients was explaining to me how he sells furnace filters to customers that he visits, and wondered if he could sell them online instead. I researched this for him and concluded that there were a ton of Google searches for furnace filters. I pitched him on creating a new campaign to sell these filters online. He decided not to do it.

Once an idea comes into my head, I don’t rest until its given a fair shot, that’s just how I am. Even though my client said "no", I still wanted to do it because I was curious. I saw it as an opportunity to get a better understanding of the e-commerce landscape and the marketing challenges involved.

launching-a-furnace-filter-store-and-growing-to-60k-month

6. Start a cannabis business ($3M/year)

How much you can make: $2,500 — $3,100,000/month

How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)

Bjorn Dawson from Waterloo, ON, Canada started Grobo almost 10 years ago, a cannabis business.

  • Revenue : $250,000/ month
  • Employees : 11
  • Location : Waterloo, ON, Canada

I grew up in a family of entrepreneurs so it was always something I knew I would go into. My grandfather, for example, built some of the earliest satellite communication technology. Today, our phones can connect to satellites, but back then it required a $10M+ facility. He used entrepreneurship to develop something new and transformational that still impacts our lives today.

With my parents as entrepreneurs, I grew up understanding that lifestyle. Although they worked nights and weekends, they were always able to come to my afternoon soccer games and had significantly more flexibility in their life than most people do. That’s the life I wanted. The ability to pick what you work on, make an impact on the world, and choose when and how you do it.

I truly believe that anyone can become an entrepreneur, which is why I went into Mechanical Engineering at the University of Waterloo instead of going into a Business program. Within the first 6 months of being in Waterloo, I purchased a home to use as a rental property. It was the best investment I’ve ever made for two reasons. The most obvious reason is the financial return. Between rent and appreciation, the house net me over $25K/year for 5 years. The second reason is the gardens.

how-we-launched-a-165k-month-automated-home-growing-box

7. Start a meal prep business ($1.56M/year)

How much you can make: $5,000 — $4,170,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 7 days (?)

Andrei Calinescu from Toronto, Ontario, Canada started One Life Meals about 11 years ago, a meal prep business.

  • Revenue : $130,000/ month
  • Employees : 29
  • Location : Toronto, Ontario, Canada

I started One Life Meals in 2014 and it was pretty much the next logical step in my personal and professional evolution. After graduating from the University of Toronto in 2004 (Mechanical & Industrial Engineering) I worked for 5 years in the Pharmaceutical industry.

I moved around and gathered experiences from different departments, including Project Management, Engineering and Operations. I learned a lot during this time about how to manage a new project, create and lead teams, large-scale production, quality assurance and customer service.

Be very honest and real with yourself and the reason you want to be an entrepreneur. Being interested is not enough, you need to commit.

starting-a-1-5m-healthy-meals-delivery-business

8. Start a phone case business ($1.5M/year)

How much you can make: $120,000 — $125,000/month

JP Brousseau from Quebec, Canada started Phone Loops about 10 years ago, a phone case business.

  • Revenue : $125,000/ month
  • Employees : 5
  • Location : Quebec, Canada

As a graduate of the University of Sherbrooke in mechanical engineering, I worked for six years as a consultant in several industries, applying my knowledge and skills in design, manufacturing, and organizational performance. I also taught part-time in college for about five years during the same period.

I ended up with an expertise in product development and project management. I had never operated a business before Phone Loops, and I started it slowly while working other jobs. It is my first entrepreneurial attempt, but definitely not my first business idea.

I had - and still have - hundreds of ideas for products in mind… You may wonder then why the Loop is the one product that actually made it through all the hoops…

9. Start a graphic design app ($1M/year)

How much you can make: $100 — $83,500/month

How long does it take to build: 130 days (?)

Christopher Gimmer from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada started Snappa over 8 years ago, a graphic design app.

  • Revenue : $83,500/ month
  • Location : Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

I started off my career in finance working for the federal government. Then in 2010, I took a trip to southeast Asia that changed my life. Towards the end of the trip, I dreaded the thought of going back to the office and I no longer wanted to do work that I didn’t enjoy. That’s when I first started thinking about starting a business that would give me more freedom and meaning in my life.

One of the biggest lessons that I’ve learned over the years is the power of the long game. For starters, this applies to business and life in general. Sometimes you just need to play the game and things will happen.

A few years later I met Marc (now my co-founder) at work. After we became friends, I found out that he knew how to code and he was dabbling in some side projects. We discussed the idea of starting a business together and we were both pumped to do so.

how-two-friends-bootstrapped-a-saas-business-to-55k-mrr

10. Start a social media automation business ($3M/year)

How much you can make: $4,000 — $333,333/month

How long does it take to build: 40 days (?)

Justin Hartzman from Toronto, Ontario, Canada started Needls almost 10 years ago, a social media automation business.

  • Founders : 3

My two friends, Jeremy and Michael, and I have been building businesses together for the past decade and a half but we’ve known each other since we were kids, in fact, we met at camp!

We’ve had 3 exits, two in 2005, and another one about two and a half years ago. Now we run two startups together, one of which is Needls. My personal career started when I worked at my grandparent's outdoor lifestyle store in Kingston, Ontario.

Once we hit sales of 300x in the first quarter, we realized we had something.

how-we-built-a-3m-year-business-automating-social-media

11. Start a freelance writing business ($1.5M/year)

How much you can make: $700 — $320,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $400 (?)

How long does it take to build: 53 days (?)

David Tile from Toronto, Ontario, Canada started Article-Writing Co almost 13 years ago, a freelance writing business.

  • Employees : 25

In 2011, coming out of college, I miserably tried to start a penny auction website. I studied Political Science at University, which had absolutely no bearing on this idea. I knew I wanted to do something entrepreneurial and was consumed by this auction model. I had my own specific mechanics that I thought would make the game a lot more fair for the average consumer. But alas, 6-8 months later, after burning through thousands of dollars trying to get the technology right, I was absolutely nowhere.

I was resigned to not give up, but the mechanics of the auction are critical to the smooth operation of the website and if you can’t get it right you don’t have a business. So I decided to start taking on some freelance writing work, just to get some cash in.

One thing led to another and I started getting some bigger clients with bigger asks. Eventually, I snowballed hiring some writers and copy editors. Turning this thing into a full-time business operation.

how-i-started-a-80k-month-content-writing-business

12. Start a leather business ($900K/year)

How much you can make: $1,000 — $100,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 10 hours/week

Ryan Popoff from Nelson, Nelson, New Zealand started Popov Leather about 11 years ago, a leather business.

  • Revenue : $75,000/ month
  • Employees : 10
  • Location : Nelson, Nelson, New Zealand

Popov Leather started as a hobby.

After I graduated from art school, I had no idea what to do with myself. Leatherworking appealed to me because of how sculptural it is. Leather can vary wildly; from the way it’s tanned, the type of animal it comes from, down to how thick it is. Exploring leather as a sculptural material excited me and I was supported by a fantastic community both online (Reddit, leatherworker.net) and offline (vendors such as longview leather).

Eventually, I made a wallet that I was proud of, something I would love to carry with me. I took a few pictures and listed it on Etsy.

popov-leather-from-handmade-leather-wallets-to-900k-revenue

13. Start a luggage storage business ($780K/year)

How much you can make: $2,000 — $100,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $9,999 (?)

Eugene Veeden from Toronto, Ontario, Canada started BagsAway Luggage Storage over 6 years ago, a luggage storage business.

  • Revenue : $65,000/ month
  • Employees : 2

I am a software engineer, graduated from McMaster University then began a career in Oil & Gas, where I was fortunate enough to have been granted a leave of absence. I used this opportunity to explore the world and travel to South America, Asia, and Africa!

BagsAway was born as an answer to a recurring problem my co-founder Irina and I experienced on travels, and I observed back home when renting my place on Airbnb. We are first and foremost world enthusiasts at heart - travel is a passion and a life goal for us and luggage, of course, is an inseparable part of the travel experience.

We often found our bags to be time wasters, having to make special trips to drop off or retrieve them on arrival and departure days. Or just having to drag them along, which of course limited what we could do, and we were not the only ones. We noticed others dragging their bags on Hollywood Blvd or sitting on a beach with backpacks in Asia before boarding their boats.

Validation of our business came when my Airbnb guests were repeatedly asking for a place to leave their bags before their late afternoon checkin’ and after their checkout before their evening flights, we realized there was a bigger problem and with it an opportunity. Time is the most precious currency we have so we figured there had to be a better way, and when we couldn’t find a solution we decided to create it ourselves. We were also accepted into the DMZ (Ryerson Digital Media Zone), which is the top business incubator in Canada!

how-we-started-a-65k-month-world-wide-luggage-storage-service

14. Start an axe throwing business ($720K/year)

How much you can make: $60,000 — $80,000/month

James Anderson from Whistler Resort Municipality, British Columbia, Canada started Forged Axe Throwing about 7 years ago, a axe throwing business.

  • Revenue : $60,000/ month
  • Employees : 6
  • Location : Whistler Resort Municipality, British Columbia, Canada

I’ve always wanted to run my own business. I think I have a general problem with authority.

The first job I ever had was teaching windsurfing in the summer for a summer camp, then in the winter I would teach snowboarding for a small hill in Ontario. This was my first exposure to the tourism industry.

We had a lineup out the door for ages and introduced hundreds of people to our venue. We even ran out of waivers because we couldn’t anticipate how busy we were going to be.

how-we-started-a-1m-axe-throwing-party-business

15. Start a waterbottle business ($636K/year)

How much you can make: $53,000 — $78,000/month

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

Jesse Hambly from Elora, Ontario, Canada started Pressa Inc. over 8 years ago, a waterbottle business.

  • Revenue : $53,000/ month
  • Employees : 0
  • Location : Elora, Ontario, Canada

We started the project in college when we noticed class-mates flavoring their water naturally with lemons and limes. One of our roommates complained that she wasn’t getting much flavor and often disposed of the fruit at the end of the day. So we went to work creating concepts for how we thought the product would function and look.

We had absolutely no background in plastics and for this reason. Jesse’s background was marketing, Lukes was manufacturing and Mason graduated from Toronto Film academy. Our product is quite complex and was difficult but once we got it dialed in we’ve been able to repeat the manufacturing process perfectly. After our first concept, we validated the product by running a successful Kickstarter campaign. Our campaign wasn’t pretty but it did the trick and we reached our goal of 35k.

In our Kickstarter campaign, we underpriced the product. People on Kickstarter expect to pay slightly more to be the first to own a product, if we were to have done this again I’d price the product higher.

how-we-created-a-53k-month-innovative-water-bottle

16. Start a phone case business ($1.44M/year)

Andrew Moore from Toronto, Ontario, Canada started Felony Case about 12 years ago, a phone case business.

  • Revenue : $120,000/ month
  • Employees : 1

It’s a funny origin story, because I never set out to start an iPhone case company.

I had just graduated from college and I was working as a driver delivering construction supplies. It gave me a ton of time to listen to podcasts and I was really drawn to tech and startup focused ones. I had an idea for a while to do a wishlist website where people could create and share a list of gifts they wanted. I ended up having the site built, but I didn’t know how to get people using the website.

Don’t be afraid to start! Don’t overthink it, get a product out into the world and start your journey.

how-i-started-and-grew-a-50k-mo-phone-case-business

17. Become a freelance app developer ($600K/year)

How much you can make: $10,000 — $91,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $350 (?)

Cam Upson from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada started Appsitude about 9 years ago, a freelance app developer.

  • Revenue : $50,000/ month
  • Employees : 8

I grew up in North Vancouver, Canada, as a normal kid, went to public school, I have zero post-secondary experience, and yet I had this unwavering need to succeed to do something great, I just didn't know what. I don't know if it was to prove it to myself or to show everyone else I could do it? Everyone could always tell I was different than my friends they would be out partying and I would be doing something business-related to either better myself or figuring out another way to make money.

If it's not your area of expertise and you have the money I would recommend hiring out for positions your not good at.

I knew I wouldn't be like them, working 9-5 for somebody wasn't something I could do the rest of my life I needed to figure something out and fast. Every job I got I was either fired or quit. It really is true that a boss makes a terrible employee.

acquiring-a-stagnant-app-development-company-and-leading-it-to-50k-month

18. Start a litter removal business ($720K/year)

How much you can make: $60,000/month

Brian Winch from Alberta, Canada started CleanLots.com over 42 years ago, a litter removal business.

  • Location : Alberta, Canada

I was working a full-time job at a sporting goods store when I realized that I couldn’t see myself doing this for the rest of my life. I didn’t really mind the work but didn’t enjoy working within the same four walls every day, making the same income regardless of how hard I worked and having to put in my time before being able to go home.

The great thing about starting your business as a side hustle is being able to learn and grow and eventually be in a great position to decide for yourself if you want to quit your job or have the best of both worlds.

I started thinking about the possibility of working for myself rather than someone else. But what kind of business? I didn’t have much going for me as previously noted. So I started to evaluate opportunities to match my interests and resources. Keep in mind there was no internet in 1981. I bought a number of business opportunity magazines from the news-stands and started the process of elimination.

how-i-started-a-40k-month-commercial-litter-cleaning-service

19. Start a fulfillment by amazon business ($1.26M/year)

How much you can make: $2,300 — $500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $900 (?)

Danny Carlson from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada started Kenji ROI over 7 years ago, a fulfillment by amazon business.

  • Revenue : $105,000/ month

I’ve always been a thrill-seeker/adrenaline junky, so online business to me was the perfect outlet for that energy.

When I was younger I struggled with paying attention in school, I thought it was pointless. I was really smart, but only when I was interested in something. I barely managed to graduate high school due to skipping class and partying too much.

The thought of going to University sounded terrible to me, and I got depressed after resigning to a future of working a job I hated. I just didn’t see a compelling future.

This led me to work as a carpenter for 6 years in the pouring Vancouver rain, and I hated it. It wasn’t until 2015 I stumbled upon The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferris and my mind expanded to the possibilities of the online business world (and how it would be my escape from construction)!

how-i-started-a-40k-month-amazon-fba-seller-services-agency

20. Start a watch brand ($300K/year)

How much you can make: $1,500 — $320,000/month

How long does it take to build: 272 days (?)

Ronnie Teja from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada started Branzio about 6 years ago, a watch brand.

  • Revenue : $25,000/ month

My family moved to Canada in May 2007 which makes me a first generation immigrant. I was 21 around the time, and I came from Mumbai, India where I already had a job in advertising.

I continued to experiment with drop shipping and other small ecommerce niches, till it hit me - I needed to build a brand, which was focused on longevity, I wanted to start a purpose-driven brand, not just any watch store.

In those days, Vancouver was still a small market and the opportunities in advertising and other related industry were very limited, so I got a job selling Indian (Punjabi) radio and for my first year in Vancouver, Canada. I took public transit to do sales at mom and pop Indian stores door to door to sell radio advertising.

how-i-built-a-booming-watch-brand-from-nothing

21. Start a podcast production company ($192K/year)

How much you can make: $400 — $125,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $3,000 (?)

Jeremy Enns from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada started Counterweight Creative almost 8 years ago, a podcast production company.

  • Revenue : $16,000/ month

I went to school for audio engineering, initially wanting to produce records for bands and artists. After graduating in 2012, I interned at a big studio in my hometown of Vancouver, and while I learned a lot, I quickly realized that I didn’t have the drive (or financial ability) to show up at the studio at 8am and work (for free) until 4am six or seven days a week for a year or more before moving up into a position that might pay $10/hr and actually start getting paid to work on music.

I went home that night, started a profile on UpWork, got my first client three days later, and within six months had quit my landscaping job and was working for myself full time as a podcast producer.

After interning just a couple of days per week for over a year, while also working full-time at a retail job, I quit the internship and put my dreams of working in the music industry behind me. I worked a number of manual labour jobs including landscape construction and maintenance, tree planting in northern Canada, and others before taking a year off to travel, bicycling across Europe, and backpacking through the Balkans, and Asia.

how-i-started-a-successful-podcast-production-company

22. Start a balloon decor business ($240K/year)

How much you can make: $20,000/month

Janeen Brown from started Balloon Haus LLC about 6 years ago, a balloon decor business.

  • Revenue : $20,000/ month
  • Employees : 16

I’ve always had quite the entrepreneurial spirit, always thinking of the next best idea which is how my first business was created - a non-profit focused on helping young women, followed by an employee concierge, I started with my father Jeluxxe Lifestyle Solutions. I was always intrigued to hear about others’ journeys and how they became full-time entrepreneurs but never thought I’d get there but here I am, thanks to Balloon Haus INC. As well as, reading and learning have always been an interest of mine, which is why I was able to start this “little balloon company.”

Balloon Haus was a random idea that turned a successful business. A client from one of my other companies was looking for balloon decor and my assistant agreed to help with finding a vendor. This was much harder than we thought it would be and with no luck, we turned to youtube and figured out how to create the requested installation ourselves and the rest was history. I registered the business the same day, contacted my father and he told me, “this was the best decision you have ever made.” This was the only validation that I needed to know, this was going to be a successful business.

DO NOT TAKE ON A DIFFICULT CUSTOMER. If you notice communicating with the customer from the beginning is not easy - do not continue as you will regret it and most likely end up with an unhappy customer by the end of the transaction.

how-i-started-a-20k-month-balloon-installations-and-decorations-business

23. Start a watch brand ($240K/year)

Steve Christensen from Alberta, Canada started NOVO watch over 12 years ago, a watch brand.

