The Best Businesses to Start in Canada in 2025

There are endless opportunities in this great country to start your own business and save money. However, just because you start a business doesn’t mean it will succeed. The average number of small businesses that dissolve in Canada is 89,227.

So, if you’re looking to start your own company and create your schedule, how do you ensure its success? One of the most effective strategies is to start with the right business idea. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the best businesses to start in Canada, even if you’re new to the country.

You’ll learn what the best industries are, what the most profitable business ideas are, and how you can secure funding to start a business here.

With that said, though, the best business that you can start is something you are good at, like a catering business, car wash business or lawn mowing. It can also be pet care and working with pet owners. Whatever it is, you’re probably going to need some capital to start your entrepreneurial journey, depending on what you choose to start. There are plenty of different ideas and options to still consider, so let’s dive in.

Best Business to Start in Canada

So, what are the best overall businesses to start in Canada right now?

Well, the right business to start for one person may not be the right one for you.

However, when you look at everything from demand, income, sustainability, and the simplicity of launching a business, these are the top 4 you can start with a relatively small investment:

1. Catering

If there’s one thing all people love, it’s food. It’s something that brings people together. And, when people are brought together for other reasons, such as a celebration, there’s always food involved.

That’s why catering is one of the best businesses you can start with a small investment. Catering isn’t only needed for birthdays and weddings. But they’re also great for small get-togethers and parties. Plus, all you really need to have a successful venture is good marketing materials for potential customers and a good social media presence. This can help set you up with profitable personal and corporate events. 

If you have a passion for cooking and an attitude of serving, then this could be the perfect business for you. Plus, it can pay really well. You don’t even have to have food trucks, even though having your own food truck would be ideal. You can also rent a commercial kitchen for an affordable cost. 

2. Mobile Car Wash Services

With a minimal investment as low as $25,000, you could start your own mobile car washing business.

If you have a passion for cars and you want the freedom and flexibility that comes from owning your own business, then a car wash business could be a great opportunity.

3. Cleaning Businesses

Cleaning can be one of the most inconvenient tasks for people. In fact, so many people despise cleaning that they’re willing to pay other people to do it for them.

That’s where the opportunity is for a potential business owner.

You can start a cleaning business in a variety of niches. You could concentrate on home cleaning, office cleaning, window cleaning, or even air duct cleaning. It’s a relatively simple service business that could easily be scaled by hiring cleaners and gaining new recurring contracts.

4. Marketing Consulting

Do you have experience in marketing or advertising?

If so, then an advertising or marketing consulting service should be worth considering in Canada.

With the right expertise, you could launch your own consulting business with very low start-up costs. And, even if you don’t have much experience, you can take a few online courses with a small investment to upgrade your skill set, launch your business and become your own boss.

Business owners are willing to pay third parties a lot of money to optimize their marketing efforts to bring in new business. All you need is an internet connection and access to online platforms to help your client meet their target audience’s needs. This could be a quick and easy way to launch your own business without having to purchase a retail space, own inventory, or hire anyone.

5. Personal Training

If you’re a personal trainer, then starting your own personal training business might be a good idea. However, before you begin, you will need to have a business plan. You will also need to find a business location because this is a brick-and-mortar store. You’ll also need to prove your business finances in order to back up your small business idea. 

Starting a personal training business can be quite profitable because lots of people invest in and prioritize their health. However, marketing is important. You want to be sure you’re offering in-demand services as well. This can help you attract new customers. 

Most Profitable Business in Canada

When looking into launching your own business, something you need to seriously consider is profitability. How profitable will your business be?

It will make a huge difference in how much time you spend focusing on budgeting and expenses and managing cash flow versus working on your craft. For instance, a restaurant could be a good idea, although the profit margins are very low.

Here are some of the most profitable business ideas you could launch in Canada:

1. Real Estate

Canada is known for its relatively high cost of real estate.

While this can be tough on homeowners or renters, it can be extremely lucrative for those involved in the real estate business.