I am a watch fanatic! Ever since I was a young boy I’ve loved watches. During a summer job, after failing to find a cool new watch to buy, I told my friends I was going to start my own watch company and I did!

It seems the best way to attract customers is the story. Customers are smart and if the story isn’t authentic they’ll see that.

My goal was to look at new unique ways to tell time and approach the watch world differently. For the next few semesters and throughout my masters program I would sit at the back of the class drawing designs, emailing people from China and sending money to unknown people in hopes I would see my ideas turn into reality. When I finally got my first products, I was hooked. Entrepreneurship in the watch world my dream and I was standing at the foot of it.

steve-christensen-is-building-watches-from-old-train-tracks

24. Build an api ($360K/year)

How much you can make: $3,600 — $500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $300 (?)

Ervin Ruci from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada started Geocode.xyz about 7 years ago, a API.

  • Revenue : $30,000/ month

I have a background in CS and Math (My master CS thesis was on a class of 3SUM hard problems in Computational Geometry)

I’ve been building independent bootstrapped startups since 2005, when I quit my last day job. One of those is geocoder.ca, a geocoding API for Canada and the US I started in 2005 (and is still going strong). It also served as the starting point to go global with geocode.xyz in 2016.

Identify your strengths and do what you like to do. Having a sense of purpose is important, especially when that purpose is to solve a problem you can muster the ability to solve.

creating-an-api-for-developers-earning-15k-month

25. Start an aftermarket car parts business ($540K/year)

How much you can make: $45,000 — $325,000/month

Mitchel Matthews from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada started Adrenaline Offroad over 6 years ago, a aftermarket car parts business.

  • Revenue : $45,000/ month
  • Employees : 3
  • Location : Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

My passion for trucks started way before I could even drive. I always wanted to have a huge lifted truck and I loved the idea of driving a vehicle that could make it through conditions that most vehicles couldn’t such as a deep ditch full of water or 3 feet of snow! My grandfather willed me one of his trucks so when I was 16 years old I was blessed to now have his old truck as my own! It was completely bone stock with not a single modification done to it….YET! Over the years I saved pretty much every penny I made at my minimum wage jobs and invested it all into building my truck up to be the beast that it is today!

These before and after pictures below are almost 6 years apart!

how-i-started-a-12k-month-aftermarket-vehicle-accessories

26. Start a franchise development business ($120K/year)

How much you can make: $10,000 — $1,000,000/month

Andrew Hoffman from Brampton, Ontario, Canada started My Franchise Partners over 9 years ago, a franchise development business.

  • Revenue : $10,000/ month
  • Location : Brampton, Ontario, Canada

My background includes varied experience with the finance, operations and business development of retail, wholesale, manufacturing, distribution, importing, exporting, sales and consulting companies.

I was very fortunate to enjoy many challenges with start-up, turnaround, and fast-paced opportunities. This includes multiple locations, union and non-union shops, international commerce, restructuring and defining roles, policies, and procedures

Over the years many people suggested I had the experience and attributes required for success as a consultant. As I explored a variety of ideas I was drawn to the franchise world. I get to work with people who have a strong desire to operate their own business, build a better future and want to leave a legacy for their family. I thoroughly enjoy working with entrepreneurs who are ready for the next step in their growth cycle.

how-i-started-a-10k-month-franchise-development-business

27. Start a bathroom appliance business ($120K/year)

How much you can make: $10,000 — $500,000/month

How long does it take to build: 540 days (?)

Ahmad Iqbal from Toronto, Ontario, Canada started Nadeef Bidet over 8 years ago, a bathroom appliance business.

I was born in Canada, but as a child, my family and I moved around the world a lot. Before turning 22, I had lived in Pakistan, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Korea, England, United States, Italy, Dubai, not to mention Canada. My dad has a pretty cool job which required him to spend years at a time in different countries, and I believe that travel gave me a lot of perspective and maturity for my age.

I didn’t know it at the time, but the traveling was what eventually gave me the idea to start Nadeef. Basically, in Middle Eastern countries and places like Japan, Korea, and Pakistan, having a bidet is quite common. In fact, the houses and apartments have hand-held bidets built in as standard. So growing up with this bathroom hygiene I expected it as standard. Personally, I cannot use a bathroom now without a hand-held bidet - it just doesn’t feel right. There are millions of people that share this pain with me; my friends and family, and many people in our community.

I see entrepreneurship as an equation. On one side of the equation is product, and on the other side is marketing. Most people just solve for the product side.

creating-a-handheld-bidet-earning-10k-mo

28. Start a woodworking business ($78K/year)

How much you can make: $1,000 — $1,600,000/month

How long does it take to build: 204 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

Sasha Weekes from Hunter River, Prince Edward Island, Canada started Timber Grove Studios over 6 years ago, a woodworking business.

  • Revenue : $6,500/ month
  • Location : Hunter River, Prince Edward Island, Canada

I was always the art kid growing up, so I naturally began my post secondary education by pursuing a degree in Fine Arts. I spent my summers refinishing furniture and doing photography and that’s how I got my feet wet with business, so by my second year, I was also pursuing a minor in Commerce.

I had never really done much woodworking at all but became a lot more interested in design and home decor during those years. After finishing my third year, I was itching to do something more practical than becoming a gallery artist, so I set my sights on furniture design and enrolled in a college cabinetmaking course instead. It really wasn’t where I had ever expected to end up, but it was sort of a natural progression and I’m so glad I did it!

I started making mountain shelves in the morning before class to sell on Facebook and Kijiji. It was intended to be a fun side project but they were so popular that I started my business shortly after graduating with the mountains as my first product.

how-i-took-my-woodworking-hobby-full-time-to-build-a-successful-brand

29. Start a coffee roasting business ($90K/year)

How much you can make: $7,500 — $150,000/month

How long does it take to build: 365 days (?)

Michael Russo from Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada started Firebean Coffee Roasters about 9 years ago, a coffee roasting business.

  • Revenue : $7,500/ month
  • Location : Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

I’m a life-long learner.

I believe in play, and I love to create stuff. I’m a teacher by trade, turned to stay at home dad. The joke has been if you leave a guy at home long enough, he will find hobbies...and they sometimes involve fire.

Talk to a small group of peeps that are not being served in a certain way and provide that small group a really awesome experience.

starting-a-pedal-powered-coffee-roasting-business

30. Start an embroidery business ($120K/year)

How much you can make: $6,500 — $10,000/month

Mike Lecky from Montreal, Quebec, Canada started Vagabond Heart over 6 years ago, a embroidery business.

As I mentioned above, I’m a serial entrepreneur, and a lifelong maker. I’ve been selling online since the early 2000’s, well before Shopify made it easy, even before Amazon existed. In the past I’ve designed typefaces, ran a literary magazine, published books, sold vintage menswear, and even built and sold wooden furniture online.

The idea for Vagabond Heart came to me three years ago when I was on a winter-long vacation in a small town in Mexico, which I loved, except for the fact that I didn’t really have anything to do with my time. I thought to myself, “If i’m going to come down here every winter, I need a project to keep me busy.”

The idea was a combination of my interest in vintage clothing, style, and old movies, with my love of menswear and fashion, and of course, travel. What I wanted was a way to make my normal looking duffel bag look like an updated version of the luggage you’d see on a trans-Atlantic crossing in the 1920’s, or on the runway in Casablanca .

how-i-started-a-successful-brand-selling-vintage-patches-on-etsy

31. Start an online food business ($54K/year)

How much you can make: $4,000 — $12,500,000/month

Katie Young from Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada started Klondike Kettle Corn about 9 years ago, a online food business.

  • Revenue : $4,500/ month

It was actually a close friend’s idea to set up a kettle corn business in the Yukon. He had seen one set up down south (Vancouver) and thought it would take off in Carcross, a small community just outside of Whitehorse, that was starting to cater to tourists coming off the cruise ships from Skagway, AK.

When other work commitments did not allow him to follow through with his business idea, I stepped in to help. Eventually, I bought the kettle corn business from him and started to attend the Fireweed Community Market in Whitehorse.

Be open to new ideas and always be searching for creative ways to keep your product interesting.

how-i-launched-a-gourmet-popcorn-brand-from-the-yukon

32. Start a career coaching business ($36K/year)

How much you can make: $1,000 — $500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $750 (?)

Nissar Ahamed from Toronto, Ontario, Canada started CareerMetis.com over 8 years ago, a career coaching business.

  • Revenue : $3,000/ month

I started my 20s like most new graduates — unemployed and eager to start earning a living. I had just moved to Toronto, Canada, and I wanted to get a decent start to my carer.

But, as you can imagine, I went through all the challenges of the job search. I sent numerous applications and got only a handful of interviews and then struggled to convert those interviews into a successful job offer.

After a year of struggle and odd jobs, I did manage to break through and land a successful corporate job at age 22 in the electronic payments industry. It was my first breakthrough and laid the foundation for a successful Corporate Sales Career.

how-i-started-a-1-5k-month-blog-about-career-advice

33. Start a men's underwear brand ($9.6K/year)

How much you can make: $800 — $475,000,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $4,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 470 days (?)

Zaid Shahatit from Toronto, Ontario, Canada started Nooks about 4 years ago, a men's underwear brand.

  • Revenue : $800/ month

I was always going to go to med school as far back as I remember. I busted my a-- in high school and university - balanced fitness with a good GPA, extra-curricular, research, etc. Unfortunately, I applied and didn’t get in, so I decided to start working on a Masters Degree in Genetics and Bipolar Disorder research. Although it’s still currently my “day job”, I have to say that I really didn’t like having to go somewhere 9-5 and waste 3 hours a day on a commute.

I’ve always wanted to start selling online. I looked at brands like Chubbies and Dr. Squatch and absolutely loved their humor-packed marketing to regular guys. Fast forward to needing to buy underwear, and I remember not really connecting to brands like Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger - they show ripped dudes with 10-pack abs and play off of “sexy” marketing. Although they do cater to a certain segment of the market, and clearly their marketing works, I thought that “regular guys” (including me) were being underserved. Plus, their materials are either cotton (which isn’t very… ”friendly”) or synthetic materials. Both of them are uncomfortable, get sweaty and are generally unpleasant to wear.

Here’s a simple test to see if you really connect with a brand. Ask yourself “what underwear am I wearing?”. I’m willing to bet that for most guys, they don’t really know. When it comes to underwear, most guys don’t consider what they’re wearing. All they know is that it’s something you wear under your clothes. I thought - hey, let me try to get guys excited about underwear.

on-starting-a-men-s-underwear-brand

34. ($0/year)

Quin Amorim from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada started Q&A Selling Online Podcast over 6 years ago, a business.

  • Revenue : $0/ month
  • Location : Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

I started selling online in 1997, way before it was cool to sell online.

Not because I wanted to start an online business, but out of necessity, in order to have money to party with my friends.

how-i-started-a-podcast-business-from-home

35. Start a woodworking business ($480K/year)

Andrew Stokes - Cameron Vilcsak from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada started MTN SIDE BUILDERS almost 6 years ago, a woodworking business.

  • Revenue : $40,001/ month

I grew up surrounded by people who fixed, built, and problem solved for themselves. Always interested in building things and entrepreneurial pursuits, at 14 I had the idea to attach a chainsaw engine to my bicycle for my transportation.

A few weeks later and help from my Grandpa, I was whizzing past cars with an ear to ear smile on my face.

With a little luck, and a lot of gaming the YouTube algorithm, I was able to experience the viral effects of the internet. It has now been seen by over 25m people through my channel and other media networks.

how-i-gamed-the-youtube-algorithm-and-went-viral-with-25m-views

Thank you for reading! We hope you enjoyed.

To learn more about starting a business, check out our course on Starter Story .

cheap business ideas canada

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12 best business to start in canada.

12 Best Business to Start in Canada

Are you dreaming of becoming a business owner in Canada? Then it’s important to have the right ideas to approach your dream. When you’re starting out, it’s natural to think big and keep your options open.

However, you will come to find what type of business you open and where are two very essential components that you must consider. The good news is that you have drive and motivation, as that alone is what separates the dreamers from the doers.

So, what is the best business to start in Canada? That’s what you will learn here today. Below, you will find a compilation of business suggestions. This list of business ideas includes those that are profitable, as well as those that are ideal as lost-cost start-ups.

Here’s What We’ll Cover:

Vertical Garden Company

Woodworking company, meal prep delivery, phone case business, 3d printing service, freelance writing service, nfc integration business, drone photography, cleaning company, litter removal, axe throwing company, key takeaways.

It’s nice to see that more people are getting interested in growing their own food once again. But one of the biggest hurdles for many Canadians to overcome is a lack of space for gardening. This is evident throughout North America, as fewer people get the chance to own sizable land these days. Thanks to vertical gardens, however, you can grow plants indoors and without the need for yardage.

The user gets to control their garden’s environment based on what they’re growing. You could start selling personal units for apartments and homes. If successful, you could expand to green buildings if you have a firm understanding of real estate.

That latter part might be somewhat lofty. But there’s no question that it would benefit many communities in Canada. Depending on your capital, you may not have the means to offer green housing. But getting into the personal vertical garden business could prove more lucrative.

There are many people who live in apartments or have minimal land in Canada. What’s more, it’s getting harder to find farmland for sale. Big corporations are buying them up at record rates to develop more commercial operations.

But don’t let that stop you from growing your own food and helping others do the same. Vertical gardens are all the rage right now. Getting in on the action early may serve you and other Canadians well.

cheap business ideas canada

Thanks to the power and convenience of the internet, entrepreneurs have a lot of options in terms of what they want to do. Gone are the days when it’s a foregone conclusion that you must own a warehouse.

Today, anyone can take an online business idea and run with it. It’s true that a home-based business limits your options somewhat. But there’s still plenty that you can do from home. One such home-based business that’s proven to be successful in Canada is woodworking.

You can create a wide variety of homemade products and sell them on platforms like Etsy. What’s more, you might not need to hire any employees, thus keeping your costs down.

You will need specific tools and equipment. But if you have a knack for woodworking, it’s likely that you already have at least some of the things you’ll need to create items. The nice thing about woodworking is that you can produce goods from your home. This fact alone will help you have money on startup costs.

The online business industry spans many different concepts. Woodworking is one of them that fits the home-based model well. And if you end up becoming a profitable business, you can always invest in retail space if necessary.

This business idea is more relevant than ever. In the wake of the pandemic and the lockdowns that followed, it’s harder for Canadians to get out to get food. With a meal prep delivery service, you will be contributing and helping a significant part of the population.

Moreover, you can thrive in this line of work. The most successful meal prep delivery companies in Canada have a rapport with their clients that they developed over the years. This strong relationship between business and client allows for more personalized service.

When you get to know your clientele, it’s easier to help your customers decide what they want. Thus, you can make suggestions and upsell food delivery subscriptions. Your clients will certainly appreciate your dedication to ensuring they get food in a timely manner.

Plus, you will be helping keep Canadians safe from potential risks while grocery shopping. So it’s a combination of convenience and safety, both of which you will be providing.

As long as people own mobile phones, the need for a phone case business will be present. Smartphone cases are big business all over the world, so it makes sense that they’re a hit in Canada, as well.

As you’ve likely noticed, a lot of fads come and go in the mobile phone industry. What’s hot one day is replaced by something new the next.

But ever since mobile phones became an essential household item, cases have remained one of the most popular accessories. Over the years, phone cases have taken on many different shapes, sizes, and styles.

But their general purpose has remained the same. Consumers like to know that they have extra protection keeping their devices safe from drops. More recently, however, water-resistant and water-proof cases have taken center stage.

So as you can see, starting a phone case business in Canada leaves you with plenty of product ideas to offer your customers. Even better, there aren’t a lot of startup costs involved. Nor do you need a lot of employees.

In fact, a very successful phone case business in Canada is currently owned and operated by a single individual.

The innovations made in 3D printing have brought the service to new heights. No one dreamed of building houses with 3D printers, but here we are. And it doesn’t stop there. Incredibly complex components and structures can now be made with 3D printers.

The industry is showing no signs of slowing down, which is why now may be the best time to be a part of it. You don’t have to build houses with 3D printers, but you can craft smaller goods for Canadian residents and companies.

What’s more, this is another business idea that you can do from home. The good news is that the price of 3D printer technology has gone down quite a bit. So you can invest in a smaller printer for your house to start out with. And if your business takes off and you need more room, you’ll have the working capital to do so.

You could even cater to fellow small business owners in Canada, creating a wide variety of specialty parts that aren’t readily available. You never know; you could become so successful that you can expand into building custom 3D-printed houses.

More businesses are moving away from the traditional office model. Services that were once a niche market are now available for anyone to take a crack at. Case in point: freelance writing.

Do you have the ability to string together words into sentences? And can you do so in an attractive manner? Freelance writing may be for you. Moreover, you have a few different options on this front.

There are plenty of agencies online that hire freelance writers for various jobs. The problem for many freelancers is finding steady work. You might get a job with an agency for a week or two, but then you’re back to looking for another gig.

Thus, consider becoming your own freelance writing service provider. This has proved to be quite lucrative for many entrepreneurs. And even better, you can do it all remotely and from the comfort of your own home.

It’s up to you how much work you want to take on. Some freelance writers do everything by themselves, accepting workloads they can handle. Others enjoy getting numerous offers and hire their own employees to help them keep up.

This line of work is one that comes with a lot of guarantees. There are always going to be new businesses and websites popping up. And as such, you will always have a clear pipeline of potential customers.

You may need to branch out and establish a marketing team to help you with funnel projects. But this is considered a good problem to have. If you’re getting so many possible job offers from clients that you need a marketing team, you’re doing something right.

NFC (Near-Field Communication) is a technology that has proven its worth and isn’t going anywhere. In fact, if you look through your smartphone, chances are that it has NFC capabilities built into it. So, what is the purpose of NFC? If you don’t use the tech, it works to transmit data within a small space.

New debit and credit cards make use of NFC, as do many security badges. The potential for NFC is limitless. As such, you could develop a niche business that uses NFC in intriguing ways. Whether it’s a security system or a payment system, you could provide local Canadian businesses with essential tools and services.

It’s very likely that more entrepreneurs will take notice of NFC’s potentials and make unique use of the technology. If you have a creative mind, brainstorm ideas that could use NFC in new and exciting ways. You never know; you might come up with the next big thing.

Drones have changed the way we capture aerial pictures and videos. What was once only possible with cranes and aircraft, drones allow for easy aerial accessibility on the cheap.

Look online or in your local retail store — you’ll find a litany of drones at different prices. Some are more capable than others, so it’s important to pay attention to camera quality and resolution. But if you have a drone that can capture high-quality images, you could offer your services to various industries all across Canada.

You will need to become proficient with operating your drone, too. It’s akin to driving an RC car but more intuitive. Drones can get into small spaces and reach incredible heights in a matter of seconds.

Whether it’s a factory that needs a picture of its stacks or a couple wanting aerial wedding shots, you could provide the services they need. Moreover, you might want to consider offering your drone services to an existing photography company.

Such a partnership would allow you to hone your skills and get a feel for the industry. Once you feel that you are able to take on more work, you can start marketing yourself to bigger businesses that need your specialty service.

It’s clear that more people are working from home now. While this has proved convenient for many people, it also comes with some downsides. More work needs to be done around the house, as juggling housework and a job isn’t easy.

Since more people are home throughout the day, it’s easier for messes to get made. As such, the need for professional cleaning services is greater than ever.

The nice thing about starting a cleaning service is that almost anyone can do it. You don’t need a college degree to clean homes. But you do need a clean background — or show that you are a trustworthy individual.

Another nice aspect of starting a cleaning company is that it takes very little startup costs to get going. You will want to insure yourself, but doing so is inexpensive. When you’re ready to take on work, you might be surprised to learn how many people need a helping hand around the house.

What’s more, there are still plenty of working Canadians who go to a physical office or job site every day. So while the work-from-home community is sure to provide ample work, the same is likely true for the traditional worker, as well.

Marketing your cleaning service should be pretty straightforward. Of course, creativity never hurts. But you can cover a lot of ground by advertising your services around town and through social media posts. As your business grows, you can invest in industrial-grade equipment and expand your services around Canada.

A litter and garbage removal service is a quick and easy business idea that requires very little to start up. What’s more, it’s something that you can take on all on your own without the need to hire employees. As your business scales, though, you may find that you need help.

If you want to grow, you will need others to assist you in your litter removal efforts. But to start, you can operate this kind of service with minimal investment. In fact, you might not need to purchase anything at all at first.

If you have a truck or van, bags, a broom, and tools to pick up litter, you can get started right away (after getting the necessary licenses and permits, of course). If you have the ability to pick up trash and the tools with which to do it, nothing is stopping you from giving it a go.

To get started, consider targeting business parking lots, sidewalks, and ditches. Canada has plenty of all three.

cheap business ideas canada

Blogs are an excellent outlet to review products and services, share insights, or just vent. And best of all, you can get paid for your thoughts. If you already own a small business in Canada, starting a blog is an excellent way to market your brand and gain exposure.

Managing a blog post is also a great way to hone your writing skills. The longer you do it, the better you will become at engaging your readers. And blogs aren’t only for trying to get new customers. Many successful bloggers have earned the attention of business owners and started partnerships.

You can earn a stream of income on ad revenue if your blog is a hit with readers. You can even earn money from speaking invitations if you are a respected and trusted blogger. What’s more, some bloggers have gotten writing deals to author books.

Best of all, you can manage all of this in your spare time and in your own home. You don’t have to get up and drive to an office every day — your office can be in your recliner! There’s a lot of freedom to be had, but you could also get inundated with offers and lose some of that freedom. It all depends on how well you can write and how far you’re willing to go.

Yes, axe throwing. Believe it or not, but teaching people how to throw axes can be a lucrative business in Canada. But aside from teaching, you can also host special events, tournaments, and services.

Axe throwing is something that gets requested for things like bachelor parties, birthdays, cookouts, and more. How involved you want to be is entirely up to you. Some axe-throwing businesses sell software related to the craft, as well as t-shirts and other merchandise.

Of course, you’ll want to be sure that you are proficient in throwing axes. You have to be able to teach others safely and professionally. And you’ll need to be sure that you can host tournaments and events without anyone getting hurt.

But if you’re able to meet these requirements, you may very well find that you can thrive with your very own axe-throwing service in Canada.

Starting a business in Canada presents endless possibilities. Best of all, you don’t necessarily need a business degree to get started — only a business plan. You will want to consider accounting software to help you manage your new business venture. 

For that, we recommend FreshBooks. You’ll have everything at your fingertips to assist you. FreshBooks excels at employee time management, client invoices, bookkeeping, and so much more. And thanks to a clean interface, FreshBooks is user-friendly and highly accessible.

As you consider the best business to start in Canada, think about your strengths and how you can use them to help others. And don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Creativity is often at the core of the most successful businesses.

If you’re interested in learning more tips on small businesses, be sure to check out our Resource Hub . There, we discuss the specifics of taxes, business grants, and more.

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The 5 Profitable Business Ideas in Canada

The 5 Profitable Business Ideas in Canada

  • Transportation Service
  • Food Service
  • Waste Management
  • Storage Services
  • Construction Business

Business Industry Recommendations for Immigrants

Requirements when starting a business in canada.

  • Plan and choose your business structure.
  • Register Your Business Name and Business.
  • Apply for Business Permits and Licenses.
  • Know Your Tax Obligations.
  • Register for Insurance and Employee Benefits.

FAQ about Profitable Businesses in Canada

Canada is an ideal place to start a business due to its economic stability, lower corporate taxes, and skilled workforce.

It also provides opportunities for business owners to expand to the foreign market due to its close connection to the U.S – that’s why many people want to start a business in Canada. 

If you’re planning to invest your hard-earned money into a business in Canada, the most profitable ones to start are in transportation services, food service, waste management, storage services, and construction.

Starting a business can be daunting, but in this article, we’ll discuss why these are Canada’s most profitable industries to help you out! Remember that this list is based on our research and not personal recommendations.

Well, no more delays, and let’s dive right in!

1. Transportation Service

Transportation Service's Homepage

The transportation business in Canada is a lucrative industry. Building this type of business means having your own fleet to transport cargo and goods to different cities or provinces, specifically trucks.

According to Statista , the trucking industry generated nearly $39.55 billion from almost $63.7 million in shipments in 2018 alone. It’s such a popular industry to go into that there were 324,200 truck drivers in 2021, an 8% increase from the previous year.

Although the pandemic caused a dip in the trucking industry due to the slow and unpredictable movement of cargo and goods, it has seen a gradual return in 2021. 

Despite that, it remains one of Canada’s most vital industries. In 2021, it made up 3.6% of the country’s total gross domestic product (GDP).

Statistics Canada reported that for-hire trucking businesses developed an operating revenue of about $67.8 billion in 2019.

And the province that earned the majority of the revenue is Ontario at $24.4 billion. Meanwhile, Alberta had $11.9 billion, quickly followed by Quebec at $11.8 billion.

Truck transportation is commonly used to transport goods to different provinces, compared to air and rail transportation. In fact, truck drivers will be one of the most in-demand jobs in the country due to the current labour shortage.

Canada’s ageing population means it needs to employ more truck drivers to transport goods all over the country and to neighbouring countries. This also means it’s one of the most popular jobs for immigrants.

2. Food Service

Food Service's Homepage

It’s no secret that the pandemic damaged many industries all over the world. Despite that, food service remains one of Canada’s most profitable businesses.

The food industry is a flexible business because of its many areas. Different types of food cater to different palates, and some people can start a food business with a small investment.

You can start a food truck business if leasing a space is too pricey because it offers mobility. Plus, it’s becoming popular because it’s a unique take compared to traditional restaurants. 

There’s also a rise in in-person and virtual cooking classes. This is an easy business to go into because you can also record lessons for customers to pay for and view on their own time.

Another option is putting up a stall at weekend markets or festivals. Furthermore, street vendors in Canada continue to rise and will do so in the next several years.

The food service industry offers flexibility and tonnes of choices. As a result, many immigrants start their own restaurants because of the different cultural dishes they can offer Canadians.

Statista reported that the largest part of the food industry is confectionery and snacks, with a US$27.69 billion market volume in 2023. Consequently, there are various dessert and snack businesses in the country.

According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada , food service is the largest manufacturing industry in most of Canada’s regions.

Ontario and Quebec produced the most in 2019, with 62% of total sales combined. British Columbia and Alberta are just behind, with 22% of the sales. 

In the table below is a list of some profitable food business ideas in Canada:

3. Waste Management

Waste Management's Homepage

Who would’ve thought that trash could be profitable?

Waste collection depends on the amount of rubbish from households, businesses, and healthcare services. People purchase many types of goods, resulting in more production from manufacturers due to demand.

The packaging for deliveries alone requires a lot of cardboard and plastic. And since the pandemic, online purchases have seen a huge demand.

For example, purchasing a laptop online will require the original packaging. On top of that, there will be another cardboard box to put the product in, with plastic or foam inserts for protection.

Then, these things will go to the trash, where waste management comes in. They will collect and segregate hazardous and non-hazardous waste for recycling, composting, and proper disposal.

It’s a booming industry that Canada’s 2023 waste services revenue will be $6.8 billion in 2023, according to IBISWorld .

Additionally, the forecast is it will grow to about 2.5% this year. As a matter of fact, waste management has steadily risen from 2017 to 2022, making it a profitable business in the years to come.

4. Storage Services

Storage Services' Homepage

Storage is a profitable business that doesn’t get the reputation it deserves. In 2021, it had US$51.32 billion in value and is expected to reach up to US$71.37 billion by 2027.

Self-storage, specifically, is a lucrative business. You can build many storage units for rent in a single property and earn a profit.

Many households and businesses use self-storage to store their extra furniture, equipment, and supplies. Many renters need this as well because they don’t have enough space in apartments to store all their belongings.

It’s not a business idea in Canada that one instantly thinks of. But it’s profitable and easy to manage compared to other business sectors.

Moreover, it has a market size of $8 billion. Besides that, it has shown stability even with the pandemic crisis.

Urban development has positively impacted the storage industry. Many Canadians in the city are looking at apartments and condominiums, which have smaller spaces. Hence, the need for self-storage units.

There’s so much demand for it that there’s even a reality show based on storage units – Storage Wars!

5. Construction Business

Construction Business' Homepage

Building a construction business in Canada can be highly profitable. There’s so much demand for new structures – big or small – that Canadians are continuously looking for contractors .

It can be a demanding and competitive industry, but many provinces have a high demand for contractors. Canada has even included skilled contractors in its in-demand jobs for immigrants.

Provinces like Ontario and Quebec have so much construction going on to repair, modernize, and improve structures. As the years go by, many buildings, houses, roads, and bridges will need to be built, renovated, repaired, or replaced.

As a result of these factors, the demand for construction businesses will continue to grow. In fact, the construction industry brings 7.5% to Canada’s GDP. To give you a better idea, it fetches $141 billion annually.

Coming into a new country is not easy. There are many challenges when integrating into the community.

But many immigrants in Canada have been successful in establishing businesses. Some have even been operating for decades!

Here are some business industry recommendations for immigrants who want to have a successful foundation in Canada. But keep in mind that you must still do your research on the business structure, type, and location for better success.

Business Industries for Immigrants

• Construction Industry

• Food Services

• Hospitality Services

• Retail / Grocery Services

• Agriculture Industry

• Professional Services

• Transportation Industry

Requirements When Starting a Business in Canada

Starting a business can be an intimidating task. There are many requirements and paperwork that you need to think about.

When building a business in Canada , there are certain steps you need to take. To guide you, we’ve made a list to keep it simple and concise.

1. Plan and choose your business structure.

The type of business will dictate your tax obligations. It’s important that you know ahead if you want to build a small or large business. So, you need to choose your business structure.

2. Register Your Business Name and Business.

It may look easy to choose a business name, but it’s probably one of the most challenging aspects when starting a business. This is also difficult to do in a big country like Canada.

A business name needs to be recognizable to customers, while representing your business. It can’t be the same as other companies, or even similar, especially as other corporations.

Remember that there are legal ramifications if your business name is too similar to other companies. In contrast, sole proprietors will only need to use their legal names. 

Once you register your business name, you also need to register your business. You must know where your main office location will be and if you plan on doing business in other provinces or territories.

Federal business registration will generally take a couple of days. Meanwhile, provincial business registration will sometimes take up to 35 days, depending on the province.

It’s important to note that there are fees when registering a business, depending on the business structure. Some will take only $80, while some can take $300.

The Government of Canada provides access support for business registration by region, which you can access here .

Another factor to know is that corporations will need to make a company bank account. Meanwhile, sole proprietors don’t need to create a different business bank account (but it’s good practice to have one). 

3. Apply for Business Permits and Licenses.

Next is applying for business permits and licenses, which sounds tricky. Luckily, Canada has set up BizPal , an online portal to help business owners find the required permits and licenses based on their business structure, industry, and location.

This paperwork will depend on the municipality, too. Besides that, different business activities can have different types of permits or licenses.

For instance, certain types of businesses will need building permits and electrical permits. Another is food inspection for food services like bakeries or restaurants.

4. Know Your Tax Obligations.

All businesses need to pay taxes , and failure to do so will result in hefty fines (or jail time). Taxes will depend on the business structure and location.

You are also required to keep accounting records. Remember that you will need the CRA’s permission before destroying these before the retention period ends or face prosecution.

Depending on the location and business type, owners will usually need to include Goods and Services Tax (GST) or Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) in their services. However, this will also depend on the revenue.

Canada offers free tax support for self-employed individuals and sole proprietors. This is an option that many freelancers opt for if they cannot afford to hire an accountant or a bookkeeper .

5. Register for Insurance and Employee Benefits.

Businesses with employees will need to register for employee benefits. Labour-type companies will need insurance and liability coverage to keep the business, employees, and customers safe in case of worksite accidents.

Other employee benefits include healthcare insurance and leave benefits. Apart from that, business owners will need to have a payroll system for their employees.

5 Tips When Starting a Business in Canada

When starting a business in Canada, there are many factors to consider. Aside from funding, you need to have passion for your chosen industry, or your business might not last. You will also need perseverance, courage, and support. So, here are some tips before building your business:

1. Find your passion.

If you hate math and are starting a bookkeeping service, then it may not be the best idea. There’s a good chance your business will flop if you’re not passionate about it. Many businesses start with an idea. So, dive deep into your mind and find your niche or what aspect of life you’re passionate about. Of course, it also needs to be something that your community needs. But finding a business that you love will definitely help when you’re facing problems (which all business owners will go through) in the future.

2. Design a business plan.

Before starting a business, you must create a company plan. You can’t go into the business world without a strategy because you need to think for the future. Additionally, you must know your products and customers, too. So, do a lot of research about your products and location. Will you sell your baked goods at the weekend market, or would you prefer to lease a place in the town centre? 

3. Have a good credit score and funding.

If you’re building a business, you must have financial support through investors or borrowing money from the bank. Let’s face it, passion alone cannot save a business. You need to know all the costs you’ll need to spend for your business, from prototypes to utility costs. Plus, you need to invest in your business to help it in the future.

4. Use the digital world.

Nowadays, in this technology-ridden world, many businesses can’t operate without the help of social media. There are various ways to build a digital footprint for your business, through creating social media accounts or hiring a digital marketing agency . Simply creating a website for your business can boost your presence. Most people search online for products or services they need, which is why incorporating social media would be a great advantage.

5. Promote your business.

Starting a business is a big deal, and you should be proud of it! It’s not easy to bring your dream into reality, and it takes a lot of hard work! So, don’t be shy to promote your business within your community. An online presence is good, but your loyal customers will most likely come from the local community. Set up posters and print business cards. Your customers need to learn about your business so they can check it out.

Canada is a popular spot for starting a business, even for foreign nationals. Here are some of the most in-demand businesses in the country: 1. Coffee shop 2. Catering 3. Restaurant 4. Automotive repair shop 5. General contractor business

Here are some of the top small business ideas in Canada, with some you can start from the comfort of your own home: 1. Pet care business 2. Coffee shop 3. Custom cakes or dessert shop 4. Cleaning service 5. Web design agency

Some of the fastest-growing businesses in Canada in 2023 are e-commerce, primary care, digital agency, and cybersecurity. 

Canada has many profitable industries due to its economy and resources. Here are some of the booming industries in the country: 1. Oil and Gas Industry 2. Real Estate Industry 3. Trucking Industry 4. Engineering Industry

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10 Low-Cost, Part-Time Businesses you can Start Online from Home

By Digital Editor - Melody McKinnon on April 13, 2023 32 Comments

10 Low-Cost, Part-Time Businesses you can Start Online from Home

An online ‘side hustle’ can be a permanent income option for Canadians, or a fast, cheap, practical and safer way to test the waters before going full time.