Real estate agents help people buy and sell properties. However, there are other real estate industry businesses you could do, such as real estate investing, property management, or mortgage brokerage.

Even though the market is slowing down a bit now, you can still make good money. According to IBIS World, real estate businesses saw an average profit margin of 46.5% in 2019, making it a very profitable business opportunity in Canada.

2. Storage & Transportation

One of the most important industries in any country is transportation.

Wherever trade occurs in the world, there’s a need to transport goods.

However, it is a related industry that’s almost as in-demand as storage. Companies and individuals need to place their goods somewhere, and with a finite amount of space on the planet, storage prices will only continue to rise over time.

According to the Government of Canada website, In 2016, over 86% of transportation and storage businesses were profitable—with annual revenues over $279,000.

3. Waste Management & Remediation

A consumer society like ours is led by the production of goods. However, not everything that’s created to be consumed is fully consumed or reused. A major portion of goods and packaging produced end up in landfills.

As time goes on, more businesses are being driven to use sustainable products. That’s where waste management and remediation come into play. Someone needs to store and get rid of waste. And someone needs to turn plastic bottles into toys.

In 2015, over 86% of businesses in the waste management and remediation industry had a profit. While this may not be the most enticing industry to enter, it is certainly necessary—and profitable.

4. Subscription Box Services

You might be surprised to learn this, but there’s really nothing Canadians love more than subscription boxes. Unfortunately, though, there seem to be many more options available to Americans than there are to Canadians. This essentially leaves an untapped market open. And, because everything you sell will be shipped, you don’t need to worry about a physical shop space. 

In fact, the subscription box industry market is expected to exceed $3 trillion in the next few years. The great thing about it is that you can have a subscription box for just about anything. The best thing that you can do is decide what type of box you want to launch. From there, you can create and market the box and watch the subscriptions come in.  Since this business plan relies heavily on repeat business, though, the boxes themselves need to be just as good as the digital marketing and social media management. 

5. Home Cleaning Services

Another popular industry that doesn’t seem to be suffering at all, even with the way the current Canadian economy is, is the home cleaning industry. Many Canadians just don’t have time to keep up on the cleaning of the home themselves and with the prices of hiring a cleaner being relatively affordable, well it just makes sense. 

When you’re starting your own cleaning business, there are a few different ways that you can go about it. You can do the cleaning yourself, or you can hire a team. Either way, there are low start-up costs. You can also choose to offer specialized services, such as for residential and commercial properties. You also don’t need a physical location to run your business out of besides your own home. 

6. Tourism and Hospitality

While this option can be much more expensive to start, the financial security and profit are often worth it. Plus, your options in this industry are endless. You can offer tour services, own a bed and breakfast, stay at a boutique hotel, and you can even start lessons in specialized industries like water sports and snow sports. 

The fact of the matter is that Canada is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, and so many people come from all over the world to visit. This allows small business owners to come up with options to capitalize on tourism in their town. Many don’t love to stay in large hotels and want a more homey vacation. Bed and breakfasts and boutique hotels are a great way to do this. They can be expensive to start, but often pay for themselves once they’re up and running. 

7. Digital Marketing and Social Media Management

Since there is so much online these days, a really profitable industry to be in right now is digital marketing. When it comes to digital marketing and social media management, physical stores as well as online retailers prefer to use this option. It’s the best way to get new customers and reach new audiences. That said, it’s not a skill that everyone has either. Not everyone is able to leverage social media the way it is capable of. 

This is where starting a business can come it. You can charge for your services and create your own work schedule. This is often very affordable for businesses and allows them to fous on things that they’re better at. Plus, it’s often not very time consuming if you have these skills and can be quite profitable. 

Business You Can Start With 50k in Canada

The truth is, you need to have money to make money. This holds true for starting your own business. And, while some businesses require hundreds of thousands of dollars—or even millions to start up, you can launch a wide variety of businesses with as little as $50,000.