It’s a scary leap to just quit your job and try to earn enough money online from home. Even if you’re already home with the kids, it’s tough to work on your business full time while taking care of them. A lot of people may simply need to supplement their existing income while they work a “day job” or enjoy retirement. Students need to work part-time with a flexible schedule to accommodate classes. Luckily, many online business models make it perfectly feasible to work part-time from home.

It’s a popular concept. An Intuit study reported that 53% of all new startups in Canada are run by part-time entrepreneurs.

“It means that the average startup – defined as a business in operation for three years or less – is not what it is commonly assumed to be,” the Intuit report states. “The true portrait of a Canadian startup is the woman down the street who is working through nights and weekends in pursuit of her great new idea, while spending her days working for someone else.”

10 Low-Cost Side Businesses you can Start Online from Home

Following are some part-time, online business opportunities for you to consider as a home-based business. If you need more guidance, follow our checklist How to Start an Online Business in Canada .

1. Freelance Content Writing, Video Production, or Graphics Design

Content is king online and companies are screaming for it. This can range from corporate blogging, to video production to graphics design (such as infographics). Set up a simple website and focus on promoting your personal brand. Don’t worry about hiring a website designer for now, just select a host with website building tools. They’re designed for those who don’t know HTML and they get more user-friendly every day. Read Checklist: Choosing a Website Host for your Canadian Business for guidance.

Further reading: How to Start a Digital Content Freelancing Business in Canada

2. Drop Shipping

Drop Shipping is the easiest, least expensive way to sell products online.  You won’t have to worry about inventory or shipping. You make arrangements with a wholesale supplier or manufacturer to sell their products direct online. You can offer these products on your own website, or via online auctions like eBay, or through a sellers’ market like Amazon. The customer price minus the wholesale cost equals your profit.

Further reading: Drop Shipping / Wholesale for Canadian Sellers

3. Start a Blog (But not Just any Blog)

Millions of people have started blogging, but far less make money doing so. Lucrative blogging has a learning curve but you don’t have to learn it all at once. The most important thing you need to know right now is you must choose a niche that is a happy medium between popularity and originality. You don’t want to start out with a topic that’s insanely saturated like your average “Mommy Blog”, you will be much more successful if you dig a niche out of it. Using the “Mommy Blog” as an example, you might want to narrow the niche to parenting teens, or go even deeper and write about parenting “difficult” teens, and so on.

Once you’re established, you can do quite well with sponsorship from individual companies and/or affiliate marketing. Most free, hosted blog platforms limit your income options, so check into hosting your own blog as soon as possible.

Further reading:  How to Make Money Blogging in Canada: The Ultimate Guide .

4. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate programs allow you to advertise for a company and earn a percentage of the sales you generate for them.  To make a decent amount of money with affiliate marketing, you’ll need a website. This will be your home base for everything from building a mailing list to social media promotion.

Many people are interested in affiliate marketing because they believe in the “make money while you sleep” concept. That may be technically true, but in reality successful affiliate marketing demands a lot of effort. Once you’ve established a following, both on your website and in newsletter subscribers, it will get easier.

Further reading: How to Start Affiliate Marketing in Canada

5. Digital Information & Learning Products

Virtually everyone has a high level of expertise on one topic or another. Create & sell information products such as courses, white papers, reports, or even an eBook.

Further reading: How to Develop Your Own Online Coaching Info-Products

[DISCLOSURE: We may receive compensation for links to products on this website. ]

6. Virtual Assistant (VA)

Virtual assistants may do anything from social media management to secretarial tasks. Whatever skill you have that can be done remotely, is marketable under the ‘Virtual Assistant’ label.  Working as a virtual assistant has become even more feasible with the option of working and collaborating in “the cloud”.  Tasks like collaborative design and accounting are easily accomplished thanks to “the cloud”, along with other online collaboration and file sharing tools. If you need marketable qualifications, you can take a course in executive administration, medical assistant, computer tech or other profession suitable for working at home.

Further reading:   How to Become a Virtual Assistant (VA) in Canada

7. “Member Only” Content

It’s relatively easy and economical to set up any WordPress blog with member-only content that you can charge a membership fee for. It can be a stand-alone offering, or part of a course, eBook, etc. They’re often combined with private online communities  on the topic, which can also be established with inexpensive WordPress plugins. Alternately, you may want to invest in a website management system that is specially designed for it.

Further reading: How to Start a Popular and Profitable Membership Website

8. Web translation

In Canada, there are a good number of websites, social media, and videos that need a French version. Set up a basic website and promote your services. You can also network with web designers and even offer them a commission if they refer clients to you.

Further reading: Start an Online Content Translation Business in Canada

9. Open an Online Store

Sell products or services online through your own ecommerce business in Canada. This can be almost as inexpensive as other businesses, but you will have to purchase or produce inventory. Start with a few products or your own creations and let the sales feed your line expansion. Don’t go crazy and purchase or produce 5000 of each item, start small to test the market. Your profit margin may not be high when you buy in small quantities but your losses on products that don’t sell will be minimal.

The first thing you’ll need is a domain name that reflects your company, while keeping it as short as possible to make it easier for people to remember. You’ll also need Canadian-friendly website hosting / ecommerce software (like Canadian currency and a shopping cart with Canada Post integration), such as Shopify . For more information, please read the Canadian Guide to the Best Ecommerce Platform Software .

Further reading: Checklist: How to Start an Online Store (Ecommerce Business) in Canada

10. Auctions and Online Marketplaces

The perfect way to try online business is through auctions and online marketplaces. This option can go well beyond eBay, with massive online marketplaces like Amazon, or specialized marketplaces like Etsy. More and more Canadians are finding out that selling on marketplaces can become a thriving business. They use creative methods for sourcing and selling merchandise. Taking advantage of FBA (fulfillment by Amazon) makes it much easier to manage and usually increases sales.

Tools and courses have been launched specifically for Amazon sellers, designed by their colleagues to streamline the marketplace learning process and legwork. Jungle Scout has a highly-rated, free FBA course, along with a suite of popular Amazon tools for product & keyword research, competitive intelligence and product sourcing.

If you don’t want to learn it all and do it all, you don’t have to! There are lots of freelance experts covering every aspect of selling on Amazon and similar online marketplaces.

Further reading: Online Marketplaces for Canadian Sellers

Thousands of Canadians are starting side businesses online with very little tech knowledge. In fact, if you can use Facebook, you’re capable of starting an online business. You don’t need to know HTML, website and ecommerce software is designed for people who don’t. There are endless sources of information online to guide you through the rest. It often costs very little to get started and the ROI odds are in your favour. Before you know it, you could be working online full time if you want to. Having an online business gives you the freedom to decide.

Have you ever made money part-time online or are you just exploring the possibility? Please share with us in the comments below or discuss this and other online business topics in the Online Business Canada Facebook group !

Recession-Proof Online Businesses to Start from Home book

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Melody McKinnon

Digital Editor - Melody McKinnon

Melody McKinnon is an internet entrepreneur with 25 years of experience in a wide range of online business models, backed by a formal business education and enhanced by training and mentorship. She has owned or managed both educational and ecommerce websites. Her book, 7 Recession Proof Online Businesses to Start From Home, is available from all major ebook retailers.

Melody has worked with many businesses & brands in a multitude of capacities. She can often be found on CanadianDigitalMedia.com, CanadiansInternet.com, CanadianFamily.net, and AllNaturalPetCare.com, as well as other quality digital publications. Her content has earned reference links from highly-respected websites, magazines and university textbooks.

Follow Melody McKinnon on Medium: https://medium.com/@business_32556

Canadian eCommerce and Social Sales Q1 2016

   Canadian business opportunities , Canadian small business , Canadian web-based business , home-based business Canada

guest

great well now I have too many business opportunities to choose from LOL but I’m still researching so that’s ok. 😉 😉

Cole T

Can anyone share which online business is most successful for them? And the easiest of all? I’m not lazy but I don’t have much time to work on a business on the side.

Ash

Great advice! Parttime is the only way most of us can start a biz and online makes it easier to do in spare time. Big plans for 2022 over here!!!

Oyindamola Babafemi

I am a new immigrant in canada but it quite difficult landing an official job since i came in, this post is quite insightful. i hope i can successfully start an online business.

Tika

2021 is going to be the start of a new era of buying & learning online! I can’t wait to get started and narrowed down my business niche just last week to ‘gifted’ preschoolers. It starts with courses but I’m planning a membership model later on. I couldn’t do it without you! *RESPECT*

leval Ainah

What a fantastic post! This is so chockful of useful information. Thanks for giving me such excellent & applicative Information. Your exuberance is refreshing.

Mr. Miser

I’m all fired up now I just have to choose which one I want to tackle first. That’s right! I want to do more than one! LOL maybe biting off more than I can chew but the possibilities are so exciting and it’s been a long time since I’ve even been able to consider working. I have severe mobility problems but my brain is still tarp as a shack! Ha ha Thanks for brightning my life!

Harish Kumar

Worth reading,helpful article,most of them are struggling to start a business because of huge capital,I am sure this low cost business will help them to earn a decent income,keep sharing with us.

Blaire LeClerc

It’s easy to lose your way when you’re trying to figure out online business and there’s plenty of people who want to take advantage of newbies. It’s important to stick with sites like this one especially in the beginning. I wouldn’t be almost ready to publish my first website if it wasn’t for you and some good books. Be careful everyone but definitly DO IT.

Verne Potvin

want to start selling on shopify or amazon. i see all these courses etc online that say they teach what to do etc and become successful. but concerned about scams etc. can you please point me in the right direction. There must be some legit teachers etc out there.

Digital Editor - Melody McKinnon

You can learn more about using Shopify to sell on Amazon and eBay HERE .

Try searching for Facebook groups or ask in the Amazon discussion forums . You’ll find a lot of people who have taken courses.

Deni

Great advice! I really wanted to start selling on Amazon (US) from Canada. Would the legalities be the same? Any recommendations?

The logistics are different but it isn’t difficult once you’re set up. The Amazon.com discussion forums are a wealth of info.

Bruce Isabel

I am about to start my first online store/dropshopping business. Due to medical issues I can no longer drove semi. This site is amazing! Thank you so much! I am learning things I didnt even know I needed to know but it is such comprehensive info that i am excited to get deeper and launch this business!

Denise-Ann

I can’t wait to get started! My baby is due in October. Talk about motivation! I’ll be on maternity leave for a year but I know I won’t have much time with an infant. If I can get everything rolling now I hope to maintain it then. It’s so exciting! The best part is I don’t have to choose between raising children and having a career. Women can have it all!

Binodprasad neupane

I am binodprasad neupane from nepal .I want to vesite canada then want to started bisnuss what can I do.

skinz4dinz

Not exactly a business.. But I started with teaching ESL online..

Chandra

I just started with this health product company to offset my day job income.

Océane Vipond

I don’t know how I’m going to find the time to start a side business but I’m determined to try! I have a family and full time job. I love the former but DESPISE the latter. I want to be home with my kids and be far away from office drama. Working online would be a dream come true! I don’t care if I have to survive on 5 hours of sleep and work every weekend, I’m going to make it happen! Thanks for the help!

You go girl! You’ve got this :-).

Karlee P. James

I’d like to do a mashup of ideas. I’ve already started with blogging & freelance writing and I’m doing pretty good with that. There’s some affiliate marketing with the blog and I can see more potential there. I like to use links in what I’m writing because it feels natural and enjoyable to do it that way. Like you do! I don’t know if selling real products is for me but anything is poss.

artsy

Your advice and information are very helpful. I’m as new as a ‘newbie’ can be to this and I believe this site took people like myself into kind consideration. Thank you for that!

rowena supan sembrano

Brilliant Ideas.. I am actually a VA.. and i may say.. this one really help a lot..

vaishnavichari

Very well researched and rounded up list of opportunities and online biz trends. Invaluable resource for those starting out online, and as much to those of us, who want to scale up to a full-time online biz. Thanks a ton, for the awesome post!

Marissa Gerry

I have to thank you! I found this post when I was pregnant and wanted to stay home with my baby. Slowly built a freelancing biz and will have a website soon! I build custom wordpress plugins and help with other wordpress tech stuff. Maternity is almost over and I can make my stay at home mom dream come true without makig my family struggle. 🙂

Travey Lee

My goal is to combine a few of these ideas into a full time online business. Lots of work to do but I’m optimistic about its success. I’d tell you my niche but it’s top secret ;). I do have a couple of friends who run businesses online and I envy their success. One went to full time and now has a staff of three. He winters in Florida…I kid you not! If those nimrods can do it so can I ;).

A. Michaud

Great online biz ideas! I’m looking into French translation which I never would have though of were it not for this post. I’m hoping to have a site up & running before the summer is over. I’ll give you credit when I’m rich & famous LOL. 😉

Pepsi Pete

Thanks for the great ideas!

Lance

I usually work for other net businesses but that’s a business in itself. Great ideas. I hope everyone breaks free from the office!

Linda

I’m thinking about rare books but I haven’t really checked into it much. Canadians can get that stuffed shipped here but it’s better to buy it on home soil.

Laney

So many possibilities and I need to do something before I lose my home. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

All the best to you, Laney!

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cheap business ideas canada

31 Online Business Ideas in Canada PLUS 6 CA Specific Steps To Get Started

October 3, 2023

The best online business ideas in Canada are:

  • Local lead generation  (CA$600 to CA$4,000/month per website)
  • Affiliate marketing  (CA$5,000/month on average)
  • Blogging  (CA$3,000/month on average)
  • Email marketing agency  (CA$5,000/month on average)
  • Web design agency  (CA$500 to CA$6,000/month on average per client)

You can make money online in Canada. In fact, Canada is one of the best countries in the world to make online income because of its stable business environment and relatively high wealth. The average take home pay of an online small business owner in Canada is around CA$77K/year, according to Glassdoor. You can start many online businesses in Canada, such as businesses around digital marketing, Ecommerce, content creation, and even trading and finance-related businesses. There are so many small business ideas for Canada, it's just a matter of choosing one and getting started. In the following article, you'll find dozens of the best online business ideas and the specific steps you need to get started with a Canadian online business. 

cheap business ideas canada

1. Local lead generation

Local lead generation is an online business model that generates income by ranking websites on Google to attract potential customers for local service businesses and then selling those leads to actual local service businesses for a profit. For example, a local lead generation business can set up a website to attract customers for the bathroom remodeling service niche in Nova Scotia. You would then monetize that site by finding a local bathroom remodeling business in Nova Scotia that is looking for more business or just wants to improve their marketing. A local lead generation website typically brings in anywhere from CA$600 to CA$4,000 per month, depending on factors like the location and specific service niche. Local lead generation agencies can operate multiple of these sites, potentially bringing in 5-figures of residual income each month. The startup costs for a local lead generation website are relatively low, costing around CA$100 or less to get started with a website and hosting service. 

2. Affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing is a type of digital marketing where businesses leverage the skills and connections of third-party marketers to promote their products in exchange for a commission. For example, Canadian Ecommerce platform Shopify pays its affiliates a $150 commission for each qualified referral. As an affiliate marketer, you can promote brands through a range of online traffic channels, including:

  • Niche websites
  • Social media
  • PPC advertising
  • Email marketing

An affiliate marketer in Canada can expect to make around CA$60,000 on average, according to Glassdoor.

3. Blogging

Blogging is generating an online audience by providing informal information through a website. Blogs typically deliver content for a targeted niche. For example, this blog you're reading now is geared towards online business. Bloggers can generate online income through a variety of monetization methods, such as:

  • Google AdSense
  • Affiliate marketing
  • Sponsored posts
  • Selling merchandise, like blog themed t-shirts
  • Selling a digital product, like an online course

Successful bloggers boast digital marketing skills like copywriting and SEO. Canadian bloggers can expect to make around CA$18.69/hour on average, according to Indeed. 

4. Email marketing agency

Email marketing is a digital marketing method that reaches audiences through email outreach. Email marketing agencies serve clients by helping to develop effective email campaigns and strategies that generate more awareness for the business’s offerings and sales. With over 4 billion active daily email users, email marketing remains one of the most effective channels for online marketing. As such, businesses are continuing to increase email marketing budgets. In fact, global email marketing revenue is expected to increase from just $7.5 billion in 2020 up to $17.9 billion by 2027, according to Statista. Email marketing specialists in Canada typically make around CA$57K/year on average, according to PayScale.

5. Web design agency

Web design is the process of creating websites that are both aesthetically attractive and functional in order to provide a positive user experience. A web design agency leverages a team of web designers and web developers to create and maintain client websites, and ensures the look and function of the website is appropriate for the client's needs. According to GoDaddy, web design projects in Canada typically cost between CA$500 and CA$6,000, with some enterprise projects charging as high as CA$30,000.

6. SEO agency

SEO, or search engine optimization, is the process of optimizing a website to improve its visibility on search engines like Google or Yahoo. SEO can also be applied to social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube as well. An SEO agency takes on clients and assists them with their SEO strategies and implementation so they can attract their target audience that would be most interested in their products and services. SEO projects typically take 6 to 12 months to start generating results, according to Ahrefs. As such, SEO agencies can secure longer term contracts from their clients. According to Toronto-based digital marketing agency 23e2 Digital Marketing, monthly SEO retainers in Canada typically range between CA$700 to CA$2,000, while one-time projects can range from CA$5,000 to CA$30,000.

7. Social media marketing agency

Social media users in Canada average 2 hours and 5 minutes per day, according to Made in Canada, making social media platforms like Instagram and Pinterest an especially attractive marketing channel for Canadian businesses. Social media marketing agencies support businesses with a range of social media marketing-related tasks, like:

  • Content creation
  • Content scheduling
  • Community management
  • Social listening
  • Influencer management

Social media marketing is meant to develop and expand a brand’s online reputation, while driving business results like generating leads and sales. Social media marketing services in Canada can range between CA$1,500 to CA$10,000/month for most clients, according to Asset Digital Communications.

8. Social media influencer

A social media presence can be extremely valuable, with Canadian social media influencers like Audrey Rivet earning millions through their collaborations with major companies and other income channels. In fact, a social media influencer can generate online income through a variety of monetization strategies, like:

  • Advertising revenue
  • Brand partnerships
  • Direct donations
  • Selling custom merchandise

Through these methods, social media influencers in Canada make around CA$97K on average, according to Indeed. 

9. Amazon FBA

Amazon is the largest online marketplace in the world. Amazon accounts for approximately 41.5% of total Ecommerce sales in Canada, according to Insider Intelligence. Therefore, selling on Amazon is a great opportunity to reach the Canadian market. Ecommerce sellers that sell through Amazon can also access the Amazon FBA program to simplify their online selling efforts and improve their efficiency. Amazon FBA, or Fulfillment by Amazon, is an Ecommerce order fulfillment service that leverages Amazon’s advanced systems to store, pack, and ship products to the customer. An Amazon FBA seller in Canada just needs to send their Amazon inventory to one of Amazon’s 40+ Canada-based fulfillment centers, and Amazon will handle getting their order to the customer when it sells. These fulfillment centers are placed strategically across the country in major centers like Ottawa and Montreal to maximize efficiency.

According to a 2021 report by Ecom crew, over half of Canadian Amazon sellers were able to reach over CA$50K in annual revenue from their business. The startup cost for an Amazon FBA business can vary dramatically depending on the business model chosen. For example, the startup cost when using the retail arbitrage business model is just around a few hundred dollars, while Amazon FBA sellers who choose private label can expect to spend $10,000 or more on their business. 

10. Dropshipping

Dropshipping is an Ecommerce business model where you leverage your product supplier to ship orders directly to your customer. A dropshipping business sources products from special supplier marketplaces like AliExpress where products can be obtained for near wholesale price without the need for purchasing a wholesale quantity. These products are then marketed online, through online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay, or through custom online stores created with Ecommerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce. When dropshipping items sell, a dropshipping business simply buys the product from their supplier and sends them the customer’s shipping detail to complete the order. Therefore, although profit margins are much lower than other Ecommerce opportunities, dropshipping is a relatively low investment, minimal risk opportunity to make money online. Canadian dropship specialists make around CA$54K on average, according to Glassdoor. 

11. Sell handmade products

Unlike many other Ecommerce selling methods, selling handmade products enables you to deliver unique and sometimes custom products to customers. There are many places to sell handmade products online in Canada, including:

  • Amazon Handmade Canada

To get an idea of what kind of handmade items you should sell, you can check the Best Selling Items Handmade page on Etsy Canada.

12. Subscription box business

A subscription box business packages and sends members a set of niche products on a regular basis, typically weekly or monthly, for an ongoing subscription fee. For example, the Canadian subscription box service, Fresh Prep, is a weekly meal prep subscription service that starts at $27.98 and ships to Western Canadian cities like Vancouver and Calgary. Starting a subscription box service can enable you to generate more consistent Ecommerce revenue because you’re orders are subscription-based, making your online income more predictable.

13. Print-on-demand

Print-on-demand (POD) is an Ecommerce business model that entails printing custom designs onto generic goods, like T-shirts and coffee mugs, and having the supplier ship the orders directly to customers. POD is similar to dropshipping, but requires you to provide custom graphic designs for the supplier to print onto merchandise, as opposed to just selling what’s already available stock from the supplier, like a dropshipper does. The profit margin for a print on demand business is typically slim, ranging between 15% to 20%, according to Tee In Blue. The best print-on-demand services in Canada are:

14. Sell online courses

The online education industry in Canada is expanding rapidly, expected to grow from $5.13 billion in 2023 to $8.25 billion by 2027, according to Statista. You can take advantage of this trend by creating and selling online courses yourself. The most popular online courses are typically geared towards teaching digital skills, like digital marketing. However, you can create and sell online courses on a variety of topics not related to digital skills, such as foreign language, cosmology, or even woodworking. Some of the best platforms for selling online courses in Canada include:

  • LearningCart

15. Business coaching

Business coaching is the process of helping to guide businesses and professionals in pursuit of their operational goals. A business coach can help their clients improve their mindset, create effective businesses strategies to follow, and expand their leadership abilities. In order to command the respect and business of clients, a business coach typically needs to come from business background and boast a track record of success. The average business coach in Canada makes around CA$68K/year, according to Talent.

16. Tutoring

If you don’t have the qualifications to be a business coach, tutoring is an alternative online small business idea to consider where you exchange your relative knowledge for a fee. The average tutor in Canada earns around CA$21.62/hour, according to Indeed. As a tutor, you help students and eager learners to master a topic that you excel at but they’re struggling with. Some of the most common topics to tutor on include:

  • Foreign language
  • Computer science

17. Publish eBooks

Platforms like Google Play Books and Amazon KDP enable you to self publish eBooks online and earn royalties on the sales. For example, publishing and selling eBooks on Amazon will earn you between 35% to 70% royalties. Considering that the average salary for a writer in Canada hovers around CA$62K/year, there’s certainly an opportunity to make a decent living, and even some passive income, by publishing eBooks.

18. Podcasting

Podcasting is creating and uploading informational or entertaining audio recordings for mass listening. Podcasters typically focus their show on a specific niche and use high quality audio equipment to capture their dialogue on the topic. A podcast can have a single person talking or feature multiple people to provide more of a discussion or interview style of show. Some of the most popular podcast niches in Canada are comedy, health, business, and news. According to Chartable, the most popular Spotify podcast in Canada is Hot Mess with Alix Earle. A podcaster in Canada can expect to make around CA$84K/year on average, according to Glassdoor. 

19. Bookkeeping

Bookkeeping is the process of tracking and organizing a business's financial transactions, including how money flows into and out of a business. Although bookkeeping certainly requires skills like basic math and attention to detail, you do not need a professional license or degree to become a bookkeeper in Canada. Even so, receiving an official designation, such as becoming a Registered Professional Bookkeeper through the Canadian Bookkeepers Association, can enhance your profit potential by giving business owners the confidence that you can effectively manage their books. The average salary for a bookkeeper in Canada is approximately CA$25.61/hour, according to data from Indeed.

20. Accounting

Unlike bookkeeping, accounting does typically require a formal certification to work in Canada. That’s because accountants go beyond simply recording transactions by providing consultations and advising businesses on tax matters, which require advanced expertise. Accountants in Canada usually earn a higher rate than bookkeepers, ranging from CA$23/hour to upwards of CA$62.50/hour, according to Job Bank Canada. This can be a great home based business idea for those who have studied accounting and spent time working in an accounting-related role at a major financial institution, like working as an auditor at Deloitte. 

21. Stock trading

Stock trading is the short term buying and selling of the shares of publicly traded companies to try to earn a profit by estimating price movements in the equities. For example, a stock trader would buy Shopify if they believe that Shopify’s stock will go up in value. A Canadian stock trader can access stocks to trade by going through an online brokerage firm. Some of the top brokerages for Canadian stock traders include Scotia iTRADE, IFC Markets, and National Bank of Canada. Through these brokerages, you can gain access to equities listed on both the Toronto Stock Exchange as well as international stocks, such as those listed on the NASDAQ in the United States. Canadian stock traders can expect to earn CA$68K/year on average, according to Glassdoor. 

22. Forex trading

Forex trading is the buying and selling of currency pairs to try to realize a profit when one currency goes up or down in value against another currency. For example, you would buy the currency pair USD/CAD if you believe that the US dollar is going to go up relative to the Canadian dollar. Some of the best online forex brokerages to trade currencies in Canada include CMC Markets, AvaTrade, and Saxo. One of the major benefits that forex trading has over stock trading is that the markets are open 24 hours a day during the week instead of being limited to a strict window during the standard working day. Therefore, you have more flexibility as to when you work. The average forex trader in Canada makes CA$65,000/year, according to PayScale.

23. Crypto trading

Cryptocurrencies are digital currencies that are not regulated through a central authority, such as government-backed currency like the Canadian dollar is. Cryptocurrency trading is trying to realize a profit through the selling and buying of cryptocurrencies in relation to other cryptocurrencies and country currencies. For example, you could use Canadian dollars to buy Bitcoin if you think bitcoin will go up in value relative to the Canadian dollar. Then, you could use that Bitcoin to buy Ethereum if you believe that Ethereum will go up in value relative to Bitcoin. Cryptocurrency is legal in Canada, and you can trade these digital currencies through platforms like Binance, Coinbase, and Kraken. The average salary for a crypto trader in Canada is around $97K/year on average, according to Glassdoor.

24. Sell NFTs

An NFT, or non-fungible token, is a digital asset that exists on the blockchain, the same technology that cryptocurrency is based on. NFTs can be anything digital, such as artwork or music. These digital assets can be bought and sold to generate profit. In fact, during the height of the NFT craze in 2021, “The Merge” by Pak’s sold for a staggering $91.8 million! However, the value of NFTs has fallen dramatically since that time. Even so, there’s still likely some potential for NFTs in the future, and another bull market for the assets at some point isn’t an impossibility. Just remember that if you do make money by selling NFTs in Canada, you will be subject to capital gains tax according to the Canadian Revenue Agency. 

25. Transcription services

Transcription is the process of taking audio information and converting it into written format. Therefore, this is a relatively simple online business idea that can enable you to make money online without too many digital skills. You just need good hearing and the ability to type quickly. According to Indeed, the average salary for a transcriptionist in Canada is CA$20.11 per hour.

26. Translation services

Translation is taking one language and converting it into another language, while maintaining its meaning and message. For example, converting a legal document written in Chinese into English. Some of the most common industries that often use translation services are legal services, financial services, manufacturing companies, Ecommerce stores, and tourism-related companies. English is the most common native language spoken in Canada, with 55.9% of the population speaking the language, followed by French at 20% and Chinese at 3.5% of the total population, according to Babbel. Therefore, translation services are especially valuable in Canada given that the country is multilingual. A translator in Canada can expect to make CA$28/hour on average, according to Indeed.

27. Data entry

Data entry is the process of entering information into digital formats, typically spreadsheets and softwares that convert the data into actionable insights. Data entry doesn’t require any education or formal skill other than typing, so the potential earnings are relatively low. The average data entry position in Canada earns just CA$18.48/hour, according to Talent. Even so, data entry can be an easy starting point to start earning money online. 

28. Develop mobile apps

Mobile apps are software that run specifically on mobile devices, like iPhone or Android. Mobile apps can generate online income in a variety of ways, including:

  • Paid downloads
  • Subscriptions
  • In-app purchases
  • Paid advertising revenue

According to data from Statista, mobile apps in Canada generate just over $9 billion in revenue as of 2023. The data shows that mobile games are by far the most profitable category, followed by social networking, shopping, and entertainment apps. Therefore, there is some serious online income potential for a mobile app developer or project managers who can coordinate these types of projects. The income potential of a mobile app is highly variable depending on the success of the app, but it’s worth noting that the average salary for a mobile app developer in Canada is CA$92K/year, according to Glassdoor.

29. Virtual assistant business

A virtual assistant is a remote professional who provides administrative support to businesses and individuals. Virtual assistants can also specialize in specific digital skills, like writing, editing, and design. You can operate a virtual assistant business by taking on your own clients and performing the work, or finding qualified virtual assistants and connecting them with clients seeking their specific services. For reference, virtual assistants typically make CA$23.72/hour on average in Canada, according to Indeed.

30. Freelancing

Freelancing is a type of self-employment where you use your specialized skills to take on temporary projects for different clients. Freelancers are responsible for finding these clients, managing them, collecting payments, and paying the appropriate taxes for their business. Canadian freelancers can find freelance opportunities for their skill set through freelance platforms like Upwork and Fiverr. Some popular freelance jobs include freelance writing and graphic design. For example, a freelance writer makes online income by completing writing tasks for many clients. Freelancing income can vary dramatically depending on the skill that your offering to clients, but the average salary for freelancers in Canada is around CA$81K. 

31. Dropservicing

Dropservicing is an online business model that entails getting clients for major digital projects, such as website design, and leveraging freelancers to complete the work for you. The dropservicing business model generates profit by charging the client a higher rate than the freelancers charge to perform the service. Dropshipping businesses can even generate up to 70% in profit through this model, according to Flash Hub.

Most profitable online business in Canada

  • 1 Local lead generation  - Profit margins for a local lead generation business can reach upwards of 90% or more. The business model is so profitable because it has low overhead costs of around CA$100/month per website for web hosting and call tracking software, while being able to generate up to CA$4,000/month in revenue per website. 
  • 2 Online courses  - Profit margins for an online course can reach 90% or more. Online Course Host lists the average cost to create an online course between CA$275 to around CA$14,000. According to Learn Worlds, successful course creators make between CA$1,400 and CA$14,000/month on average. 
  • 3 Business coaching  - Business coaches can achieve profit margins of 60% to 80%, according to accounting firm Grow Factor. Although business coaches have a range of expenses like advertising, legal, and accounting fees, the high hourly rate with comes with coaching enables great profit margins. According to ExpertBox.io, business coaches can charge between CA$100 to CA$550. 
  • 4 eBooks -  Profit margins on eBooks can reach up 70%. For those that complete all the work required to publish the eBook themself, including writing, editing, and cover image, 70% profit is possible when self publishing through a service like Amazon KDP and accounting for the revenue split.
  • 5 Dropservicing  - A dropservicing business can accomplish a profit margin of up to 70%. Dropservicing businesses can command these high margins by selling projects at a premium cost in expensive markets like Canada or the US and then hire freelancers for cheap from countries with more affordable labor like India or the Philippines. 

Top 5 Business Ideas for Stay At Home Moms in Canada

  • Local lead generation
  • Sell handmade products
  • Virtual assistant business

These are some of the best business ideas for stay at home moms in Canada because they allow for a flexible schedule while still providing great income potential. 

How to start an online business in Canada?

  • Create a business plan - A business plan forces you to put your ideas and goals for your home based business on paper. This helps you achieve a clearer understanding of your business as an entrepreneur and the steps you need to take in order to make your small business a successful one. 
  • Choose a business name - Once you know what kind of business you want to start, choose a suitable business name. You can verify that your intended business name is available by checking the Government of Canada’s business name and trademark search tool, Nuans . 
  • Decide on a business structure - Businesses operating in Canada can choose between 4 business structures, including sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, or cooperatives. Depending on your preference and specific business operations, you may want to create a formal business structure to protect personal assets. 
  • Register the business - Most businesses in Canada will need to register with their local provinces and territories to legally operate. However, some sole proprietorships are not obligated to register when operating under the name of the business owner, according to the Government of Canada. Any business that has employees needs to register with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), according to the Business Development Bank of Canada. 
  • Create a business website - Buy an appropriate website domain name for your business operations and set up a website to showcase your products or services, if necessary. 
  • Set up legal notices - Your business website needs legal disclaimers, a privacy policy, and terms and conditions. According to Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), you must obtain meaningful consent from website users to collect their data. 

Can you start a business in Canada as a foreigner?

You can start a business in Canada as a foreigner. Non-residents are eligible to start businesses in Canada. However, if the foreigner business owner wants to run the business while living in Canada, they will need to go through the formal business immigration process, according to Sobirovs Law Firm.

Related Articles on Online Business and Canada

  • Is Affiliate Marketing Legal in Canada? - Although affiliate marketing is legal in Canada, here are some rules you should be aware of before you start promoting brands in the land of maple syrup.
  • Money Press Method Review - For Canadians considering starting a trading business, this online trading course introduces a potential method to consider in options trading.
  • Stupid Simple SEO Review - If you're keen to start an SEO -based business in Canada, such as a blog or SEO agency , this course may just be the education you need to learn the skills to be successful in making websites visible online. 

Conclusion: Which online business should you start in Canada?

Canada offers an online business owner many great opportunities. Canada has one of the highest GDP per capitals in the world at just over $52K, according to the International Monetary Fund, indicating just how lucrative operating a business from the country could be. Canada also ranks a respectable 16th on the Index of Economic Freedom, showing that running a business in this economy is better than most of the world in terms of freedom to operate. As such there are many online business opportunities in Canada to choose from, depending on your business goals, skills, and startup capital. 

However, I believe the best business opportunity in Canada is starting a local lead generation business. Local lead generation is a relatively low risk business model because setting up websites is relatively affordable compared to other options, like buying products in bulk to sell on Amazon or funding a forex trading account. Even though the risk is relatively low, the income potential is still massive. With just a handful of local lead generation sites, you can generate 5 figures in revenue per month from your business. In fact, I typically earn around $52K/month from all of my local lead generation websites, many of which have been set up for years already. 

cheap business ideas canada

That leads me to perhaps the biggest reason you should choose local lead generation. With local lead generation, you can make passive income online. Once you get a local lead generation website to rank on Google and partner with a local service business to pay you for the leads each month, the site requires very little maintenance as you can automate most aspects of the business, like getting the leads to your client. If you want to learn more about starting a local lead generation business in Canada, check out this lead gen course with over 7,000 students. 

cheap business ideas canada

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cheap business ideas canada

20 Businesses You Can Start on the Cheap

Table of contents.

cheap business ideas canada

Whether you want to be your own boss or just to shore up some extra cash, there are several cheap businesses you can start with little in the way of money. Sure, you may not become the next Facebook or Apple overnight with just a business idea and $500 in your pocket, but there are plenty of opportunities to launch a small business with an equally small investment.