Here are some of the best businesses you can start with $50k in Canada:

• Gourmet Coffee Kiosk (Mobile Coffee) – $25-$50k investment
• 3D Printing – $10-$50k investment
• Dance Studio – $10-$50k investment
• Bakery – $10k-$50k investment
• Catering – $5k-$50k investment
• Food Truck – $35k-$75k investment
• Pet Related Business – $5k-$30k investment
• Editing Services – $0k-$10k investment
• Tanning Salon – $50k investment
• Fitness Boutique – $20k-$50k investment
• Vending Machines – $2k-$50k investment
• CBD Business / CBD Vending – $50k investment
• Cell Phone Repair – $1k-$30k investment
• Co-Working Space – $30k-$100k investment

Depending on which of these businesses you choose to start, you may need retail stores as well as online stores to be a thriving business in the Canadian market. 

If you need help funding your business venture, click here.

Businesses You Can Start With 100k in Canada

If you have a bit more capital to work with when launching your business, then you have a few more options when it comes to different business ideas.

Here are a few businesses you can start in Canada with $100k:

• Coffee Shop – $50k-$125k investment
• Auto Repair – $50k-$110k investment
• Beauty Business – $50k-$100k investment
• Accounting Services – $50k-$100k investment
• Event Planning – $30k-$125k investment
• Cold Stone Creamery – $50k investment
• IHOP – $90k investment

Most In-Demand Businesses in Canada

Many people think of starting a business based on a fun idea or something they’d love to do. However, many of these businesses end up failing because there simply wasn’t enough demand for them.

Business is all about demand. If people don’t want what you have to offer, then you won’t make any money.

That’s why you should always consider how in-demand a particular product or service is before you launch.

Here are some of the most in-demand businesses in Canada:

• Software
• Construction
• E-commerce
• Real Estate
• Healthcare
• Financial Services

Choosing to go with an in-demand market can help to secure the longevity of your business. Unfortunately, without customers, there is no business, so it’s important to choose something that will attract customers. You also need to pay attention to the aspects of that business that are in demand and cater to those. 

Most Profitable Industries in Canada

Some industries are much more profitable than others. Before you go forward with a business idea, you should consider how profitable the industry is overall. Here are some of the most profitable industries in Canada right now:

• Oil & Gas Drilling & Extraction – 2022 Profit: $7.9 Billion
• Real Estate – 2022 Profit: $5.2 Billion
• Long-Distance Trucking – 2022 Profit: $3.6 Billion
• Pharmaceutical Supplies – 2022 Profit: $3.5 Billion
• Engineering Services – 2022 Profit: $3.1 Billion
• Thermal Power – 2022 Profit: $2.9 Billion
• New Car Dealerships – 2022 Profit: $2.9 Billion

Best Manufacturing Business to Start in Canada

Most people don’t typically think about manufacturing when they first start a business. Why? Because most manufacturing isn’t that exciting. But what is exciting is how much revenue manufacturing can bring in.

Here are the top manufacturing businesses you can start in Canada:

• Clothing Manufacturing – Avg. Revenue: $880k/year
• Furniture Manufacturing – Avg. Revenue: $400k/year
• Oil Production – Avg. Revenue: $350k/year
• Healthy Snack Food – Avg. Revenue: $6 million/year
• Fitness Equipment – Avg. Revenue: $8.5 million/year
• Laundry Detergent – Avg. Revenue: $240k/year
• Natural Beauty Products – Avg. Revenue: $60k/year

The Best Business for Immigrants in Canada

If you’re an immigrant, then one of the best job opportunities in Canada is simply starting your own business.

In Canada, immigrant-owned businesses create more jobs on average than businesses owned by Canadian-born owners.

The Canadian government encourages immigrants to start their own businesses as it is beneficial for the Canadian economy.

Here are some of the top immigrant-owned business opportunities in Canada:

• Agriculture (Farm work, Truck Drivers, Meat Processing)
• Tourism & Hospitality (Restaurant, Café, Hotel)
• Retail (Merchandise Shops, Gas Stations, Motor Vehicle Dealerships)
• Construction (Commercial, Residential)
• Professional Services (Lawyer, Doctor, Accountant, Scientist)

If you haven’t immigrated to Canada yet, then you can apply for a fast-tracked immigration process through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) by launching your own business.