20 cheap businesses you can start with $500 or less

Here are 20 businesses you can start with an initial investment of $500 or less.

1. Online seller 

graphic of a person at a laptop next to online shopping tabs

Whether you want to sell apparel, collectibles or something else, you can easily get up and running online on the cheap. Marketplaces like Amazon and eBay will let you sell your products for a cut of the sale, while e-commerce platforms charge a low monthly fee to hawk your products over the internet.

It doesn’t take too much money to purchase your initial inventory. You can buy bulk items online or at a local discount store, or tap into the inventory you already have at home. (All those old baseball cards may be worth something!) The idea is to sell the products for more than you purchase them, taking into account any marketplace or e-commerce platform fees.

If you’re interested in e-commerce, dive into our guide to the costs of starting an online business .

2. Virtual educator/trainer

One of the cheapest ways to start a business is to provide your own services if you have a talent or skill. Melissa Schneider, executive and leadership coach at Melissa Schneider Leadership Coaching & Development, pointed to a chef in Nashville, Tennessee, who was laid off during the pandemic. He used his love and knowledge of cooking to start offering online cooking classes. The startup cost wasn’t too much, amounting to a computer and internet connection.

“He was able to sell his service in a completely different way,” Schneider told business.com.

Get creative with how you can use your skills in a new and unique way to educate others. If you differentiate your product from the competition , you’re more likely to gain clients or students. One successful education trend that may help is gamification, which encourages interaction and engagement.

3. Dropshipper

Cash-strapped would-be business owners can start a dropshipping business. With this business model, you build an online storefront or use an e-commerce platform, but you don’t hold the inventory. The products are shipped directly from the manufacturer after a customer makes a purchase from your online store. To get a virtual store up and running using this method, all you need to pay for is the domain subscription and the fees associated with using an e-commerce or dropshipping program.

“The beauty of the dropshipping model is you don’t have to actually manufacture any products to get started,” said Meghan Stabler, senior vice president of marketing at BigCommerce. “Rather, you partner with a manufacturer that makes your products and ships them directly to your customers, freeing you up to focus on the fun part: the marketing and customer experience.”

4. Social media marketer

graphic of a person holding a smart phone

Social media has become a powerful tool for companies to get the word out. If you are social media-savvy, there are tons of businesses looking for your expertise to help them develop social media marketing strategies , set up and post on their accounts, and increase their number of followers (and hopefully sales). If you’re an expert with popular platforms like TikTok and Instagram, even better. Knowledge, not money, is the key to getting this low-cost business up and running.

5. Freelance writer or editor 

If you have a knack for editing and/or writing, you can turn your expertise into a small business. With the proliferation of online content and social media, there are tons of opportunities to get paid for writing and editing. It takes little money to get up and running, but you will have to prove your worth to clients.

With the recent introduction of generative AI platforms like ChatGPT and Bard, some organizations may be relying on technology instead of freelancers for their content creation. As a result, it’s more crucial than ever to set yourself apart from the competition and prove why your work is superior.

6. Sales consultant 

Whether you want to sell makeup or cookware, there are many low-cost businesses you can start by selling products for existing companies. Take the skincare company Rodan + Fields as an example: It costs just $45 to start selling their products. Meanwhile, Avon charges $5, while Beachbody costs $39.95 for the initial investment and then $15.95 a month.

7. DIY crafts and treats

If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that Americans are resourceful and innovative. Scores of people took advantage of the time at home by starting businesses selling crafts, desserts and other items that proved popular. The only costs are for materials. Facebook has been a successful place to market these products locally.

8. Lawn care

graphic of someone on a riding lawnmower

Equipment is the biggest outlay for launching a lawn care business, but if you start small, you’ll need only a lawn mower and leaf blower. Depending on where you live, this might be a seasonal business, but one that can easily expand. Besides the equipment, all you need are flyers and a Facebook page to advertise.

9. Airbnb host

If you have an extra bedroom or living unit, you can become an Airbnb host. The barrier to entry is low – it’s completely free to list your property and become a host. Of course, you will need to have the extra property or space to begin with, but you won’t receive any revenue until you actually start booking reservations. If you’re considering renting out your property, read our article on how to become a full-time Airbnb entrepreneur .

10. Repair service

People are spending more time than ever in their homes and consequently are more focused on home improvement projects. If you have skills in this area, it’s easy to become a repair person without a lot of capital.

11. Pet sitter/walker

This business costs nothing more than the expenses associated with your marketing plan . You just need to have a lot of patience and a love of pets. It’s another one of those enterprises that can easily expand with little overhead.

12. Virtual assistant

Business owners need help with everyday tasks, from organizing record books to responding to customer emails. As a virtual receptionist , you’ll perform all these tasks from the comfort of your home, and you can take on multiple clients at once. All it takes is a computer and internet connection to start a virtual assistant business.

Our ultimate checklist for starting a business from home can come in handy for several ideas on this list.

13. Delivery/errand runner

In the same vein as a dog-walking service, a delivery or errand-running business doesn’t require a lot of upfront cash. You’ll just need to print some flyers, get business cards and promote your service on social media and other online channels. While demand for errand runners rose out of necessity during the pandemic, many have gotten used to the luxury of having others run their errands for them, so finding clients shouldn’t be much of a challenge.

Are you a math expert? Do you play an instrument or have excellent computer skills? Then you can become a tutor, and all it costs is your knowledge. You can conduct tutoring sessions in person or virtually, charging by the hour or half-hour. Your level of experience and client base will determine how much you can charge for your services.

15. Consultant

graphic of two colleagues talking with speech bubbles

Businesses need advice, but not all of them want to hire a full-time employee to get it. That’s where consultants come in. Use your background and expertise to find the areas where you would bring the most value. That may be offering consulting services on marketing, accounting, engineering, information technology or any other area you can find demand for.

If you provide good service at a reasonable cost, your reputation will grow, allowing you to expand your business. To get up and running, you’ll need a website or social media presence and the ability to network on platforms like LinkedIn .

16. Professional organizer

People looking to declutter often turn to professional organizers for help. Customers pay around $30 to $130 per hour, depending on the project and your level of expertise. The overhead costs to become a professional organizer are very little at first: You just have to invest in training and education, design a website , and land your initial customers. After a few successful gigs, word-of-mouth should kick in, growing your clientele. 

17. Translator

If you’re fluent in another language, you can easily launch a translation service. There is demand from the medical, legal, publishing and small business communities for people who can translate information into English. A freelance translation business won’t cost you anything in startup expenses and can quickly expand as your customer base grows.

18. Mobile public notary

Certain documents require approval from a public notary, including wills, loan paperwork, powers of attorney, property deeds and other court papers. A mobile public notary visits clients at their homes or places of business.

Depending on where you live, it can cost $50 to $150 a year to become a public notary. Some states require training courses in addition to those fees. Volume is the key to making money as a public notary. You can charge anywhere from 25 cents to $20 per document.

19. Laundry service

If you have a washer and dryer at home or access to a laundromat, you could offer washing, drying, ironing, and pickup and delivery services to people in your community. Before you get started, figure out if you will use your own equipment or bring items to the laundromat. After that, your only costs are detergent and laundry bags or baskets.

20. Cleaning service

graphic of a person vacuuming

Americans are busy, and the last thing many of them want to do at the end of a week is clean their home. That is where a cleaning service comes in. According to FreshBooks , the average fee for cleaning a home is $180, with an average hourly rate of $45 to $50 per cleaner. Launching a cleaning service won’t break the bank; all you need is a good vacuum, cleaning supplies and a positive attitude.

We listed 20 great business ideas above, but you can draw inspiration from all aspects of life. You can even learn valuable business lessons from the fictional companies you see on TV!

What to know before starting a business

Ready to take the leap into entrepreneurship? There are a few things you should do and understand before starting a business :

  • Business idea viability: Ensure you have a sound business idea. That doesn’t mean you need a 20-page business plan, but you should have a passion for or interest in the enterprise you’re starting.
  • Industry research: Track industry trends and do research about the market, the potential for growth and the initial investment needed. If you want to launch some kind of online business, Stabler said, you need to find a niche or need in the market and start there. If you try to ride a trend, you’ll face a crowded market, and demand for the product or service could quickly fizzle. It’s also essential to understand the shopping habits of your customers and what makes them want your products or services over a rival’s.
  • The four P’s: Stabler said business owners should know their “four P’s”: price, product, placement and promotion. Keep this concept in mind before and during your route to entrepreneurship. You’ll want to know exactly where your business will stand when it comes to each component so you can execute accordingly.
  • Industry language: The business world comes with its own set of vocabulary. It can be helpful to review the ABCs of running your own business so you understand the jargon and tools you’re likely to encounter.

“The tools and technology available today make it really easy to get a new business up and running quickly and affordably, even with as little as a few hundred dollars,” said Stabler. 

That said, Stabler added, “It’s important to remember that starting a business with little cash does not also mean you jump in recklessly. Every entrepreneur should take a measured approach to selling and invest the time upfront to understand their market and their consumer.”

Skye Schooley contributed to this article. Source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article. 

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50 Best Businesses to Start in BC, Canada

British Columbia (BC) is the westernmost province of Canada. The province is situated between the Pacific Ocean and the continental divide of the Rocky Mountains. The province has a diverse geography, replete with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, forests, lakes, mountains, inland deserts, and grassy plains.

It borders the Canadian province of Alberta to the east and the Canadian territories of Yukon and the Northwest Territories to the north. With an estimated population of 5.2 million as of 2021, it is Canada’s third-most populous province.

The capital of British Columbia is Victoria and its largest city is British Columbia (BC). British Columbia (BC) is the third-largest metropolitan area in Canada; the 2021 census recorded 2.6 million people in Metro British Columbia (BC). British Columbia maintains a global reputation as a great place to do business through strong fiscal management, a stable economy, and streamlined pro-business regulations.

British Columbia (BC) is consistently named as one of the top five worldwide cities for livability and quality of life, and the Economist Intelligence Unit acknowledged it as the first city ranked among the top ten of the world’s most well-living cities for ten consecutive years.

If you are looking towards starting a business in British Columbia (BC) and you have not made up your mind on the choice of business to start, here are the 50 best business opportunities that you can choose from.

Tomatoes Processing Plant

If you live in British Columbia (BC) and in a city or town where tomatoes are produced in large quantities, then establishing a tomato processing plant might just be the best business venture you can invest in. No doubt, you would require huge startup capital to build your tomato processing plant, but the good news is that the market for processed tomato products is enormous and profitable.

Start Essential Oil Extraction Business

British Columbia (BC) is an ideal place to start an essential oil extraction business because of the abundance of raw materials used in the production of essential oil. This is a money-spinning business if it is well located and if you are able to create a robust distribution network. Essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing explosive compounds from plants.

Start Jet Ski Rental Services

Another thriving business you can start in British Columbia (BC) is Jet Ski rental services. The truth is that a rental business is one of the easiest ways to start out as an entrepreneur especially if you don’t want to go through the challenges involved in the production of goods.

So, if you live around any beach where people either ski for fun or for sports, then you should consider starting your own Jet Ski rental business. You can indeed make cool cash from this line of business with little effort if you are well positioned.

Start Fruits Processing Business

As an aspiring entrepreneur, if you have the required start-up capital and perhaps the required experience, then you should consider starting a fruit processing plant business in British Columbia (BC). It is important to note that the fruit processing plant business is one business that can’t go out of fashion because people eat or drink processed fruits in different forms on a daily basis.

Open a Feed Mill

There are loads of business opportunities in the poultry industry in British Columbia (BC) and a poultry feed mill is one of them. Poultry mills are production facilities where different poultry mashes are produced. This business is open to aspiring entrepreneurs, especially those that live around farming communities.

All you need to get started is a well-positioned and government-approved facility, a steady supply of grains, and of course, the in and out of running the business.

Start a Dairy Farm Business

In British Columbia (BC), you can successfully start a dairy farm and grow the business to an international level by exporting milk and cheese throughout Europe and other parts of the world. Dairy farms basically engage in the sale of raw milk and exclude the production of drinkable fluid milk and processed dairy products like butter, cheese, and powdered milk.

The dairy farm is of course a thriving and profitable business because of the usefulness of beef and milk. People eat beef, drink their milk, and use their fur and skin. With cattle milk, cheese can be made, along with other dairy products.

Start a Biotechnology Company

Following the turn of the 21st century, major biotechnology and information technology industries have been founded, and are concentrated in the metropolitan areas of Lisbon, Porto, Braga, Coimbra, and Aveiro. This goes to show that British Columbia (BC) is an ideal country to start a biotechnology company.

Biotech companies primarily make use of living organisms or molecular and cellular techniques to provide chemicals, food, and services that meet human needs. Fields like medicine and pharmacy, agriculture, and non-food industries (used in the production of biodegradable plastics and biofuels et al) make use of products from biotech companies.

Start a Car Rental Business

A car rental business is yet another thriving business that can be started in British Columbia (BC). The car rental business is very competitive and any entrepreneur who intends to go into the business should ensure that they carry out thorough feasibility studies and market research so that the risks in the business can be greatly minimized.

Open a Hotel

Opening a hotel is yet another thriving business that can be started in British Columbia (BC). In British Columbia (BC), the hospitality business is seen as a very serious trade because of its relationship with the tourism industry. Either locally or internationally, one of the ways to make people who arrive at unknown places at ease is by having a very relaxed hotel in place for them to lodge in. This is one of the reasons why the hotel business continues to witness a boom.

Start Airport Shuttle Services

British Columbia (BC) is served by Vancouver International Airport (YVR), located on Sea Island in the city of Richmond, immediately south of Vancouver British. Vancouver’s airport is Canada’s second-busiest airport and the second-largest gateway on the west coast of North America for international passengers.

All you need to do to get started in this business is to make inquiries from the airport authority to know if private companies are allowed to run a shuttle service in the airport and the rules and regulations governing shuttle operators.

Start a Cargo Van Delivery Business

The Cargo van delivery business is no doubt a business that is bound to succeed in British Columbia (BC). A cargo van delivery company transports and delivers freight for clients. Cargo van delivery businesses accept delivery assignments from clients or a courier agency. They plan their route, load and unload cargo, document each pick-up and delivery, and ensure timely delivery.

Start a Bakery Business

Another simple but profitable business idea that can be started in British Columbia (BC) is a bakery business. Bread and all flour-based food are consumed by most people, and as such anyone who chooses to establish a bakery in British Columbia (BC) is sure going to get good returns on his or her investment as long as they are doing the right thing when it comes to running a business.

Start a Courier Delivery Service

Another thriving business opportunity that an investor who is considering starting a business in British Columbia (BC) should consider is a courier delivery service. Courier and delivery services provide air, land, sea, or combined delivery services of parcels, documents, and packages.

Courier and delivery companies generally provide services between metropolitan areas or urban centers and form a network that includes local, national, and international pickup and delivery to serve customers’ needs.

Start Medical Supplies Wholesaling Business

Another money-spinning business that can be started in British Columbia (BC) is the medical supplies wholesaling business. Medical supplies wholesaling companies purchase medical and surgical equipment, instruments, and supplies, and deliver these products to medical and dental practitioners, clinics, and hospitals.

The truth is that if your business is located in an area with loads of hospitals and medical facilities and vehicular traffic, you may not struggle to make headway with the business.

Open a Dental Clinic

If you are a dentist and you are interested in starting a business in British Columbia (BC), one of the most preferred options is to open a dental clinic. With minimal startup capital you can successfully launch a dental clinic in British Columbia (BC).

Before choosing a location for your dental clinic, ensure that you carry out a thorough market survey and feasibility studies. The truth is that this type of business is profitable if you choose an ideal location for it.

Open a Fast-Food Restaurant

A fast-food restaurant is yet another profitable business opportunity that can be started in British Columbia (BC). A Fast-Food Restaurant is a niche restaurant where clients pay for quick-service food products before eating.

The food purchased may be consumed in the restaurant, taken out, or delivered as requested. Gross revenue generated in the industry is derived from both franchised and company-owned fast food outlets. Although this type of business is profitable, you can run at a loss if your fast-food restaurant is not well positioned and managed.

Start a Distillery Business

A distillery business is one of the business opportunities that an aspiring entrepreneur can choose to start in British Columbia (BC). A distillery produces a variety of distilled drinks (spirits and whiskeys).

In recent times, flavored distilled alcoholic drinks (Spirit and Whiskey et al) have become increasingly popular among upwardly mobile and trendy young people in British Columbia (BC). This is the major reason why many distillers have each launched their own innovative twists on their classic brands.

Start an Electrical Contractor Business

Another worthwhile and profitable business that can be started in British Columbia (BC) is the electrical contractor business.

Electric contractors are an integral part of not just the construction cum real estate industry but play very important roles in ensuring that households, offices and public facility enjoys electric power supply and that electric appliances are repaired when they become faulty. Players in this industry install wiring, services electrical equipment, sell and install electrical equipment et al.

Start a Dump Truck Business

A dump truck or dumper/tipper truck as it is called in some countries is a truck that is used for transporting loose material such as sand, gravel, or dirt for construction. In recent times, nearly all dump trucks operate by hydraulics and they come in a variety of configurations, each designed to accomplish a specific task in the construction material supply chain. As matter of fact, dump trucks are indispensable in the construction industry.

Start Power Washing Business

Another sensible and moneymaking business that can be started in British Columbia (BC) is the power washing business. Power washing businesses make use of high-pressure washing machines to carry out their washing services.

A pressure washer is basically a high-pressure mechanical sprayer that is used to remove things like clogged oil, greasy stains, unwanted graffiti, loose paint, mold, grime, dust, mud, and dirt from surfaces and objects like building facilities, vehicles, and concrete surfaces.

Start Travel and Tours Agency

Travel and tours agency is one business that is gaining support in British Columbia (BC) and you should consider starting yours. For example, over 10.3 million people visited Vancouver in British Columbia (BC) in 2017.

Annually, tourism contributes approximately $4.8 billion to the Metro Vancouver economy and supports over 70,000 jobs. A lot of people visit the city’s gardens, Stanley Park, Queen Elizabeth Park, VanDusen Botanical Garden, and the mountains, ocean, forest, and parklands that surround the city.

Start Equipment Leasing Business

One of the businesses you can successfully start in British Columbia (BC) is an equipment leasing business. There are several types of equipment that people can rent to accomplish the task they have at hand such as:

Mowers, hand drillers, heavy duty drillers, welding machines, forklifts, light construction equipment, medical equipment, audiovisual equipment, industrial energy equipment, pumps and theatrical and motion picture equipment, power saw, filling machines, scaffolding, and virtually any equipment that is needed to get any task done.

Start a Sales Consulting cum Lead Generation Business

If you are a sales expert and you are looking for a sales-related business to start in British Columbia (BC), then one of your options is to start a lead generation business. The fact that everyone in business has a product or service to sell makes this line of business a viable and profitable business venture.

Lead generation is a marketing term that talks about deploying strategies that will help you identify potential customers that may likely be interested in your goods or services. Leads can be created for purposes like list building, e-newsletter list acquisition, or for sales leads.

Start a Logging Company

The fact that British Columbia (BC) has a thriving forestry industry means that a logging business is bound to succeed in the city. Logging companies are involved in cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks or skeleton cars.

The trees are then transported as saw logs to cottage companies such as sawmills and pulp mills et al. Please note that starting a logging company requires a reasonable amount of startup capital but it’s indeed highly profitable.

Start an Advertising Agency Business

Another highly thriving business that can be started in British Columbia (BC) is an advertising agency business. A standard Advertising agency creates advertising campaigns for periodicals, newspapers, radio, TV, and other media platforms such as social media.

Through internal capabilities or delegating, ad agencies provide advice, creative services, account management, production of advertising campaign material, and of course media planning and buying like ad placement et al.

Open a Green Cemetery

A green cemetery in British Columbia (BC) is another business that is sure going to attract the support of the provincial government of British Columbia (BC). The world is going green, most people alive want an eco-friendly world and it is becoming trendy that people are also adopting the green burial option.

Green burials are done in the green cemetery and a green cemetery is a burial site that does not allow the use of vaults, non-biodegradable caskets, or even embalming chemicals. So also, operators of green cemeteries do not make use of herbicides, pesticides, or irrigation for the maintenance of the cemetery grounds.

Start Green House Farming

In British Columbia (BC), you can successfully start a greenhouse farm and grow the business to an international business exporting your farm produce throughout British Columbia (BC) and other parts of the world.

A greenhouse (also known as a glasshouse, or a hothouse) is a structure with walls and roof made essentially of transparent material, such as glass, in which plants requiring regulated climatic conditions are grown. Greenhouses are often used for cultivating crops such as flowers, vegetables, fruits, transplants et al.

 Start Hardwood Flooring Installation Business

If you studied building engineering or any related course and you are keen to own a business in British Columbia (BC), then you should consider starting a hardwood flooring installation business. This business can be started on a small scale and if you are good with what you do, it won’t be too long before you become a household name in British Columbia (BC). This goes to show that there is indeed a large market for the hardwood flooring installation business.

Open Hospice and Palliative Care Center

If you are naturally drawn to taking care of people with life-terminating illnesses, then you should consider starting a hospice and palliative care center in British Columbia (BC).

However, this is a very sensitive business to start as a single mistake could have dire consequences for your patient and their families. Hospice and palliative care center business is a delicate business, you need to network with hospitals, and other businesses in the health sector so that they can refer patients to you.

Start Car Dealership Business

Another viable and profitable business that can be started in British Columbia (BC) is the car dealership business. Players in the car dealership industry basically sell both brand new and used cars and they may fall in any of the following niche areas; brick and mortar car dealership shops, online used car dealerships, luxury car dealerships, etc.

Start a Mortgage Brokerage Firm

Mortgage Brokerage firms are established with the sole aim of providing a convenient platform for those who want to buy property. With the loan you get from the bank via a mortgage brokerage firm, you can finance any property of your choice as long as you pass the screening and evaluation process. Screening and evaluation are put in place so as to ensure that due process is followed before issuing a loan.

Start Property Maintenance and Renovation Company

Another profitable business that can be started in British Columbia (BC) is the property maintenance and renovation business. As a property manager, your core business responsibility is to maintain and renovate building facilities and to liaise with landlords, tenants, and in some cases various contractors for you to effectively conduct your business, you are expected to have a full grasp of the law when it comes to landlord and tenant relationships et al.

Start a Solar Water Heater Installation Business

If you studied electrical engineering or any related course and you are keen to own a business in British Columbia (BC), then you should consider starting a solar water heater installation services business. This is one business you can successfully start on a small scale and if you are good with what you do, it won’t be too long before you become a household name in your city.

Open Tanning Salon

Tanning is becoming the new normal because people with darker skin are considered healthy and perhaps beautiful hence the rise of spray tanning salons in different locations in British Columbia (BC).

Spray tanning is a temporary bronzing service offered at salons and spas to people who don’t want to go through the natural process of tanning. Spray tanning is done in a booth in a beauty spa and these specially-designed booths have multi-functional nozzles or jets that spray your entire body with the spray tanning solution.

Trade Show Booth and Equipment Rental Business

If you are considering starting a business in British Columbia (BC), then one of your options is to start a trade show booth and equipment rental business. Trade show booth and equipment rental businesses are all about renting out trade show booths and other relevant public-address equipment that are used by corporate organizations, government, groups, and individuals who want to organize a trade show.

A trade show display is a graphic display device designed to be used at a trade fair or trade show. These may include tabletop displays, banner stands, pop-up displays, flat panel displays, and other paraphernalia used to fill a temporary stall or booth at a trade fair or convention.

Start Wedding Gown Production Business

The wedding gown production business is yet another thriving business that can be started in British Columbia (BC). Please note that the wedding gown production business thrives on creativity, branding (media hype et al), and good business skills.

Any aspiring entrepreneur can start a wedding gown production business as long as they are creative, can get people to promote their brand, and have good business skills. The starting size of this type of business doesn’t really matter as long as the business is built on the right foundation and with the right combination of skills and talents.

Open a Flower and Gift Shop

If you have eyes for colors and designs, as well as a penchant for beauty and decoration, then you may want to tinker with opening your own flower and gift shop in British Columbia (BC).

The market for both fresh flowers and artificial flowers in British Columbia (BC) has continued to soar from generation to generation because we still have weddings, burials, and other special events taking place all around us. As insignificant as most people think the flower is, it is still a major requirement for weddings, funerals, and decoration of event centers and even worship centers.

Start Auto Insurance Firm

If you are considering starting an auto insurance company in British Columbia (BC), then you would be required to get an insurance license from the organization regulating the insurance industry in the country. Auto insurance firms underwrite, or assume the risk and assign premiums for, auto insurance policies. Automobile insurance basically provides financial protection against physical damage to automobiles and bodily injuries resulting from traffic collisions.

Open an Indoor Soccer Facility

Indoor soccer facility is one business that is bound to succeed in British Columbia (BC) because of the love of soccer in the city. As a matter of fact, in 2015, British Columbia (BC) was one of the six venues for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup and it hosted the Final game between the United States and Japan. Building an indoor soccer facility can be expensive but you can make your money within a few years of launching your indoor soccer facility.

If your indoor soccer facility is of high quality and is located close to hotels and tourist sites, you will attract people including local and international soccer clubs that are in your city to play matches.

Start Liquid Air Freshener Production Company

What most liquid air freshener production companies rely on to increase sales cum revenue generation is a robust distribution network.

So, if you are considering going into the liquid air freshener production business, all you need is some capital to purchase or lease/rent a suitable production facility and then equip the facility with the needed machines and equipment. You would also need some additional capital to purchase chemicals and other packaging supplies, pay your employees at least for the first 3 months, and also pay your utility bills.

Film and Video Production Company

The film and video production business are one of the best businesses you can start in British Columbia (BC). Vancouver, British Columbia (BC) is a center for film and television production.

Nicknamed Hollywood North, a distinction it shares with Toronto, the city has been used as a filmmaking location for nearly a century, beginning with the Edison Manufacturing Company. Despite the fact that the film and video production business can be expensive to run, the business is indeed a thriving business that has loads of players making huge profits from the industry.

Bar and Night Club Business

One viable and of course profitable business that can be started in British Columbia (BC) is the bar and nightclub business. British Columbia (BC) has a vibrant nightlife scene, whether it be food and dining, or bars and nightclubs.

The Granville Entertainment District has the city’s highest concentration of bars and nightclubs with closing times of 3 am, in addition to various after-hour clubs open until late morning on weekends. The street can attract large crowds on weekends and is closed to traffic on such nights. Gastown is also a popular area for nightlife with many upscale restaurants and nightclubs.

Start a Fishing Business

If you are considering starting a thriving business in British Columbia (BC), then one of your options is to start a fishing business. By fishing business, we mean fishing on the high sea. Located on the Burrard Peninsula, Vancouver, British Columbia (BC) lies between Burrard Inlet to the north and the Fraser River to the south.

The Strait of Georgia, to the west, is shielded from the Pacific Ocean by Vancouver Island making the city a fishing hub. There is indeed a global market for fish and you can leverage on that to generate foreign exchange for your business.

Open a Fish Processing Plant

Another ideal business that can be started in British Columbia (BC) especially if you want to leverage the fishing industry value chain is to open a fishing processing plant. Fish processing is all about canning, drying, or using preservatives on fish so as to make them stay longer when transported over a long distance.

Start Commercial Farming Business

There are several business opportunities available in the agricultural industry in British Columbia (BC) and one good thing about the industry is that there is a market for all the products from the industry. Commercial farming is all about the cultivation of crops and rearing animals, fish, birds et al for the sole aim of making profits.

Good enough British Columbia (BC) is known to produce a wide variety of crops and livestock products, including tomatoes, citrus, green vegetables, rice, corn, wheat, barley, olives, oilseeds, nuts, cherries, bilberry, table grapes, edible mushrooms, dairy products, poultry, and beef. You can engage in the cultivation of some or all of the above and you can rest assured that there will be a market for your product.

Start Commercial Drone Delivery Company

A commercial drone delivery company is yet another business idea that an investor should consider starting in British Columbia (BC). The commercial drone delivery business is one of the many businesses that emerged with the advent of new technology.

A commercial drone delivery business helps clients deliver their packages or goods via drones to any destination of their choice. With this type of business, you can choose to own a store (online or offline) or you can operate without a store.

Maple Syrup Production Business

Amongst the many businesses that can be started legally in British Columbia (BC) is a maple syrup manufacturing business. This is so because the vegetation in the British Columbia (BC) area was originally temperate rainforest, consisting of conifers with scattered pockets of maple and alder and large areas of swampland (even in upland areas, due to poor drainage).

Maple syrup is a syrup that is prepared from the sugary sap of a maple tree. A maple syrup manufacturing business is indeed a profitable business because maple syrup contains higher levels of beneficial nutrients, antioxidants, and phytochemicals amongst others.

Start Sports Nutrition Consulting Business

A sports nutrition consulting business is yet another thriving business that an aspiring entrepreneur can start in British Columbia (BC).

The fact that sportsmen and women want to continue to stay in shape, and become peak performers means that they will do whatever it takes to achieve that goal including eating right and that is where a sports nutrition consultant comes in. Sports Nutrition consultants are knowledgeable when it comes to the type, as well as the number of fluids and food taken by an athlete.

Start Bed and Breakfast Business

If you are interested in the hospitality industry in British Columbia (BC) but you lack the start-up capital to start a hotel or motel, then you should consider starting a bed and breakfast business. The bed and Breakfast business is perhaps one of the easiest means of owning a business portfolio in the hospitality industry.

A typical bed and breakfast is a small lodging accommodation that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast to guests that lodge there. The average bed and breakfast has 6 rooms, but generally, bed and breakfasts operate 4 to 11 rooms within a facility.

Start a Fishing Boat Charter Business

Lastly, if you are in British Columbia (BC) and you are tinkering with launching a business as an aspiring entrepreneur, one of your best bets is to launch a fishing boat charter business. The right time to start such a business in British Columbia (BC) is now because this business concept is presently at its growing stage.

The Fishing Boat Charter industry consists of businesses that engage in services such as Inshore/coastal fishing, offshore fishing, tournament fishing, and commercial fishing. Operators may vary greatly in size, ranging from large operators with a fleet of vessels to single boat owner-operators and part-time charter companies.

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10 Cheapest Places to Retire in Canada

Highly rated for quality of life, Canada offers affordable destinations for retirees.

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While finances are generally the primary consideration when it comes to making retirement decisions, a crucial question for individuals as they plan for the future is where to live. Many retirees choose to stay in their own communities, hoping to remain near relatives and friends. Others find they want to reduce living costs, downsize housing, seek a change in climate, or live in a place they enjoyed on a vacation — and perhaps even returned to several times. Some want to fulfill a dream to live by the sea or in a small town , and others prefer lively cities with plenty of cultural opportunities. 

That decision will face more than four million baby boomers in the U.S. who will turn 65 in 2024, a demographic landmark referred to as " Peak 65 ." The numbers are similar in Canada , where baby boomers represent about 25 percent of the population. Current data indicates that the overall cost of living is slightly lower in Canada than in the U.S., and the quality of life is high. And not all retirees head south for sunshine; many enjoy seasonal changes, winter sports, and all that Canada has to offer.

U.S. citizens considering a move north for their retirement will want to research visa and permanent residency options . Some may decide to spend part of the year in Canada, and a visitor visa, which is valid for six months, may work for them. Meanwhile, those planning to stay longer may want apply for permanent residency. 

U.S. citizens should be aware that Canada’s universal health care is available only to Canadian permanent residents and citizens. Since Medicare is generally not accepted outside of the U.S., a private medical insurance policy is advisable. Retirees may receive their social security payments while out of the country, and they must file U.S. tax returns annually. Professional advice is recommended as part of retirement planning, especially when considering life outside the U.S.

For this list of most affordable places to retire in Canada, we considered housing costs, health care, things to do, weather, lifestyle, and culture with the help of experts. We searched the 10 provinces where most of the country’s population lives. (Three territories north of the provinces have fewer than 131,000 residents.) While living costs vary, each province offers a variety of affordable cities and towns. Here are some low-cost options in the Great White North.

Québec City, Québec

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Located in eastern Canada on the St. Lawrence River, Québec City offers historic neighborhoods, winter and summer festivals, parks, and restaurants. Summers are mild, with temperatures averaging around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, while winters are cold, with temperatures as low as 10 degrees. The city is home to a large international expat community, according to Expat Exchange .

Québec City is known for high-quality health care and excellent hospitals. In terms of cost of living, with New York City as a comparison point, Numbeo finds overall prices 29 percent lower and rents about 76 percent lower.

Fredericton, New Brunswick

Sanghwan Kim/Getty Images

Just off the Atlantic coast along the Wolastoq (St. John River), Fredericton is home to museums, historic sites, breweries, farmers markets, three universities, and a small town atmosphere. Realtor Rebecca Steeves described the city as perfect for nature lovers — New England-like, with forests and walkable trails. She added, “We are seeing a lot of cross-country migration in Fredericton. Seniors are attracted by the affordable home prices. They can sell a home in one of the other provinces, buy here for much less, and have money left to enjoy their retirement.”

Temperatures range from a high of 78 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer to as low as five degrees in the winter. Rent prices are about 75 percent lower than in New York City, and grocery prices are about 32 percent lower. According to Steeves, homes can be found in the $300,000 to $400,000 range. The province also offers high-quality services for seniors . 

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

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This historical city is located off Canada's eastern coast on Prince Edward Island (PEI) in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Home to world-class restaurants, festivals, and artisan shops, Charlottetown is the capital of the province. PEI is the smallest of the provinces in Canada, and residents can get to one of its red-sand beaches within 15 minutes from anywhere on the island. 

According to Numbeo , rent costs are about 73 percent lower than in New York City, and restaurant prices are about 52 percent lower. Health care is convenient, according to limited data, and quality is average.

Halifax, Nova Scotia

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Halifax, capital of the province of Nova Scotia, is located in eastern Canada on the Atlantic Ocean. Residents enjoy four seasons, with July temperatures in the mid-70s and January offering lows in the teens. Excellent senior and health care facilities are available along with opportunities for an active lifestyle .

Overall consumer prices are approximately 47 percent lower than in New York City, while rent prices are 64 percent lower and groceries 29 percent lower.