Most Successful Small Business Ideas in Canada

Success can mean many things to different people.

For most entrepreneurs looking to start their own business, success is most easily judged by a business that survives the first few years.

If you’re looking for businesses most likely to succeed, then you’ll want to look at the most popular businesses, as they remain alive due to high demand.

Here are some of the most successful small businesses in Canada:

• Retail (12.1% of small businesses)
• Construction (12.3% of small businesses)
• Professional, Scientific, and  Technical Services (12.1% of small businesses)
• Health Care & Social Assistance (9.5% of small businesses)
• Other Services (9.2% of small businesses)

Fastest Growing Business in Canada

As of 2020, the fastest-growing business in Canada was Marlin Spring. It’s no surprise that this is a real estate company, with the recent real estate boom over the past few years.

They were founded in 2013 and have consistently grown over the years, reaching 60,000% growth in five years, making them one of the best success stories in Canadian business history.

Here are a few more of the fastest-growing businesses in Canada:

• Fullscript: Healthcare & Software
• Flexiti: Financial Services
• Shipfusion: E-commerce & Transportation
• Viral Nation: Marketing
• Article: Retail & Ecommerce
• LPI Mechanical: Construction
• Honk: Information Technology
• Talent.com: Human Resources
• Pela: Retail

According to the Government of Canada Website, the industries that have seen the most growth between 2014 and 2017 are:

• Informational and Cultural Industries
• Construction
• Manufacturing

Best Business Ideas in 2025

If you’re looking to start your own business in 2025, you have plenty of options. This is especially the case with so many more people able to work from home and virtually. That said, though, the most profitable and cheapest to start, and something you can do from home or in an office, are bookkeeping and payroll. So many people are looking for someone to help manage their books to keep their business running smoothly.

Home-Based Businesses in Canada

While payroll and bookkeeping businesses are one option when it comes to creating a home-based business, there are plenty of others as well, including:

• Starting a blog
• Becoming a freelance writer
• Affiliate marketing
• Tutoring
• Search Engine Optimization
• Web Development
• Project Management
• Digital Services
• Create an e-commerce business (online store)

Best Options Based on Province

If you're looking to start a home-based business in Canada, it doesn’t matter where you live. That’s something you can do from anywhere and offer to anyone. If you’re looking for a business idea that isn’t home-based, then you want to consider where you live and what types of businesses would succeed in your area. Let’s look at BC, Ontario and Alberta.

Best Business Ideas in BC

If you live in BC, there are plenty of options for you in regard to business ideas. Some of the most successful are:

• Heavy equipment (operation, rentals and insurance)
• Breweries
• Cleaning
• Home care
• Yard maintenance
• Yard maintenance
• Technology

The great thing about these business ideas is that you can choose something with low start-up costs or high ones. A lot of these are niche, too, so a lot of small business owners in these areas will have worked in these fields for a long time before they decide to venture into business on their own. That said, just because you live here and these are the best physical location jobs, that doesn’t mean that you also can’t choose to venture into online business ideas instead. 

In Canada, online shopping and online business has become very popular. This means that jobs like virtual assistant services are also a really great option. Plus, with something like this you can help people all over the world. If you really want to get into something in your town though, then essential services like child care businesses are also a great business idea. 

Best Business Ideas in Alberta

In Alberta, the most successful businesses are:

• Pet care
• Cleaning
• Snow removal
• Lawn care
• Delivery driver
• Moving businesses
• Farming
• Daycare
• Construction

The reason for this is that Alberta is heavily a farming and blue collar province. These businesses cater to that which makes them more profitable. However, there are many other options out there that also fit in with the Canadian lifestyle. Coffee shops and food trucks are also quite popular around these areas as well. And, online business ideas are also a great way to venture out on your own.