West Kelowna, British Columbia

Nalidsa Sukprasert/Getty Images

Located on the shore of Okanagan Lake, West Kelowna offers beautiful scenery, outdoor activities, and a rich history. According to retiree and longtime British Columbia resident, John MacNichol, “British Columbia has the best weather of all the provinces. Winter is not as cold, but we have skiing in Whistler, farms and wineries in Okanagan (where I live), and the beautiful city of Vancouver.” He added, “I grew up in St. Andrews by-the-Sea, a lovely town in New Brunswick — also a great place to retire — but we enjoy life in British Columbia.”

The city is considered safe, with a low crime rate, and Snappy Rates also commented on the area’s mild climate, beautiful lakes, parks, and outdoor activities. According to Numbeo , rents are about 63 percent lower than in New York City, and health care is excellent. 

Prince George, British Columbia

Shunyu Fan/Getty Images

Prince George has more than 100 parks and green spaces, along with rivers and five nearby ski areas. Home to the University of Northern British Columbia, the city offers a vibrant arts scene, too.

Rent prices are about 79 percent lower than in New York City, according to Numbeo . Health care is above average, and senior living facilities with various levels of care are available. Winters are cold, with January temperatures averaging 18 degrees Fahrenheit, and in July — the hottest month in Prince George — temperatures average 60 degrees.

Regina, Saskatchewan

With the lowest cost of living and most affordable housing out of all Canadian cities, Regina is located in south Saskatchewan. Winter temperatures drop into the teens, but summers are mild and pleasant, with weather in the high 70s in July and August. The city is home to University of Regina and a lively downtown as well as parks, hiking trails, and Last Mountain Lake for fishing and boating. 

Health care is highly rated according to Numbeo, and there are a variety of senior living facilities at a range of levels. Consumer prices , including rent, are 56 percent lower compared to New York City, rents are 78 percent lower, and groceries are 34 percent lower. 

Kingston, Ontario

Elenathewise/Getty Images

Located on the northeastern edge of Lake Ontario, where the St. Lawrence River and Rideau Canal meet, Kingston has restaurants, bars, breweries, and one of Ontario’s oldest public markets in its pedestrian-friendly downtown. According to data from GoBankingRates , Kingston’s quality of life is highly rated as “among the very best across all of Canada.” 

Kingston Health Sciences Centre is among several health care providers in the city. The city is notable for its access to health care through hospitals, retirement communities and other facilities.

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Nick Blazanovic - ConcordeNick ArtPhoto/Getty Images

The capital and largest city in Manitoba, Winnipeg is surrounded by lakes, forests, and prairies. Home to a variety of senior housing options, indoor and outdoor activities for seniors, and a wealth of cultural destinations, Winnipeg is an excellent place to retire. 

Consumer prices, including rent, are about 53 percent lower than in New York City; rents are 75 percent lower; and groceries are 32 percent lower, based on Numbeo 's data. Numbeo also gives Winnipeg excellent ratings for health care.

Cochrane, Alberta

Tomas Jandik/Getty Images

Located west of Calgary at an elevation of 3,891 feet, Cochrane is a fast growing community known for outdoor activities such as golf, hiking, and mountain biking. Canadian retiree Gordon Stewart has lived in Cochrane since 2008. “A lot of the fun of retiring is finding a place to live, like we did. There are so many gems in southwest Canada, many affordable, off-the-beaten-track towns.” He added, “We enjoy Cochrane — the mountain views, scenery, and people. It’s cold in the winter, but by May, we’re playing golf.” 

Data for nearby Calgary indicates excellent health care facilities and consumer prices , including rent, to be 47 percent lower than New York City. Meanwhile, rent prices are 67 percent lower.

As Lynx heads to the discount airline graveyard, what options do travellers have?

Third-party fees make it difficult for ultra low-cost carriers to compete.

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Less than two years after entering the market, Lynx Air is winding down operations, making the Calgary-based airline the latest in a long line of Canadian discount carriers that have failed to take off.

The company — which rebranded from "Enerjet" in 2021 — cited rising operational costs, high fuel prices, unfavourable exchange rates, increased airport charges and a challenging economic and regulatory environment as reasons for the shutdown.

Other low-cost and ultra low-cost carriers have recently faced difficulties operating in the Canadian market. After functioning as a standalone carrier, Sunwing Airlines was absorbed into WestJet's regular operations last year for streamlining purposes. Swoop Airlines was met with a similar fate only days later, a few years after its first flight in 2018.

  • Lynx Air to cease operations Monday, obtains creditor protection
  • Months after launching, discount airline Canada Jetlines temporarily pulls out of Calgary market

Meanwhile, it was reported earlier this month that Edmonton-based discount carrier Flair Airlines owes $67 million in unpaid taxes to the Canada Revenue Agency. While its CEO Stephen Jones said the debt won't impact the carrier's operations, the company is putting expansion plans on hold until further notice. 

There's a whole graveyard filled with the ghosts of Canadian discount airlines past — from Zoom Airlines to Roots Air to Jetsgo — prompting questions about why discount airlines have such difficulties sustaining in Canada, and what options are left for consumers who want to fly for cheap.

Discount airfare saddled with third-party fees

"For a few months now, there has been a little bit of a death watch within the airline industry as to which of the new entrants would eventually succumb to financial pressures," said Duncan Dee, former chief operating officer at Air Canada.

He pointed to comments made earlier this year by Porter Airlines CEO Michael Deluce, who predicted that one of Canada's new, ultra low-cost carriers would disappear within a few months because of the Canadian travel market's small size in a competitive industry.

Dee said that environment played the biggest role in Lynx's demise, because it "entered the market, really, with one hand tied behind its back."

Signage for Lynx Air and Sunwing Airlines is shown at an airport, with the phrase "Ultra low prices coast-to-coast" displayed on the wall behind the signs.

While discount carriers in the U.S., Europe and Asia use "bargain basement fares" to stimulate new travel among customers who wouldn't normally fly — like offering a flight from London to Edinburgh for a cool $9 — Canadian travellers are subject to third-party fees that bloat the cost of airfare.

That's partly because Canada's airports, as not-for-profits, rely on what are called airport improvement fees to generate revenue. For example, the WestJet website notes a "departure tax," which it says it collects "on behalf of airport authorities and various government agencies."

Some airports charge $40  or more  in added fees — and that doesn't include other suppliers who add security charges, air-navigation charges and fuel surcharges, Dee said. By contrast, the U.S. enforces a $4.50 US cap on an airport fee called the passenger facility charge,  according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

cheap business ideas canada

New carrier offers cheap flights to Europe via Iceland but can it last?

The added costs ultimately make it more difficult for homegrown discount airlines to stay competitive against international airlines, such as the Icelandic discount carrier Play Airlines, that offer flights from Canada to Europe and other destinations.

"If you take a look at what's happening in Canada, ultra low-cost carriers don't have the leeway to actually use such stimulative pricing to attract new customers," said Dee.

"So ... all they're doing is they're fighting for the exact same travel dollar that existing travellers are already spending on the large carriers."

Higher fares 'always in the cards'

A WestJet plane takes off while an Air Canada flight taxis on a tarmac at an airport.

Canada Jetlines — which provides charter flights to sports teams and companies, flies to sun destinations and leases its fleet to other carriers in the summertime — was originally conceived as an ultra low-cost carrier.

That business model was ultimately shelved, partly because the starting price for discount carriers in Canada "is composed of a lot of taxes," and partly due to the challenges of competing with Air Canada and WestJet, said Canada Jetlines CEO Eddy Doyle.

But Doyle said he still thinks there's "enough supply there to meet demand for the Canadian travelling public," with Air Canada, WestJet and Air Transat back at full-strength following the disruptions prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Flair Airlines owes $67 million in unpaid taxes as CRA opens door to seize carrier's property
  • WestJet to shut down Sunwing Airlines, merge it with mainline business

Kriti Bhardwaj, whose Lynx flight from Toronto to Los Angeles was suddenly cancelled when the airline announced it was shutting down, said she's coming around to the idea of spending more on flights. She said she was rebooked with Air Canada at two or three times the cost of the original flight.

"I really don't know if low-cost carriers can sustain," she said, noting that Lynx's shutdown follows Swoop's absorption last year. "So probably, as a passenger or as a consumer, I'm willing to pay a little extra for a better experience."

cheap business ideas canada

Lynx Air passengers in Toronto react to airline's shutdown

"When you've got three carriers serving a market of about 40 million people, and policies which really discourage new entrants into the market, I think that it's as good as it's gonna get," said Dee, the former Air Canada executive, "unless there are real changes to the underlying policies and regulations that keep the market the way they are."

He said that unless another airline — an incumbent like WestJet or an entrant like Flair — serves the markets that Lynx is leaving, customers will be faced with more limited service.

The only way to guarantee lower fares is to increase competition, he added.

"When competitors either leave the market or disappear entirely like Lynx has, the inevitability of higher fares is always in the cards."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

cheap business ideas canada

Jenna Benchetrit is a senior writer with the business content unit at CBC News. She has also covered entertainment and education stories. A Montrealer based in Toronto, Jenna holds a master's degree in journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University. You can reach her at [email protected].

With files from Nisha Patel, Reid Southwick, Shawn Benjamin and Sarah Tomlinson

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I'm a mom of 11. Here are 12 cheap, easy dinners I make every month to keep my kids from getting bored.

  • Planning meals for my family of 13 is a feat, but I've found several go-to dinner recipes.
  • My 11 kids range from newborn to 20. I've created a rotation of easy meals for each month.
  • Some of my go-to recipes are fish sandwiches, tacos, and kielbasa noodles.

Insider Today

Feeding a family of 13 isn't an easy feat.

Each summer — when we're not homeschooling — the kids help me plan the meals for the next school year. To keep my family from getting bored, we rotate dinners on a monthly schedule.

My kids, who range in age from newborn to 19, help me decide on a theme for each night of the week, and we brainstorm four or five meals for each one to rotate throughout the month.

This way, we eat our dinner options only 12 times a year instead of once a week.

We've enjoyed a variety of themes, but this year they're roast meat and potatoes; Asian-inspired; taco Tuesday; American; noodle night; pizza night; and seafood. Other themes we've used include soup and sandwiches; Italian; around the world; casseroles; comfort food; fry day; and breakfast for dinner.

During the brainstorming session, I encourage the kids to think of meals that are fairly inexpensive , quick to make, and enjoyed by most of the family.

Read on for a dozen of my tried-and-true meals that help me get dinner on the table.

My kids are big fans of chicken nuggets and mashed potatoes

My kids love the combination of chicken nuggets and mashed potatoes . The Instant Pot makes the side dish so simple, even on weeknights.

While the oven preheats for the nuggets, I have one of my kids help me peel the potatoes. Then I cut them in half and put them in the Instant Pot with a cup of water for 10 minutes on high pressure.

As the Instant Pot comes to the right pressure, I get the chicken nuggets in the oven. Then I open a bag of frozen vegetables (usually corn or peas for this meal) and start cooking those. I also whip up a quick cream gravy with butter, flour, chicken broth, milk, salt, and pepper.

When I plan it out like this, everything is ready at about the same time, which works out perfectly.

Breakfast for dinner is a favorite in my house

Breakfast for dinner is a fun change of pace and a simple meal that the kids can help prepare.

The menu varies depending on what we have on hand, but it typically includes waffles or pancakes, bacon , and scrambled eggs.

I usually make waffles from scratch, but I keep a bag of pancake mix on hand in case I run out of an ingredient right before dinner.

One of my daughters quickly scrambles eggs while bacon cooks in the oven . At the same time, one of my young sons helps make the waffles, because he loves rotating the handle on the waffle maker.

Sometimes I whip up a quick syrup by boiling two cups of sugar with a cup of water and about a teaspoon of maple extract. Other times the kids put blueberries and whipped cream on their waffles.

Spaghetti and meatballs are a classic combo for a reason

Since it's so easy to prepare, spaghetti and meatballs is one of the first meals I teach my kids how to make on the stove.

They put the frozen meatballs in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 to 20 minutes. While those cook, they boil water and cook the noodles .

I help them strain the noodles once they're tender, then they dump a jar of sauce in the pot and heat it all for a minute or two. Marinara sauce is our go-to, but occasionally we try new ones.

When the noodles are done, we get the meatballs out of the oven and serve dinner with a side salad and a piece of garlic bread , which we make by quickly broiling hot-dog buns slathered with butter and sprinkled with garlic.

I like to whip up pork tenderloin and potatoes in my Crock-Pot

Dinner doesn't get much easier than this pork tenderloin from Costco .

I quickly brown the meat in a pan with a bit of oil. I wash the potatoes and put them in the Crock-Pot, placing the browned pork on top.

I add generous amounts of salt, pepper, and garlic, and a little water to keep it from sticking. Then I put the lid on, turn it on low, and let the slow cooker prepare dinner while we get on with our days.

About six hours later, I put together a side salad and slice the meat. It's a simple dinner that everyone eats without complaint.

Fish sandwiches are popular for seafood night at my house

Quick fish sandwiches made with frozen fish fillets , hamburger buns, and lettuce are usually on rotation for seafood nights.

While the fish heats in the oven, I wash the lettuce and tear it into sandwich-sized pieces. When the fish is done, I put a little mayonnaise on the bun, add the fish, and top it with the lettuce.

I typically serve this meal with steamed vegetables and french fries.

I get my kids to help set up our taco bars full of toppings and sides

My kids can help me prepare a taco bar in no time — and by setting out all the ingredients individually, everyone can decide exactly what they want.

While my kids prepare the toppings and arrange them on the counter, I brown the meat with a little bit of chopped onion and flavor it with taco seasoning.

Since most of my kids prefer meatless tacos, one pound of hamburger meat is enough for my whole family.

Chips and salsa, Mexican rice, and corn are some of our favorites things to add to the simple taco bar.

Meatball subs are an easy option for sandwich night

When we need a quick option for sandwich night but are tired of cold sandwiches, meatballs come to the rescue.

I cook them in the oven, pour marinara sauce on top, and pop them back in for a few minutes until the sauce is nice and warm.

Then I spoon the meatballs over sliced French bread, ensuring that everyone gets several meatballs on their sandwich. Hoagie rolls are another great bread option.

I serve these sandwiches with chips and a side salad.

My chicken gravy over potatoes comes together quickly

For this meal, I plop several boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a pot of water and bring it to a boil. The kids help me peel potatoes, and we start them in the Instant Pot for 10 minutes on high pressure.

When the chicken is close to done, I start the gravy in another pan by melting butter and sprinkling flour on top.

I whisk it while it cooks for a few minutes to get the flour taste out and add about a tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon, about a cup of water, several cups of milk, and salt and pepper. I mix this all well to get out any clumps and let it thicken over medium-low heat.

While that simmers, I drain and dice the chicken to add it to the gravy so it all mixes together. Around this time, the potatoes are ready to drain and mash.

I serve this meal with a cooked vegetable and a roll or piece of bread and butter.

I like to spice things up with my simple kielbasa noodles

This meal adds a bit of variety to our noodle nights.

I slice Polska kielbasa and cook it in a pan with a bit of oil. Then I follow the directions on the package to boil some egg noodles until they're tender.

During the last minute the noodles are cooking, I dump in some frozen peas. This is the perfect amount of time to get them hot but not mushy.

Once the noodles and peas are done, I drain them and dump them in the pan with the sausage. I typically add a bit of butter and garlic or a can of Alfredo sauce to keep the noodles from becoming too dry.

I serve the noodles with a piece of bread and sometimes a side salad to round out the meal.

Corned beef and cabbage is one of my family's favorite comfort foods

I know I'm not the only one who stocks up on this delicious piece of meat each March around St. Patrick's Day. It's a family favorite and too good to eat only once a year.

I start by putting the meat fat-side up in the Crock-Pot . Then I add small potatoes, a sliced onion, and baby carrots.

This takes nearly all day to cook on high, so it's great for when I have time to plan ahead.

When it's getting close to dinnertime, I slice a head of cabbage and sauté it in a pan. My family prefers this method to cooking the cabbage with the meat and vegetables.

When everything's ready, I serve it with seeded rye bread.

I like to switch up the sauce when I make roasted chicken drumsticks and potatoes

For this meal, I place chicken drumsticks in a baking dish, season them with a little salt and pepper, and let them cook in the oven.

I also prepare a pan of diced potatoes, diced onions, a little bit of olive oil, and salt and pepper to cook alongside it.

These both take about 45 minutes to cook.

Once the meat is done, I add some kind of sauce, usually either Panda Express' sweet and tangy Beijing sauce, barbecue sauce, orange sauce, or sweet-and-sour sauce.

Once the sauce is on, I cook it for about another five minutes to let everything get hot.

Some of the kids enjoy bread and butter with their chicken and potatoes, but I also set out a side salad.

Cheese quesadillas are one of the easiest, crowd-pleasing meals

My young son loves helping make this quick dinner for the family.

It's the perfect option when we have somewhere to be and need to eat as fast as possible while avoiding the expense of takeout.

My son is in charge of sprinkling shredded cheese on a tortilla. Then he puts it in the microwave and pushes the "add 30 seconds" button. When it beeps, he can take it out with a bit of help and fold the tortilla in half.

I help him cut it, and he puts one on a plate for each family member.

We usually serve the quesadillas with quick sides like fresh fruit or carrot sticks and ranch dressing so cleanup can be as simple as the meal itself.

This story was originally published on June 8, 2021, and most recently updated on February 22, 2024. 

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Watch: What kids eat for school lunch around the world

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