Best Business Ideas in Ontario

Lastly, in Ontario, some of the most successful business ideas are:

• Forestry
• Mining
• Tourism
• Finance
• Pet care
• Daycare
• Automotive

Ontario is an interesting place in Canada, In fact, it’s actually the largest province in the country. Here there are plenty of cities as well as forested areas, so you’ll find that the split between urban and rural jobs is actually pretty even. This can make it difficult to determine which small businesses are the best options. 

Even though we’ve mentioned some of the best options above, the best thing that you can do is determine what your town needs. Picking a business that no one already has or is in need of is a great way to keep longevity in your business. Starting something when a competitor already exists can be much more difficult. 

Work From Home Businesses and Side Hustles

If you’re looking for a work-from-home business or even a side hustle, with today’s technology, the sky’s the limit. With that in mind, here are some of the most popular options.

• Freelance writing
• Transcribing
• Becoming a virtual assistant
• Teaching languages
• Narrating Audiobooks

There are plenty of other options out there as well, but these are the most popular currently.

Cheapest Businesses to Start

If you’re in the market to start a business but don’t have a lot of capital, there are plenty of businesses out there that you can still start. Here are a few ideas for the cheapest businesses in Canada. Before you start, though, you want to be certain who your target market is.

• Copywriting Business
• Landscaping Business
• Dog Walking Business
• Car Detailing Business
• Event Planning Business
• Social Media Marketing Business
• Cleaning Businesses
• Graphic Design Business
• Tutoring Business
• Becoming a Virtual Assistant

Some other ideas that are also low-cost are becoming an affiliate marketer, personal training and pet sitting. 

Best Businesses in Canada with a Low Investment

By looking at the jobs above, it’s not surprising that the best businesses with low investment are ones that are online. This is because you don’t need to worry about much overhead cost or even the ability to get floor space. Everything you need to do can be done from your own home. That’s not the only reason though. 

Starting an online business can actually save a lot of money. This is especially true for parents looking to have more flexible hours and cut costs. The online businesses can allow parents to work around their own schedule and reduce travel costs, daycare costs, and more. In fact, they’ve been known to actually increase your income by just these small changes. 

That said, choosing small businesses like home cleaning and car detailing can also be a good option because there’s also limited overhead. You can also choose your own hours and decide what you wish to charge. You can even hire a crew to reduce your own hours and increase your income. 

Why Start A Small Business?

In order to start a business in Canada, all you really need is a good business idea. You don’t have to have high-investment business ideas either. There are plenty of online businesses that have a solid business structure and are able to create income. 

If you are starting a business, though, it’s important to pay attention to market trends as well as market demand. This starts with the business name. Having a catchy name can start to draw in the right clientele and get your business up and running. From there, you can get a business license and start creating your own websites, just like other businesses. 

If you’re going with a business idea that requires a significant investment, it’s important to start your business in a supportive business environment. It can take a while to get off the ground, which can require some patience. You can also check with federal and provincial governments, because they often offer loans and grants to small businesses. 

Getting a Business Loan in Canada

If you’re a Canadian citizen or permanent resident looking to start your own business in Canada—and you need some help financing it—then your best option is to reach out to a trusted Canadian lender like Spring Financial.

Spring Financial is an accredited Canadian lender that leverages innovative financial technology to provide fast, same-day funds for Canadians.

Whether you’ve lived in Canada your whole life or you’re an immigrant, you can rest easy knowing you have financial support to launch your own business.

It only takes two minutes to get approved for an online loan today.

Get started now.

Final Thoughts

Starting your own business in Canada can be terrifying, but it doesn’t have to be. You can start a business with limited risk and then choose to grow it as your business grows. What many people don’t realize is that large businesses don’t start out that way. They often start off as small businesses and then grow over time to a place where the overhead matches the income. It’s the businesses that try to grow too fast that often don’t make it. 

When you own your own business, doing your research is key. Not only do you want to start the right business, but it’s also important that you know how to maintain it. You need to know how the finances work, taxes, inventory and more. If you don’t know how to do these things, there are courses you can take or professionals you can hire to take care of them for you.